11:1 When King Jabin of Hazor 1 heard the news, he organized a coalition, including 2 King Jobab of Madon, the king of Shimron, the king of Acshaph, 11:2 and the northern kings who ruled in 3 the hill country, the Arabah south of Kinnereth, 4 the lowlands, and the heights of Dor to the west. 11:3 Canaanites came 5 from the east and west; Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites from the hill country; and Hivites from below Hermon in the area 6 of Mizpah. 11:4 These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots. 7 11:5 All these kings gathered and joined forces 8 at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel.
11:6 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for about this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to lie dead before Israel. You must hamstring their horses and burn 9 their chariots.” 11:7 Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them. 10 11:8 The Lord handed them over to Israel and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon, 11 Misrephoth Maim, 12 and the Mizpah Valley to the east. They struck them down until no survivors remained. 11:9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned 13 their chariots.
11:10 At that time Joshua turned, captured Hazor, 14 and struck down its king with the sword, for Hazor was at that time 15 the leader of all these kingdoms. 11:11 They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword 16 – no one who breathed remained – and burned 17 Hazor.
11:12 Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword, 18 as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded. 11:13 But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds, 19 except for Hazor; 20 it was the only one Joshua burned. 11:14 The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle, but they totally destroyed all the people 21 and allowed no one who breathed to live. 11:15 Moses the Lord’s servant passed on the Lord’s commands to Joshua, and Joshua did as he was told. He did not ignore any of the commands the Lord had given Moses. 22
11:16 Joshua conquered the whole land, 23 including the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the lowlands, 24 the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowlands, 11:17 from Mount Halak on up to Seir, as far as Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and executed them. 25 11:18 Joshua campaigned against 26 these kings for quite some time. 27 11:19 No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon); 28 they had to conquer all of them, 29 11:20 for the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy, as he had instructed Moses. 30
11:21 At that time Joshua attacked and eliminated the Anakites from the hill country 31 – from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel. 32 Joshua annihilated them and their cities. 11:22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory, though some remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. 11:23 Joshua conquered 33 the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses, 34 and he assigned Israel their tribal portions. 35 Then the land was free of war.
12:1 Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated and drove from their land 36 on the east side of the Jordan, 37 from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern Arabah:
12:2 King Sihon of the Amorites who lived 38 in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) – including the city in the middle of the valley 39 and half of Gilead – all the way to the Jabbok Valley bordering Ammonite territory. 12:3 His kingdom included 40 the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth 41 to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), 42 including the route to Beth Jeshimoth and the area southward below the slopes of Pisgah.
12:4 The territory of King Og of Bashan, one of the few remaining Rephaites, 43 who lived 44 in Ashtaroth and Edrei 12:5 and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead as far as the border of King Sihon of Heshbon.
12:6 Moses the Lord’s servant and the Israelites defeated them and Moses the Lord’s servant assigned their land 45 to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.
12:7 These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley to Mount Halak on up to Seir. Joshua assigned this territory to the Israelite tribes, 46 12:8 including the hill country, the lowlands, 47 the Arabah, the slopes, the wilderness, and the Negev – the land of 48 the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites:
12:9 the king of Jericho 49 (one),
the king of Ai – located near Bethel – (one),
12:10 the king of Jerusalem 50 (one),
the king of Hebron (one),
12:11 the king of Jarmuth (one),
the king of Lachish (one),
12:12 the king of Eglon (one),
the king of Gezer (one),
12:13 the king of Debir (one),
the king of Geder (one),
12:14 the king of Hormah (one),
the king of Arad (one),
12:15 the king of Libnah (one),
the king of Adullam (one),
12:16 the king of Makkedah (one),
the king of Bethel 51 (one),
12:17 the king of Tappuah (one),
the king of Hepher (one),
12:18 the king of Aphek (one),
the king of Lasharon (one),
12:19 the king of Madon (one),
the king of Hazor 52 (one),
12:20 the king of Shimron Meron (one),
the king of Acshaph (one),
12:21 the king of Taanach (one),
the king of Megiddo 53 (one),
12:22 the king of Kedesh (one),
the king of Jokneam near Carmel (one),
12:23 the king of Dor – near Naphath Dor – (one),
the king of Goyim – near Gilgal – (one),
12:24 the king of Tirzah (one),
a total of thirty-one kings.
