Joshua 12
Joshua 12 contains a compilation about the territories the Israelites entered and conquered in the land of Canaan, and about the kings of those regions. This chapter is divided into two main parts: Verses 1–6 record the kings that Moses conquered on the east side of the Jordan, and Verses 7–24 provide a detailed record of the kings that Joshua conquered on the west side of the Jordan. Joshua 12 serves to show with careful detail Israel’s historical victories and that God’s promises were fulfilled in reality.
1verseNow 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:
2verseSihon 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;
3verseand 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:
4verseand the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5verseand 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.
6verseMoses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
7verseThese 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;
8versein 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:
9versethe king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10versethe king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11versethe king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12versethe king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
13versethe king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14versethe king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15versethe king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
16versethe king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
17versethe king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
18versethe king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;
19versethe king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
20versethe king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
21versethe king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
22versethe king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
23versethe king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
24versethe king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.
Detailed Contents by Chapter
- Verses 1–6: summarizes the events in which the Israelites led by Moses defeated King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan on the east side of the Jordan—then conquered that land.
- Verses 7–24: lists the kings Israel and Joshua fought against on the west side of the Jordan, that is, in the mainland of Canaan. A total of 31 kings are mentioned along with their names and cities, which suggests that Canaan at the time was divided into many small city-states.
Overall Meaning and Reflection
Rather than simply listing the many wars Israel experienced and its victories, this chapter shows that God’s promises were fulfilled one by one in history. It presents Israel’s victories not merely as military achievements, but as part of the narrative of God fulfilling His promise to give the land. In the final part of the chapter, as it hints that the realized victories are not merely the result of human ability, it leads readers today to think about the victory that comes when you walk with God.
Points for Reflection
- Through Israel’s victories and the list of conquests, we can reflect on whether we are also experiencing God’s guidance and victory in the journey of life we are living.
- As we look back on the life we have already lived, we can recognize that in our own lives there were also small “wars,” and that in each place, God’s work was taking place.
Try Applying It to Me
Through Joshua 12, you can learn that you need to adopt an attitude of remembering the times when God was with me in my own life and not forgetting the victories. Also, as you strive to live with gratitude for even the small victories of everyday life, make a commitment to trust that God will continue to guide you.