Joshua 12:1–24
1 Now these are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel defeated, and they took possession of their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the Valley of the Arnon as far as Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east:
2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, both the middle of the valley and half of Gilead, even as far as the brook Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon;
3 and the Arabah as far as the Sea of Chinneroth toward the east, and as far as the Sea of the Arabah, that is, the Salt Sea, eastward toward Beth-jeshimoth, and on the south, at the foot of the slopes of Pisgah;
4 and the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant of Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5 and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, and all Bashan, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, as far as the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6 Moses the servant of the Lord and the sons of Israel defeated them; and Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as a possession.
7 Now these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the sons of Israel defeated beyond the Jordan toward the west, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon even as far as Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir; and Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions,
8 in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, on the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the Negev; the Hittite, the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
9 the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10 the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11 the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12 the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
13 the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14 the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
17 the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
18 the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;
19 the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
20 the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
22 the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
23 the king of Dor in the heights of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
24 the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings.
The List of Defeated Kings
The kings of the east of the Jordan River
In Chapter 12, all the lands that were conquered are listed. With this, we can see that the lands that YHWH gave to Israel were conquered just as promised. Verses 1–6 list the lands conquered in the east of Jordan River. (1) Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who refused to let Moses and Israel pass through his land and launched an attack, was defeated (ref. Num. 21:21–24, Duet. 2:26-35, 3:6, 16). (2) Og, the king of Bashan, ruled over the fertile land east of the Sea of Kinnereth (the Sea of Galilee). He, too, was defeated by Israel led by Moses (ref. Num. 21:33–35, Duet, 3:1–7). (3) Joshua gave these lands to the tribes of Rueben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as an inheritance. Let’s make a habit of not only being grateful for the blessings we have now but also the blessings of the past. Remembrance of the victory we have in the Lord gives us courage and strength.
The kings of the west of the Jordan River
Verses 7–24 list the defeated kings in lands west of the Jordan River. In total, 31 names are listed. (1) Joshua gave these lands to the tribes of Israel as an inheritance. (2) The land owned by Israel extended further in the time of King David and extended to its greatest in the time of Solomon. Yet, it never reached the entire land that God had promised Abraham. The promise will ultimately be fulfilled in the Messianic Kingdom (Millennial Kingdom). (3) The number of cities established in the land of Canaan proves how good the land was. However, after the Israelites were exiled from the land for their unfaithfulness (in the year 70 A.D.), the land was desolated. In the 20th century, as the Israelites returned to the land of Canaan, the land regained its fruitfulness. For Christians, the land of Canaan is in heaven. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Let’s remember this verse as we go out in the world today.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, my citizenship is in heaven. Today, let me live my life in a manner that reflects my status as a citizen of heaven. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.