Joshua 12

The Kings Defeated by the Israelites

1 *Nu 21.21-35; Dt 2.26—3.11. Before Moses died, he and the people of Israel had defeated two kings east of the Jordan River. These kings had ruled the region from the Arnon River gorge in the south to Mount Hermon in the north, including the eastern side of the Jordan River valley.

2 The first king that Moses and the Israelites defeated was an Amorite, King Sihon of Heshbon.*12.2 King Sihon of Heshbon: See Numbers 21.21-31. The southern border of his kingdom ran down the middle of the Arnon River gorge, taking in the town of Aroer on the northern edge of the gorge. The Jabbok River separated Sihon’s kingdom from the Ammonites on the east. Then the Jabbok turned west and became his northern border, so his kingdom included the southern half of the region of Gilead. 3 Sihon also controlled the eastern side of the Jordan River valley from Lake Galilee*12.3 Lake Galilee: See the note at 11.2. south to Beth-Jeshimoth and the Dead Sea. In addition to these regions, he ruled the town called Slopes of Mount Pisgah*12.3 the town called Slopes of Mount Pisgah: Or "the slopes of Mount Pisgah." and the land south of there at the foot of the hill.

4 Next, Moses and the Israelites defeated King Og of Bashan,*12.4 King Og of Bashan: See Numbers 21.33-35. who lived in the town of Ashtaroth part of each year and in Edrei the rest of the year. Og was one of the last of the Rephaim.*12.4 Rephaim: Perhaps a group of very large people that lived in Palestine before the Israelites (see Deuteronomy 2.10,11, 20,21).5 His kingdom stretched north to Mount Hermon, east to the town of Salecah, and included the land of Bashan as far west as the borders of the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah. He also ruled the northern half of Gilead.

6 *Nu 32.33;Dt 3.12-17. Moses, the Lord's servant, had led the people of Israel in defeating Sihon and Og. Then Moses gave their land to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh.

7,8 Later, Joshua and the Israelites defeated many kings west of the Jordan River, from Baal-Gad in Lebanon Valley in the north to Mount Halak near the country of Edom in the south. This region included the hill country and the foothills, the Jordan River valley and its western slopes, and the Southern Desert. Joshua and the Israelites took this land from the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Joshua divided up the land among the tribes of Israel.

The Israelites defeated the kings of the following towns west of the Jordan River:

9-24 Jericho, Ai near Bethel, Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Gezer, Debir, Geder, Hormah, Arad, Libnah, Adullam, Makkedah, Bethel, Tappuah, Hepher, Aphek, Lasharon,*12.9-24 Aphek, Lasharon: Or "Aphek in the Sharon Plain." Madon, Hazor, Shimron-Meron, Achshaph, Taanach, Megiddo, Kedesh, Jokneam on Mount Carmel, Dor in Naphath-Dor, Goiim in Galilee,*12.9-24 Galilee: One ancient translation; Hebrew "Gilgal." and Tirzah.*12.9-24 Jericho … Tirzah: There are some differences in this list between the Hebrew and several ancient translations.

There were 31 of these kings in all.