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Joshua 12 Commentary
Joshua 12 lists the 31 kings defeated by the Israelites during their conquest of Canaan. The chapter divides the victories into two regions: the lands east of the Jordan, conquered by Moses and given to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, and the lands west of the Jordan, conquered by Joshua and distributed among the tribes of Israel. The defeated kings include those from Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, Hebron, Lachish, Hazor, and others, spanning various regions and peoples, such as the Hethites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
We get a summary of how Israel served as God’s instrument of justice, bringing judgment upon the Canaanite nations. The Israelites did not inherit the Promised Land because of their own merit, strength, or righteousness. Instead, it was God who brought judgment upon the Canaanites due to their wickedness. Their “cup of iniquity” was full, and they had reached a point where repentance was no longer possible. The destruction of the Canaanites was an act of divine justice, not a reflection of Israel’s virtue or worthiness.
“Thirty-one kings are named. Generally speaking, the whole land was conquered (Jos 10:40; Jos 11:23; Jos 21:43). However, small groups of Canaanites remained (Jos 13:2–7; Jos 15:63; Jos 23:4; Jdg 1:2, Jdg 21, Jdg 27, Jdg 29–31, Jdg 33, Jdg 35) who, after Joshua’s death, made trouble for Israel. Also, the land of the Philistines, Sidon, and the Lebanon region were still unconquered.”
Halley’s Bible Handbook
Moses
I find it very fitting that Moses’ conquests are included here in Joshua 12. Although Moses did not get to live in the Promised Land, he was an important cog in fulfilling God’s promise to Israel. So many times in our journey we play different roles in others’ lives but maybe don’t get to see the final culmination of their growth. Scripture shows us that those roles, no matter where they occurred in the timeline of events, are critical to the overall plan of God.
I am reminded of these verses from Paul in 1 Corinthians…
“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
1 Corinthians 3:5-7 CSB
The proper spiritual growth model is evident in the following manner: patient endurance and grateful obedience. God had a specific plan, yet Israel faced numerous obstacles along the way. Throughout the journey, they gained self-awareness and deepened their understanding of God. Ultimately, Israel’s path was characterized by continuously returning to God. Conversely, the nations that were destroyed followed a path of rebellion against God.
Today, the same holds true. Countless individuals are forging their own way in defiance. Unfortunately, there will be those who persist on this path, stubbornly resisting God until the bitter end, only to be defeated by Him. On the other hand, some faithfully endure. These individuals, despite their imperfections, earnestly seek the Lord by His grace, striving to follow with all their hearts.
Foreshadowing Christ
Moses and Joshua, the servants of God, are a foreshadowing of Christ, who leads us to triumph just as God led the Israelites to victory. The challenges and enemies of life often weigh us down, revealing our human frailty and limited strength. Our time on earth is brief, and we lack the power to overcome life’s trials and temptations on our own.
Yet Christ, in His presence and power, grants us the victory we cannot achieve alone. He is the light in our darkness, the strength in our weakness, and the hope in our struggles. Through His infinite love and sacrifice, we triumph over life’s enemies and are made more than conquerors. In Christ alone, our victory is secure, and through Him, we rise above every challenge, crowned with His grace.
“The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God—the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God—and my new name. [13] “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:12-13 CSB