13:1 When Joshua was very old, 54 the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 13:2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 13:3 from the Shihor River 55 east of 56 Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), 57 including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land 58 13:4 to the south; 59 all the Canaanite territory, 60 from Arah 61 in the region of Sidon 62 to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 13:5 the territory of Byblos 63 and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 64 13:6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, 65 all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.” 66 13:7 Now, divide up this land 67 among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
13:8 The other half of Manasseh, 68 Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands beyond the Jordan, 69 just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them. 13:9 Their territory started 70 from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley), included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba as far as Dibon, 13:10 and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border. 13:11 Their territory also included 71 Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah – 13:12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was one of the few remaining Rephaites.) 72 Moses defeated them and took their lands. 73 13:13 But the Israelites did not conquer 74 the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day. 13:14 However, Moses 75 did not assign land as an inheritance 76 to the Levites; their inheritance 77 is the sacrificial offerings 78 made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed 79 them.
13:15 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben 80 by its clans. 13:16 Their territory started at Aroer 81 (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba, 13:17 Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 13:18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 13:19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 13:20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 13:21 It encompassed 82 all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory). 83 13:22 The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, the omen reader, 84 along with the others. 85 13:23 The border of the tribe of Reuben was the Jordan. The land allotted to the tribe of Reuben by its clans included these cities and their towns. 86
13:24 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad 87 by its clans. 13:25 Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half of Ammonite territory 88 as far as Aroer near 89 Rabbah. 13:26 Their territory ran 90 from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir. 13:27 It included the valley of Beth Haram, 91 Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, and the rest of the realm of King Sihon of Heshbon, the area east of the Jordan to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth. 92 13:28 The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns. 93
13:29 Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh 94 by its clans. 13:30 Their territory started at 95 Mahanaim and encompassed all Bashan, the whole realm of King Og of Bashan, including all sixty cities in Havvoth Jair 96 in Bashan. 13:31 Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh, to half the descendants of Makir by their clans.
13:32 These are the land assignments made by Moses 97 on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 98 13:33 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance 99 to the Levites; their inheritance 100 is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed 101 them.
1 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
2 tn Heb “he sent to.”
3 tn Heb “and to the kings who [are] from the north in.”
4 tn Heb “Chinneroth,” a city and plain located in the territory of Naphtali in Galilee (BDB 490 s.v. כִּנֶּרֶת, כִּנֲרוֹת).
5 tn The verb “came” is supplied in the translation (see v. 4).
6 tn Or “land.”
7 tn Heb “They and all their camps with them came out, a people as numerous as the sand which is on the edge of the sea in multitude, and [with] horses and chariots very numerous.”
9 tn Heb “and came and camped together.”
11 tn Heb “burn with fire”; the words “with fire” are redundant in English and have not been included in the translation.
13 tn Heb “Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them at the Waters of Merom suddenly and fell upon them.”
15 map For location see Map1-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
16 tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 2:641).
17 tn Heb “burned with fire”; the words “with fire” are redundant in English and have not been included in the translation.
19 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
20 tn Or “formerly.”
21 tn Heb “and they struck down all life which was in it with the edge of the sword, annihilating.”
22 tn Heb “burned with fire”; the words “with fire” are redundant in English and have not been included in the translation.
23 tn Heb “and he struck them down with the edge of the sword, he annihilated them.”
25 tn Heb “standing on their mounds.”
26 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
27 tn Heb “but all the people they struck down with the edge of the sword until they destroyed them.”
29 tn Heb “As the
31 tn Heb “Joshua took all this land.”
32 tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”
33 tn Heb “and struck them down and killed them.”
35 tn Heb “made war with.”
36 tn Heb “for many days.”
37 tn The LXX omits this parenthetical note, which may represent a later scribal addition.
38 tn Heb “the whole they took in battle.”
39 tn Heb “for from the
41 tn Heb “went and cut off the Anakites from the hill country.”
42 tn Heb “and from all the hill country of Israel.”
43 tn Heb “took.”
44 tn Heb “according to all which the
45 tn Heb “and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their allotted portions by their tribes.”
