Joshua 12

Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:

1Here is a list of kings that the people of Israel beat in war. Israel took their land. This land was east of the Jordan River. It reached from the Arnon Valley up to Mount Hermon. It also took in all the flat land on the east side.

Note"Smote" is an old word. It means they beat these kings in battle.

2Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;

2One king was Sihon. He ruled the Amorites and lived in the town of Heshbon. His land began at Aroer, on the edge of the Arnon Valley. It went through the middle of the valley to the Jabbok River. That river was the edge of the land of Ammon. His land was half of the area called Gilead.

3And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah:

3Sihon also ruled the flat land east of the Sea of Chinneroth. His land went down to the Salt Sea, on the east side. It reached toward the town of Bethjeshimoth. In the south it went below the slopes of Pisgah.

NoteThe Salt Sea is the lake we now call the Dead Sea. Its water is far too salty to drink.

4And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

4Another king was Og, the king of Bashan. He was one of the last of the giants, a very tall and strong people. He lived in the towns of Ashtaroth and Edrei.

5And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

5Og ruled Mount Hermon, the town of Salcah, and all of Bashan. His land reached to the edge of the Geshurites and the Maachathites. He also ruled half of Gilead, up to the land of King Sihon of Heshbon.

6Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

6Moses, who served the LORD, and the people of Israel beat these two kings. Then Moses gave that land to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. He gave part of it to half the tribe of Manasseh too.

7And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;

7Here are the kings that Joshua and the people of Israel beat on the west side of the Jordan River. Their land went from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave this land to the tribes of Israel. Each tribe got its own share.

8In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

8The land had hills, low valleys, flat places, and slopes. It also had dry desert and dry land in the south. It had belonged to the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites. It had belonged to the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites too.

9The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

9One was the king of Jericho. One was the king of Ai, the town near Bethel.

NoteFrom here the chapter counts the kings one by one, saying "one" after each name. It is like counting things on a list to reach a total.

10The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;

10One was the king of Jerusalem. One was the king of Hebron.

11The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;

11One was the king of Jarmuth. One was the king of Lachish.

12The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;

12One was the king of Eglon. One was the king of Gezer.

13The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;

13One was the king of Debir. One was the king of Geder.

14The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;

14One was the king of Hormah. One was the king of Arad.

15The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

15One was the king of Libnah. One was the king of Adullam.

16The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;

16One was the king of Makkedah. One was the king of Bethel.

17The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;

17One was the king of Tappuah. One was the king of Hepher.

18The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;

18One was the king of Aphek. One was the king of Lasharon.

19The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;

19One was the king of Madon. One was the king of Hazor.

20The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;

20One was the king of Shimronmeron. One was the king of Achshaph.

21The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;

21One was the king of Taanach. One was the king of Megiddo.

22The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;

22One was the king of Kedesh. One was the king of Jokneam, near Mount Carmel.

23The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one;

23One was the king of Dor, in the hill country of Dor. One was the king of Goiim, near Gilgal.

NoteThe KJV says "the nations of Gilgal." Goiim is the name of a people, and the word also means "nations."

24The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.

24One was the king of Tirzah. Counted all together, there were thirty-one kings.