Jos 12:9-13 | KingComments | STEP | It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses ( ). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other. It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” ( ), so that we will receive the reward of every victory ( ). The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! ( ). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes. First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned ( ), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here ( ) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom. The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” ( ). We read further in Psalm 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” ( ).

‏ Joshua 12:9-13

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Jos 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2Tim 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Rev 2:7 ; 11 ; 17 ; 26 ; Rev 3:5 ; 12 ; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psa 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Jos 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Jos 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136:

“To Him who smote great kings,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And slew mighty kings,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And Og, king of Bashan,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psa 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalm 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness:

“And gave their land as a heritage,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

Even a heritage to Israel His servant,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psa 136:21-22).