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Joshua Chapter
Twelve
Joshua 12
Chapter Contents
The two kings conquered by Moses. (1-6) The kings whom
Joshua smote. (7-24)
Commentary on Joshua 12:1-6
(Read Joshua 12:1-6)
Fresh mercies must not drown the remembrance of former
mercies
nor must the glory of the present instruments of good to the church
diminish the just honour of those who went before them
since God is the same
who wrought by both. Moses gave to one part of Israel a very rich and fruitful
country
but it was on the outside of Jordan. Joshua gave to all Israel the
holy land
within Jordan. So the law has given to some few of God's spiritual
Israel worldly blessings
earnests of good things to come; but our Lord Jesus
the true Joshua
provided for all the children of promise spiritual blessings
and the heavenly Canaan.
Commentary on Joshua 12:7-24
(Read Joshua 12:7-24)
We have here the limits of the country Joshua conquered.
A list is given of the kings subdued by Israel: thirty-one in all. This shows
how fruitful Canaan then was
in which so many chose to throng together. This
was the land God appointed for Israel; yet in our day it is one of the most
barren and unprofitable countries in the world. Such is the effect of the curse
it lies under
since its possessors rejected Christ and his gospel
as was
foretold by Moses
Deuteronomy 29:23. The vengeance of a righteous
God
inflicted on all these kings and their subjects
for their wickedness
should make us dread and hate sin. The fruitful land bestowed on his chosen
people
should fill our hearts with hope and confidence in his mercy
and with
humble gratitude.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Joshua》
Joshua 12
Verse 1
[1] 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:
Plain on the east — On
the east of Jordan
called the plain
Deuteronomy 1:1.
Verse 2
[2] Sihon 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;
Middle of the river — It
is not unusual even among us
for a river to be divided between two lords
and
for their territories or jurisdictions to meet in the middle of the river: and
besides
here is a very particular reason for this expression
because the city
Ar
which was no part of Sihon's dominions
but belonged to the Moabites
Deuteronomy 2:9
18
was in the middle of the
river Arnon
Deuteronomy 2:36; 3:16
and therefore the middle of the river is
properly here mentioned
as the bound of Sihon's dominion on that side.
Half Gilead —
Heb. and the half Gilead
that is
half of the country of Gilead; this doth not
denote the bound from which his dominion began
but the country
over which his
dominion was
which began at Arnon
and took in half Gilead
and ended at
Jabbok
beyond which was the other half of Gilead which belonged to Og.
Verse 3
[3] And
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:
On the east —
Which words describe the situation not of the sea of Cinneroth
which was part
of the western border of Sihon's dominion
but of the plain
which is here said
to lie eastward from the sea of Cinneroth
and also eastward from the salt sea.
And this was indeed the situation of the plains of Moab
which are here spoken
of; they lay between the two seas
that of Cinneroth and the salt sea
and
eastward to them both.
Sea of the plain —
The salt sea was a famous plain
pleasant and fruitful
before it was turned
into a sea.
Verse 4
[4] And
the coast of Og king of Bashan
which was of the remnant of the giants
that
dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei
Ashtaroth and Edrei —
Sometimes at the one
sometimes at the other city; both being his royal
mansions. But Israel made one grave serve him
who could not be contented with
one palace.
Verse 6
[6] Them 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.
Smile —
Fresh mercies must not drown the remembrance of former mercies: nor must the
glory of the present instruments of good to the church
diminish the just
honour of those that went before them. Joshua's services were confessedly
great. But let not those under Moses be forgotten. Both together proclaim God
to be the Alpha and Omega of his peoples salvation.
Verse 8
[8] In
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:
The wilderness —
This word here and elsewhere in scripture notes not a land wholly desert and
uninhabited
but one thin of inhabitants
as 1 Kings 2:34; 9:18; Matthew . The Gargashites either were now
incorporated with some other of these nations
or as the tradition of the Jews
is
upon the approach of Israel under Joshua
they all withdrew and went unto
Africk
leaving their land to be possessed by the Israelites
with whom they
saw
it was fruitless to contend.
Verse 23
[23] The
king of Dor in the coast of Dor
one; the king of the nations of Gilgal
one;
King of Gilgal —
Not of that Gilgal where Joshua first lodged after his passage over Jordan;
where it doth not appear
that there was either king or city; but of a city of
the same name
probably in Galilee towards the sea
where divers people might
possibly resort for trade and merchandise
over whom this was a king
as
formerly Tidal seems to have been
Genesis 14:1.
Verse 24
[24] The
king of Tirzah
one: all the kings thirty and one.
