Bible Commentaries

Joshua 12:1 Now these [are] the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:

Ver. 1. Now these are the kings.] Here we have the epilogue of Israel’s wars under Moses and Joshua; together with a catalogue of the countries which they conquered, and the kings whom they slew.

Joshua 12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, [and] ruled from Aroer, which [is] upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, [which is] the border of the children of Ammon;

Ver. 2. And from half Gilead.] For the other half was held by Og. [Joshua 12:5]

Joshua 12:3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, [even] the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah:

Ver. 3. And unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea.] Otherwise called the Dead Sea, or Lake Asphaltites; the water whereof is so thick, saith Josephus, than an ox, having all his legs bound, will not sink into it; and so pestiferous, that fowls flying over it fall down dead.

Joshua 12:4 And the coast of Og king of Bashan, [which was] of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

Ver. 4. Which was of the remnant of giants.] Slain by the Ammonites. [Deuteronomy 2:20; Deuteronomy 3:11] Raphaims, they called themselves, that is, Physicians or Preservers; but indeed they were Zamzummims, that is, boisterous and abominable. Nomen inane, crimen immane.

Joshua 12:5 And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

Ver. 5. In mount Hermon.] Which is conceived to be the utmost part of mount Gilead, joining mount Lebanon and Gilead together.

Joshua 12:6 Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it [for] a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

Ver. 6. Moses the servant of the Lord.] See Joshua 1:1.

Joshua 12:7 And these [are] the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel [for] a possession according to their divisions;

Ver. 7. Which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel.] A spacious and fruitful tract of ground, a country, which if God had fashioned the world like a ring, as he did like a globe, might have been the gem of it. But what was Canaan in its flourish in comparison of heaven, and of that city of pearl, the new Jerusalem, whither the Lord Christ will certainly bring all his people in despite of their enemies! they shall surely and safely sail, through Christ’s blood, into the bosom of the Father, and unto those mountains of spices. [Song of Solomon 8:14]

Joshua 12:8 In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

Ver. 8. {See Trapp on "Joshua 12:7"}

Joshua 12:9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which [is] beside Bethel, one;

Ver. 9. The king of Jericho, one.] In this one country of Judea - which was not above two hundred miles long, and sixty miles broad: not near the half of England, as good authors compute it - what abundance of kings find we, and what a huge multitude of inhabitants! So here in England of old, were so many cities, so many kings almost. When Caesar entered this island, Kent had four kings that ruled in it: viz., Cingentorix, Carvilius, Taximagulus, and Segonax. Hence Jerome calleth this island Fertilem tyrannorum, full of tyrants.