Joshua 12:1-24
The Kings Conquered by Moses (Numbers 21:21–35)
1 These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated, and whose land they possessed on the other side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the eastern Jordan plain: 2 One king was Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon and ruled half of Gilead, from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, from the middle of that river, even as far as the River Jabbok, which is the border of the Ammonites, 3 and the eastern Jordan plain from the Sea of Chinneroth as far as the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), the road to Beth Jeshimoth, and southward below the slopes of Pisgah. 4 The other king was Og king of Bashan and his territory, who was of the remnant of the giants, who dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5 and reigned over Mount Hermon, over Salcah, over all Bashan, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and over half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6 These Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel had conquered; and Moses the servant of the LORD had given it as a possession to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.
The Kings Conquered by Joshua
7 And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan, on the west, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions, 8 in the mountain country, in the lowlands, in the Jordan plain, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the South—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: 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 the people of Gilgal, one; 24 the king of Tirzah, one—all the kings, thirty-one.
The list of conquests is highlighted in this chapter by the kings of each defeated country as Israel pressed into the land of Canaan promised through Abraham to his descendants. Before entering the promised land, Moses led the attack and defeated two great kings before handing over the responsibility to Joshua as his successor and general of the armies of the Lord because he was faithful in the rebellion that kept Israel from entering for forty years because of their unfaithfulness to trust God to take the land previously. His conquests provided land for three of the twelve tribes, leaving Joshua to provide land for the remaining nine. Moses himself had disbelieved and acted unfaithfully once by not trusting and honoring His name before the people (Numbers 20:12, 27:12-13, 14), and that one time kept him from entering the land only seen from a distance; but Joshua trusted the call of the LORD (Joshua 1:5-6, 7) and obeyed His Word (Joshua 1:8-9) faithfully as he led the armies to take possession of their inheritance. Therefore, when faithful general Joshua led them into the land, the LORD used him to destroy thirty-one kings and appropriate their lands and cities to inhabit without having to build their own. The inheritance was won by the power of the sovereign God by faith put into action, a pattern for the gospel now as we fight the good fight to gain the inheritance won by Christ as our General, the Commander of the armies of the LORD (Joshua 5:14), by donning the armor of faith and faithfulness until all those chosen and called by God hear the gospel of deliverance from the bondage of sin far more oppressive than Egypt’s into a promised heavenly country far more wonderful in the presence of God forevermore! May we put on the whole armor of God in faith and faithfulness to fight the good fight until we all enter into the kingdom.
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