Joshua 12: The kings Israel defeated
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What happens?
The chapter lists the kings Israel defeated. First come the two kings east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whose land Moses gave to Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh. Then come the kings west of the Jordan whom Joshua defeated, one by one, thirty-one kings in all.
Who is speaking?
The narrator gives the whole chapter as a list. No one speaks, and no verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah eastward:
In plain English: These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated, and whose land they took, on the other side of the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, with all the Arabah to the east:
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2Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;
In plain English: Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer, on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half of Gilead, as far as the Jabbok river, the border of the Ammonites;
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3and the Arabah to the sea of Chinneroth, eastward, and to the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beth Jeshimoth; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah:
In plain English: and the Arabah to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, on the east, on the way to Beth Jeshimoth; and on the south, below the slopes of Pisgah.
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4and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
In plain English: And the border (or: territory) of Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant (those left) of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei.
The Hebrew word: "Rephaim" is rephaim, which the dictionary gives as "a giant".
How it is translated: This Bible says "Rephaim" in 17 of the 24 verses that use the word, and "giant" in 7.
Good to know: says that only Og "remained of the remnant of the Rephaim", and tells of his iron bed.
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5and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
In plain English: He ruled over Mount Hermon, over Salecah, and over all Bashan, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
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6Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of Yahweh gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
In plain English: Moses the servant of Yahweh and the Israelites defeated them. Moses the servant of Yahweh gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to own.
Good to know: These two kings were defeated in Moses' time ( and ), and Moses gave their land to Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh in . Chapter 13 gives this land in more detail.
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7These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir. Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
In plain English: These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave the land to the tribes of Israel to own, by their divisions:
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8in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
In plain English: in the hill country, the lowland, the Arabah, the slopes, the wilderness, and the South (the Negev): the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
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9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
In plain English: The king of Jericho, one. The king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one.
Good to know: Joshua 6 to 11 tells of some of these kings: the king of Jericho (), the king of Ai (), the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon (), and the king of Hazor ().
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10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
In plain English: The king of Jerusalem, one. The king of Hebron, one.
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11the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
In plain English: The king of Jarmuth, one. The king of Lachish, one.
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12the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
In plain English: The king of Eglon, one. The king of Gezer, one.
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13the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
In plain English: The king of Debir, one. The king of Geder, one.
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14the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
In plain English: The king of Hormah, one. The king of Arad, one.
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15the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
In plain English: The king of Libnah, one. The king of Adullam, one.
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16the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
In plain English: The king of Makkedah, one. The king of Bethel, one.
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17the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
In plain English: The king of Tappuah, one. The king of Hepher, one.
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18the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;
In plain English: The king of Aphek, one. The king of Lassharon (or: of Sharon), one.
The Hebrew word: "Lassharon" is lasharon. The dictionary lists it under Sharon, "plain, Sharon, the name of a place".
What changes: Read as a name, this is a town called Lassharon. Read as "of Sharon", this is the king of the plain of Sharon.
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19the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
In plain English: The king of Madon, one. The king of Hazor, one.
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20the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
In plain English: The king of Shimron Meron, one. The king of Achshaph, one.
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21the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
In plain English: The king of Taanach, one. The king of Megiddo, one.
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22the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
In plain English: The king of Kedesh, one. The king of Jokneam in Carmel, one.
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23the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
In plain English: The king of Dor in the height of Dor, one. The king of Goiim (or: of the nations) in Gilgal, one.
The Hebrew word: "Goiim" is goyim, the common Hebrew word for nations. The dictionary gives it as "a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile". This Bible keeps it as a name, Goiim, here and in 2 other verses ( and ).
What changes: Read as a name, this is the king of a people or place called Goiim. Read as a word, he is "the king of the nations" in Gilgal.
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24the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.
In plain English: The king of Tirzah, one. All the kings: thirty-one.
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