45 tn Heb “and took possession of their land.”
46 tn Heb “beyond the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun.”
47 tn Or perhaps, “reigned.”
48 tc The MT reads here, “and the middle of the valley,” but the reading “the city in the middle of valley” can be reconstructed on the basis of Josh 13:9, 16.
49 tn The words “his kingdom included” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
50 sn The Sea of Kinnereth is another name for the Sea of Galilee. See the note on the word “Kinnereth” in 11:2.
51 sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea.
51 tn Heb “from the remnant of the Rephaites.”
52 tn Or perhaps “who reigned.”
53 tn Heb “gave it for a possession.”
55 tn Heb “Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotted portions.”
57 tn Or “the foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”
58 tn The words “the land of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
59 map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
61 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
63 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
65 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
67 map For location see Map1-D4; Map2-C1; Map4-C2; Map5-F2; Map7-B1.
69 tn Heb “was old, coming into the days.” This expression, referring to advancing in years, also occurs in the following clause.
71 tn Heb “the Shihor”; the word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
72 tn Heb “in front of.”
73 tn Heb “it is reckoned to the Canaanites.”
74 tn Heb “the five lords of the Philistines, the Gazaite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gathite, and the Ekronite, and the Avvites.”
73 tn Or “from Teman.” The phrase is especially problematic if taken with what follows, as the traditional verse division suggests. For further discussion see T. C. Butler, Joshua (WBC), 146.
74 tn Heb “all the land of the Canaanites.”
75 tc The reading “Arah” assumes a slight emendation of the Hebrew vowel pointing. The MT reads, “and a cave,” or “and Mearah” (if one understands the word as a proper noun).
76 tn Heb “which belongs to the Sidonians.”
75 tn Heb “and the land of the Gebalites.”
76 tn Or “the entrance to Hamath.” Most modern translations take the phrase “Lebo Hamath” to be a proper name, but often provide a note with the alternative, where “Hamath” is the proper name and לְבוֹא (lÿvo’) is taken to mean “entrance to.”
77 tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 2:641).
78 tn Heb “only you, assign it by lots to Israel as an inheritance as I commanded you.”
79 tn Heb “now apportion this land as an inheritance.”
81 tn The MT reads “with him,” which is problematic, since the reference would be to the other half of the tribe of Manasseh (not the half mentioned in v. 7).
82 tn Heb “received their inheritance, which Moses had assigned to them beyond the Jordan.”
83 tn The words “their territory started” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
85 tn The words “their territory also included” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
87 tn Heb “from the remnant of the Rephaites.”
88 tn Or “dispossessed them.”
89 tn Or “dispossess.”
91 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
92 tn Heb “did not assign an inheritance.”
93 tn That is, “their source of food and life.”
94 tn Or “offerings made by fire.”
95 tn Or “promised” (Heb “spoke”).
93 tn Heb “assigned to the sons of Reuben.”
95 tn Heb “their territory was from.”
97 tn The words “it encompassed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
98 tn Heb “princes of Sihon, inhabitants of the land.”
99 tn Or “diviner.”
100 tn Heb “Balaam son of Beor, the omen-reader, the Israelites killed with the sword, along with their slain ones.”
101 tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Reuben by their clans, the cities and their towns.”
103 tn Heb “assigned to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad.”
105 tn Heb “and half of the land of the sons of Ammon.”
106 tn Heb “in front of.”
107 tn The words “Their territory ran” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied for clarification.
109 tn Or “it included in the valley, Beth Haram.”
110 sn The Sea of Kinnereth is another name for the Sea of Galilee. See the note on the word “Kinnereth” in 11:2.
111 tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad by their clans, the cities and their towns.”
113 tn Heb “assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh, and it belonged to the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
115 tn The words “their territory started at” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied for clarification.
116 sn The Hebrew name Havvoth Jair means “the tent villages of Jair.”
117 tn Heb “These are [the lands] which Moses gave as an inheritance.”
118 tn Heb “beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
119 tn Heb “Moses did not assign an inheritance.” The word “land” has been supplied in the translation to clarify what the inheritance consisted of.
120 tn That is, “their source of food and life.”
121 tn Or “as he promised”; Heb “as he spoke to.”