The king of Jericho, one ,.... Who was first taken, and so named first, Joshua 6:21 , the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one ; who was next taken and though Bethel was so near Ai, it had a king of its own, after mentioned, see Joshua 7:1 . read more
The king of Jericho , etc. - On this and the following verses see the notes on Joshua 10:1-3 ; (note). read more
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
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
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. read more
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
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
Jericho. Compare Joshua 6:2 , one. These names (verses: Joshua 12:9-24 ) are written thus in the Hebrew MSS. and printed editions. Ai. Compare Joshua 8:29 . read more
Due to the nature of the remaining material in this chapter, we shall rely upon a different method of presenting it. Woudstra, and others, have also utilized this manner of reporting it:[14]the king of Jericho.....................onethe king of Ai, beside Bethel...........onethe king Jerusalem......................onethe king of Hebron......................onethe king of Jarmuth.....................onethe king of Lachish.....................onethe king of Eglon.......................onethe king... read more
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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