Joshua 12:8

12:7-24 We have here the limits of the country Joshua conquered. A list is given of the kings subdued by Israel: thirty-one in all. This shows how fruitful Canaan then was, in which so many chose to throng together. This was the land God appointed for Israel; yet in our day it is one of the most barren and unprofitable countries in the world. Such is the effect of the curse it lies under, since its possessors rejected Christ and his gospel, as was foretold by Moses, De 29:23. The vengeance of a righteous God, inflicted on all these kings and their subjects, for their wickedness, should make us dread and hate sin. The fruitful land bestowed on his chosen people, should fill our hearts with hope and confidence in his mercy, and with humble gratitude.

In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country,.... Which is a description of the whole land of Canaan; some parts of which were hills and mountains, others vales and champaign fields; others were dry and barren, and others well watered; some part of it lay to the north, as towards Lebanon, and others to the south, towards Seir: the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; which were the nations that inhabited the land of Canaan before it was taken and possessed by the Israelites.

Joshua 12:8 . In the wilderness and in the south country — These are joined together because the wilderness was southerly, in the hottest and driest part of the land: but we are not to suppose that the wilderness was a country without people, but only such as was thinly inhabited, in comparison with other parts of the land: for we read of houses and towns in the wilderness, 1 Kings 11:34 ; 1 Kings 9:18 .

Jos 12:7-24. The One and Thirty Kings on the West Side of Jordan, Which Joshua Smote. 7. Baal-gad … even unto … Halak—(See on [188]Jos 11:17). A list of thirty-one chief towns is here given; and, as the whole land contained a superficial extent of only fifteen miles in length by fifty in breadth, it is evident that these capital cities belonged to petty and insignificant kingdoms. With a few exceptions, they were not the scenes of any important events recorded in the sacred history, and therefore do not require a particular notice.

The names of the kings are given in the order of their actual encounter with Joshua. Those enumerated in Joshua 12:10-18 either belonged to the league of the southern Canaanites ( Joshua 10:1 ff), the power of which was broken in the battle of Beth-horon, or were at any rate conquered in the campaign following that battle. Those mentioned in Joshua 12:19-24 were in like manner connected with the northern confederates ( Joshua 11:1 ff), who were defeated at the Waters of Merom.

List of the thirty-one kings of Canaan whom Joshua smote on the western side of the Jordan, "from Baal-gad, in the valley of Lebanon, to the bald mountain that goeth up towards Seir" (see Joshua 11:17 ). This land Joshua gave to the other tribes of Israel. (On the different parts of the land, see at Joshua 9:1 ; Joshua 10:40 , and Joshua 11:2 .)

[Bible] 12:6. Moses the servant of the Lord, and the children of Israel slew them, and Moses delivered their land in possession to the Rubenites, and Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasses. 12:7. These are the kings of the land, whom Josue and the children of Israel slew beyond the Jordan on the west side from Baalgad in the field of Libanus, unto the mount, part of which goeth up into Seir: and Josue delivered it in possession to the tribes of Israel, to every one their divisions, 12:8. As well in the mountains as in the plains and the champaign countries. In Asedoth, and in the wilderness, and in the south was the Hethite and the Amorrhite, the Chanaanite and the Pherezite, the Hevite and the Jebusite. 12:9. The king of Jericho one: the king of Hai, which is on the side of Bethel, one: 12:10. The king of Jerusalem one, the king of Hebron one, 12:11. The king of Jerimoth one, thee king of Lachis one, 12:12. The king of Eglon one, the king of Gazer one, 12:13. The king of Dabir one, the king of Gader one, 12:14. The king of Herma one, the king of Hered one, 12:15. The king of Lebna one, the king of Odullam one, 12:16. The king of Maceda one, the king of Bethel one, 12:17. The king of Taphua one, the king of Opher one, 12:18. The king of Aphec one, the king of Saron one, 12:19. The king of Madon one, the king of Asor one, 12:20. The king of Semeron one, the king of Achsaph one, 12:21. The king of Thenac one, the king of Mageddo one, 12:22. Thee king of Cades one, the king of Jachanan of Carmel one, 12:23. The king of Dor, and of the province of Dor one, the king of the nations of Galgal one, 12:24. The king of Thersa one: all the kings thirty and one. Josue Chapter 13 God commandeth Josue to divide the land: the possessions of Ruben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses, beyond the Jordan. 13:1. Josue was old, and far advanced in years, and the Lord said to him: Thou art grown old, and advanced in age, and there is a very large country left, which is not yet divided by lot:

31 . The effects of the great deliverance thus wrought for Israel: an increased fear of God, and belief in God, and also in Moses’ Divine commission. work ] Heb. hand , fig. for act or work ; cf. Deuteronomy 34:12 , Psalm 78:42 . believed in ] ‘The idiom rendered “he believed in” ( האמין ב ) is a very striking one: the belief intended is, not merely a crediting of a testimony concerning a person or a thing (this would be האמין ל ), but a laying firm hold morally on a person or a thing, without the help of any intermediate agency’ (Cheyne, s.v. Faith in EB. ). Cf. Genesis 15:6 . The root idea of האמין is to shew firmness or steadiness towards ( ל ) or on ( ב ) a person or a word: cf. Job 39:24 RVm., and the cognate subst. in ch. Exodus 17:12 ( Lex. ‘Moses’ hands were firmness ’). his servant ] A title applied to Moses elsewhere in the Pent. only Numbers 12:7-8 , Deuteronomy 34:5 (both JE). It is very common in the book of Joshua (mostly in parts which are the work of the Deuteronomic editor): Joshua 1:1-2 ; Joshua 1:7 ; Joshua 1:13 ; Joshua 1:15 , Joshua 8:31; Jos 8:33 , Joshua 9:24 , Joshua 11:12; Jos 11:15 , Joshua 12:6 , Joshua 13:8 , Joshua 14:7 , Joshua 18:7 , Joshua 22:2 ; Joshua 22:4-5 .

[Reformed Biblical] But if it be more narrowly and considerately observed, it will appear that there are only two parties engaged in the taking of Ai, and but one ambush, as plainly appears by comparing #Joshua 8:9 (which manifestly speaks of that party which is mentioned #Joshua 8:3 ) with #Joshua 8:12 , which speaks only of five thousand, which is justly supposed to be a part of those thirty thousand named #Joshua 8:3 , and that part which was to lie in ambush; unless we will suppose that there were two ambushes, one of thirty thousand, and the other of five thousand, both lying in wait in the same quarter, even between Beth-el and Ai , on the west side of Ai, the only place where the ambush lay, as is said both #Joshua 8:9,12,13 , which seems absurd and incredible. And besides, in the execution of this command, there is mention but of one ambush, #Joshua 8:12-14,19 , and they are said to consist only of five thousand, #Joshua 8:12 , and they only take and burn the city, #Joshua 8:19 ; so that the other supposed ambush of thirty thousand is perfectly vanished and lost, and did nothing in this work; which also is very improbable.