These are the kings

(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Sinking Sand

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Joshua 12:7–24, “And 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; 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 king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; 13 The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one; The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one; The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.”

This passage gives us evidence that it was written at a very early stage in Israel’s history. The names of the kings and the places are given without explanation, assuming that the primary readers knew the places and it was not essential to give explanatory notes (compare Genesis 35:6, “So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.” This passage was written by Joseph but the entire collection was complied by Moses so he used the explanatory note for his readers.) The list is exhaustive and shows that Joshua completed his task exhaustively. At this stage, Israel were ready to move on to the next stage, that is, occupation. Joshua’s job was to invade and conquer but then the task of occupying the Land was left to others because, as we will see later, the tribes had to occupy their own possession in their own right.