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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 12:7-24

We have here a breviate of Joshua's conquests. I. The limits of the country he conquered. It lay between Jordan on the east and the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and extended from Baal-gad near Lebanon in the north to Halak, which lay upon the country of Edom in the south, Josh. 12:7. The boundaries are more largely described, Num. 34:2-12 But what is here said is enough to show that God had been as good as his word, and had given them possession of all he had promised them by Moses, if they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 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 ,.... 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 12:1-24

The extent of the conquest. A few detached considerations occur to us here. I. GOD WELL NOT BE WORSE THAN HIS WORD . The reduction of the whole land had not yet been effected, but it had been rendered possible if Israel were disposed to follow up his advantage. The list of cities captured covers nearly the whole extent of Palestine, and Canaan had been deprived of all capacity of resistance. So it is with the Christian who has entered into covenant with God. The mastery... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 12:7-8

Diversity of lots. The diversity of situation and character in the several lots of the tribes of Israel is illustrative of the similar diversity which is seen in all human experience. I. DIVERSITY OF LOTS IS A NECESSITY . If we could attain uniformity we could not retain it. II. DIVERSITY OF LOTS IS LESS SEVERE THAN IT APPEARS TO BE . III. DIVERSITY OF LOTS IS BENEFICIAL TO US INDIVIDUALLY , Justice is not equality, but fitness.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 12:7-24

The catalogue of the vanquished. A melancholy document, meaning little more to us than a column in a directory, but meaning much to multitudes. Many of these kings would be lamented in elegies as sweet as David's song over Saul and Jonathan. Some, doubtless, were noble, perhaps some devout, but implicated in a national fate to the deserving of which they had not contributed. Linger over these a little and observe— I. ALL ARMIES WILL FIND THEIR PLACE IN ONE OF TWO ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 12:8

The mountains. "Which, as the mountains of Judah ( Joshua 15:48 ), Ephraim ( Joshua 16:1 ), and Naphtali ( Joshua 19:32 ), ran through the midst of the land" (Knobel). See Joshua 11:16 , Joshua 11:21 , and note. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 12:7-24

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.Joshua 12:13-20The... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 12:8

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. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 12:1-24

Summary of Israel’s conquests (11:16-12:24)Now that Israel controlled all the territory that was to become its homeland, the writer summarizes the entire conquest. First he summarizes Joshua’s conquest of all the area west of Jordan (i.e. Canaan itself), where nine and a half tribes were to receive their inheritance (16-23). Then he summarizes the former conquest in the time of Moses, when Israel gained control of the territory east of Jordan, where two and a half tribes had already been... read more

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