Joshua 12

In our study of Joshua chapter twelve, we review the list of victories in establishing the land of Israel and its relationship with Yeshua's return to establish His kingdom.

Chapter Overview

Joshua chapter 12 functions as a summary and a turning point. After eleven chapters of battles, the narrative pauses to recount, in a single formal list, every king Israel has defeated since leaving Egypt — first the two kings conquered east of the Jordan under Moses, then thirty-one kings conquered west of the Jordan under Joshua.

This chapter closes out the conquest narrative and prepares the way for what comes next: the actual division of the land among the tribes, beginning in chapter 13. Before inheritance can be distributed, the text wants the reader to see, in full, exactly how complete ADONAI's victory had been.

Historical Background

Formal lists of defeated kings were a recognized literary practice in the ancient Near East — Egyptian and Assyrian monuments regularly catalogued conquered rulers as a way of documenting and legitimizing territorial claims. Joshua 12 follows a similar convention, functioning almost like a land-grant record: a formal, verifiable accounting of exactly what had been won and was now being passed down to Israel.

The political landscape described here — dozens of individual kings, each ruling a single city rather than one unified nation — matches what outside historical sources, such as the Amarna letters from this general era, describe of Canaan: a patchwork of small, independent city-states rather than a single centralized kingdom.

Joshua 12:1

These are the kings of the land whom the people of Isra'el defeated and of whose land they took possession, across the Yarden toward the east, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon and all the 'Aravah eastward:

This verse recounts the victory over the two kings on the east side of the Jordan.

Joshua 12:2 & 3

Sichon king of the Emori, who lived in Heshbon and ruled the territory that includes 'Aro'er, at the edge of the Arnon Valley; the middle of the valley; half of Gil'ad, to the Yabok River, which forms the border with the people of 'Amon; the 'Aravah to Lake Kinneret eastward and to the sea of the 'Aravah, the Dead Sea, eastward by way of Beit-Yeshimot and on the south under the slopes of Pisgah.

The first king mentioned on the east side of the Jordan is Sichon and we see the area that he controlled.

Joshua 12:4 & 5

There was also the territory of 'Og king of Bashan, who belonged to the remnant of the Refa'im. He lived at 'Ashtarot and at Edre'i; and he ruled Mount Hermon; Salkhah; all Bashan, to the border with the G'shuri and the Ma'akhati; and half of Gil'ad, to its border with Sichon king of Heshbon.

The other king on the east side of the Jordan River was Og and we see the land that he controlled as well as the fact that he was a remnant from the Refa'im which refers to giants. You can learn more about them in Genesis 6. It is mentioned here to remind us that, no matter how big the group or individual is that opposes the will of God, the outcome is the same.

Joshua 12:6

Moshe the servant of ADONAI, with the people of Isra'el, defeated them; and Moshe the servant of ADONAI gave it to the Re'uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M'nasheh as their possession.

We are reminded of the fact that Moshe was the leader of Israel at the time of these victories and the land was given to the two and a half tribes as their inheritance.

Joshua 12:7 & 8

Following are the kings of the land whom Y'hoshua, with the people of Isra'el, defeated in the area west of the Yarden, between Ba'al-Gad in the L'vanon Valley and the bare mountain that goes up to Se'ir. Y'hoshua gave this land, inhabited by the Hitti, Emori, Kena'ani, P'rizi, Hivi and Y'vusi, to the tribes of Isra'el to possess, according to their divisions, in the hills, the Sh'felah, the 'Aravah, the mountain slopes, the desert and the Negev:

Now, the victory account looks at the land of Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River and these victories were under the leadership of Y'hoshua. We are reminded that the proper Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua, which means salvation. This is a shortened form of the Hebrew name Yehoshua, which is Joshua in English and these victories under Y'hoshua are a shadow of the coming victory of Yeshua to establish the kingdom in the land of Israel.

Hebraic Insight

In the Hebrew text of verses 9-24, the word echad — "one" — follows every single king's name: "the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, one," and so on, all the way through thirty-one repetitions. Most English translations smooth this out into a simple list, but the Hebrew is deliberately repetitive.

That repetition isn't stylistic filler — it emphasizes that ADONAI's victory wasn't a vague, collective defeat of "the enemy." Every king, individually and by name, fell. Nothing was left to chance and no ruler was too minor to be accounted for.