Thirty one —
Each being king only of one city or small province belonging to it
which was
by the wise and singular providence of God
that they might be more easily
conquered. But what a fruitful land must Canaan then be
which could subsist so
many kingdoms! And yet at this day it is one of the most barren and despicable
countries in the world. Such is the effect of the curse it lies under
since
its inhabitants rejected the Lord of glory!
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Joshua》
12 Chapter 12
Verses 1-24
These axe the kings of the land
which the children of Israel
smote.
The goodness and severity of God
This chapter is a short summary of the work that has been done. In
this resume of the conquest Moses is not forgotten. He is named as well
as Joshua. The Holy Ghost delights to point out how God causes many instruments
to work out His designs
and thus takes all praise from man. Thus the chapter
is a miniature
suggesting all the victories that Israel won
and all the
defeats which overwhelmed the Canaanites. Accordingly it is valuable as a
demonstration that both the promises and the threatenings of God will be
fulfilled to the letter. Here as in a glass we see on the one hand the course
and the end of those who follow God
and on the other the course and the end of
those who resist. Or
we have pointed out to us the narrow way that leads to
life
and the broad road that leads to destruction. May we ponder these things
and learn the way wherein we should walk.
I. The different
roads. That of Israel was the path of obedience. Everything was done by Divine
command. But it was not always easy work for Israel to obey. The commands of
God not only led along a narrow way
but often brought them up to a strait
gate. They had just to go right on
according to the command of God. Obedience
was their watchword. To stop and parley was to be lost. Patient endurance
characterised them all through. When an old general was asked why he picked out
the old veterans for a forced march he replied
“Because they have the most
staying power.” For hard work of any kind this is what tells in the long run;
and from the first encounter with Sihon and Og to the last wrestle with the
Anakim Israel exhibited this quality both in things physical and things
spiritual. Obedience was the path: patient endurance was the characteristic of
those who walked therein. On the part of the Canaanites their course was marked
by rebellion. They said
“Who is Lord over us?” Thus they hardened themselves
against God’s will
and fought it out to the bitter end
learning no lesson and
yielding no submission. These two paths of obedience and rebellion have not
ceased to be trodden. Neither of them is grass-grown. Thank God there are many who by patient
continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality. If there
must be patient continuance on the part of those who walk the narrow way
there
must be constant contention on the part of those who hurry down the broad road.
There must be the resistance of the Holy Ghost
of the warnings of conscience
of the light of truth. There must be at times the fear of death and judgment
and eternity.
II. The different
objects placed before each. That
placed before Israel was something very definite and tangible
viz.
the sure promise of Jehovah. To
them that promise was the title-deed of the Holy Land; therefore all through
this war they had in their eye a Divine inheritance
and all the glory and
honour which this implied. Can we find any similar incitement on the part of
the Canaanites? Nay. Theirs was a hopeless struggle. They were without God and
therefore without hope. They obeyed unrighteousness
and were therefore filled
with unrest. So is it now. They who walk in the obedience of faith have a
glorious object before their eyes to stimulate and encourage them. They seek
for glory and honour and immortality. And they have good hope through grace of
obtaining it. Yea
they have God’s faithful promise
and therefore glorious
assurance of the result. But where is the hope of the rebellious? It is but a
vague
unsatisfying dream. At the very best they have no certainty of a happy
issue. When they pass hence it is “A leap in the dark.” What a miserable plight
is this l Notwithstanding their vast coalitions
their imposing armies
their
formidable weapons
their notable leaders
they go forward with fear. The Sihon
and Og of materialism
the Adoni-zedek of sacerdotalism
the Jabin of false
philosophy
can inspire no true and blessed hope in the hearts of their
faltering followers.
III. The different
ends. We see the Israelites marching on from victory to victory; entering into
Canaan
enjoying the smile of God
and reaping the fruit of their labours. We
see the Canaanites swept with the besom of destruction
and all that is left of
their mightiest kings is the chronicle of their tombstones as given here. The
ends are different because the beginnings are different. Of Israel it might be
said
“These all fought in faith.” Of the Canaanites it might be said
“These all died
in unbelief.” Paul has laid plainly before us in the Epistle to the Romans
these two ends
as we must know them. On the one hand he places eternal life
glory
honour
peace. On the other he places indignation
wrath
tribulation
anguish. One or other of these is the terminus to which every life is
hastening. And he also plainly tells us that without faith it is impossible to
walk in the good way or to attain the glorious end. Remember then God’s solemn
record of the dead. He marks His own as precious jewels
to be worn in His
crown in the day of glory
but He counts His enemies but worthless ashes to be
trodden under foot. In the Divine record of the dead there are no omissions
no
oversights
and no lies. He counts His enemies and He counts His friends. How
will He count you? (A. B. Mackay.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》