Israel is now in possession of its inheritance. This was a 7 year conquest, as noted in chapter 11. Chapter 12 serves as a summary of all the kings that were conquered during this time. It gives the kings conquered by Moses in the Transjordan area as well as the kings conquered by Joshua.
12 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:
The river Arnon ran east west to the middle of the Dead sea. Mount Hermon was about 140 miles north, clear up near Syria
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.
Much of this information is a repeat of information Moses gave in Deuteronomy 2 and 3.
Og was a remnant of this class of giants descended from the Anakim. If a cubit is 18 inches or so, as we think, then Og was about 12 foot tall. See Deut 2:10-11; 3:11-13. But the victories given over these people weren't based on military skills, stature or number of swords and chariots. They were won by faith in following the Lord. he declared these victories to His children and they just had to claim them.
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.
These are the kings conquered by Joshua after they crossed into the Promised Land. There were 31 kings west of the Jordan and 2 kings east of the Jordan. This concludes the basic conquering of the land. These were real people in real cities. They were living their lives one day at a time as we do. They probably thought that tomorrow would be just like today; next week like this one and next year like last. Yet, when the Lord moved, destruction came swiftly and suddenly and in a way that made no sense to them. They were fierce and of great numbers, who could defeat them. They even had giants in the land.
How quickly life changes when the Lord moves. He is moving daily in our world, all around us. Are we ready for that? Are you ready for that? Have you made peace with the Lord? Today is the day it can happen. Repent from your sins and trust in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and you He will save you.
©2015 Doug Ford
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