Joshua 12:9-24

the king of Yericho, the king of 'Ai, by Beit-El, the king of Yerushalayim, the king of Hevron, the king of Yarmut, the king of Lakhish, the king of 'Eglon, the king of Gezer, the king of D'vir, the king of Geder, the king of Hormah, the king of 'Arad, the king of Livnah, the king of 'Adulam, the king of Makkedah, the king of Beit-El, the king of Tapuach, the king of Hefer, the king of Afek, the king of Sharon, the king of Madon, the king of Hatzor, the king of Shimron-M'ron, the king of Akhshaf, the king of Ta'anakh, the king of Megiddo, the king of Kedesh, the king of Yokne'am in Karmel, the king of Dor in the region of Dor, the king of Goyim in the Gilgal, and the king of Tirtzah making a total of thirty-one kings.

In the Hebrew text, the number one is given after each of the defeated kings and the total is given as 31 kings that opposed the will of God. This, too, is a shadow of things to come as, in the last days, all the nations of the earth will join together to oppose the will of God. Although Y'hoshua was leading Israel at the time of these victories, we see that Yeshua will be leading the final victory. We also see that six groups of Canaanites were listed and we are reminded that the number six speaks of the insufficiency of the works of men and the need for grace. In the Hebrew text, there are seven locations listed in the land and we are reminded that the number seven speaks of holiness and the purposes of God. We are also reminded of the fact that the return of Yeshua will bring kingdom unity. The total number of defeated kings is thirty three and that number is significant as that is the number of years that King David ruled in Jerusalem as well as the number of years of Yeshua's life on earth as a man.

Did You Know?

Ancient Egyptian correspondence from this general era, known as the Amarna letters, describes Canaan much the way Joshua 12 does: not as a single unified kingdom, but as a fragmented region of small, independent city-states, each ruled by its own local king and often jockeying for power against its neighbors. That outside historical picture lines up closely with a chapter that lists thirty-one separate "one-city kings" rather than a handful of major empires.

🎓 Continue Your Hebraic Journey

Joshua chapter 12 is one lesson in the Walk with Yeshua Joshua course. Continue your study by watching the companion teaching that explores the Hebrew language, covenant themes, and Messianic connections found in this summary of Israel's completed conquest.

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Messianic Themes

• Every earthly power accounted for. The individual naming of thirty-three kings pictures the total, personal defeat of every power arrayed against Messiah at His return, as described in Psalm 2 and Revelation 19:19-21.
• Moses began, Joshua completed. The two-part list — Moses' victories east of the Jordan, Joshua's victories west of it — reflects how the Torah given through Moses pointed forward to and was fulfilled through the greater Yeshua.
• Giants are no match for God. Og's connection to the Rephaim, a race remembered for its size and strength, is a reminder that Messiah disarms every power and authority, however imposing (Colossians 2:15).
• Conquest before inheritance. This chapter of completed victory comes directly before the land is divided as inheritance — a pattern echoed in the believer's own life, where walking in victory over sin precedes fully entering into what God has for us (Ephesians 1:11-14).
• None too small to name. That every king is recorded individually, not lumped together, reflects the same personal attention Scripture says God gives each believer — nothing overlooked, nothing forgotten.

Related Scriptures

• Deuteronomy 3:11 — Background on Og of Bashan as a remnant of the Rephaim.
• Psalm 2 — The kings of the earth take their stand against ADONAI and His anointed.
• Revelation 19:19-21 — The final defeat of the kings of the earth at Messiah's return.
• Colossians 2:15 — Messiah disarms the rulers and authorities, triumphing over them.
• Ephesians 1:11-14 — Believers receive their inheritance in Messiah.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Bible include what seems like a plain list of kings?

Lists like this served a real historical and legal purpose in the ancient world, formally documenting a completed conquest. For the reader, it also drives home just how total and specific ADONAI's victory was — not a vague summary, but a name-by-name accounting.

What's the difference between the two sections of this list?

The first section covers the two kings defeated east of the Jordan under Moses' leadership, before Israel ever crossed into the promised land. The second, much longer section covers the thirty-one kings defeated west of the Jordan under Joshua, covering the campaign recorded in the previous chapters.

Why is Og specifically described as a remnant of the Rephaim?

The Rephaim were remembered as a people of unusual size and strength, connected to the "giants" mentioned elsewhere in the Torah. Noting Og's connection to them underscores that even the most intimidating opposition was no match for ADONAI's power.

Reflection Questions

1. How does seeing each king individually named change the way you think about the completeness of God's victories in your own life?
2. What "giants" in your life feel too big to overcome, and how does this chapter speak to that?
3. Why do you think Scripture pauses for a summary like this before moving on to inheritance? What might that suggest about the order of victory and blessing?
4. How does the shared root between "Y'hoshua" and "Yeshua" deepen your understanding of Joshua's role as a picture of the Messiah to come?
5. What would it look like for you to take a deliberate pause, like this chapter does, to recount specific victories God has given you?