Joshua 12:9

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.

9 . the king of Jericho ] The kings are enumerated generally in the order in which they were conquered. For the overthrow of the kings of Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, and Gezer see ( a ) Joshua 6:2 ff.; ( b ) Joshua 8:29 ; ( c ) Joshua 10:1-5 ; Joshua 10:33 .

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.

Verse 9. - The list of the cities subdued . The king of Jericho, one . Here follows a list of the royal cities of the Canaanites, the remainder being daughter, or dependent cities, or else, perhaps, like Gibeon, cities whose government was not regal. See Joshua 9:3 , and Introduction. Joshua 12:9

The different kings are given in the order in which they were defeated: Jericho ( Joshua 6:1 ); Ai ( Joshua 7:2 ); Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon ( Joshua 10:3 ); Gezer ( Joshua 10:33 ); and Debir ( Joshua 10:38 ). Those given in Joshua 12:13 and Joshua 12:14 are not mentioned by name in Joshua 10 . Geder, possibly the same as Gedor upon the mountains of Judah ( Joshua 15:58 ), which has been preserved under the old name of Jedur (Rob. Pal. ii. p. 186, and Bibl. Res. p. 282). Hormah (i.e., banning) was in the south of Judah ( Joshua 15:30 ), and was allotted to the Simeonites ( Joshua 19:4 ). It was called Zephath by the Canaanites ( Judges 1:17 ; see at Numbers 21:3 ), was on the southern slope of the mountains of the Amalekites or Amorites, the present ruins of Septa, on the western slope of the table-land of Rakhma, two hours and a half to the south-west of Khalasa (Elusa: see Ritter, Erdk. xiv. p. 1085). Arad, also in the Negeb, has been preserved in Tell Arad (see at Numbers 21:1 ). Libnah (see at Joshua 10:29 ). Adullam, which is mentioned in Joshua 15:35 among the towns of the plain between Jarmuth and Socoh, was in the neighbourhood of a large cave in which David took refuge when flying from Saul ( 1 Samuel 22:1 ; 2 Samuel 23:13 ). It was fortified by Rehoboam ( 2 Chronicles 11:7 ), and is mentioned in 2 Macc. 12:38 as the city of Odollam.

The Onomast. describes it as being ten Roman miles to the east of Eleutheropolis; but this is a mistake, though it has not yet been discovered. So far as the situation is concerned, Deir Dubbn would suit very well, a place about two hours to the north of Beit Jibrin, near to a large number of caves in the white limestone, which form a kind of labyrinth, as well as some vaulted grottos (see Rob. Pal. ii. p. 353, and Van de Velde, Reise, pp. 162-3). Makkedah: possibly Summeil (see at Joshua 10:10 ). Bethel, i.e., Beitin (see Joshua 8:17 ). The situation of the towns which follow in Joshua 12:17 and Joshua 12:18 cannot be determined with certainty, as the names Tappuach, Aphek, and Hefer are met with again in different parts of Canaan, and Lassaron does not occur again.