Joshua 12:13 kjv
The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
Joshua 12:13 nkjv
the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
Joshua 12:13 niv
the king of Debir ? one the king of Geder ? one
Joshua 12:13 esv
the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
Joshua 12:13 nlt
The king of Debir
The king of Geder
Joshua 12 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jos 1:6 | You shall cause this people to inherit the land... | Joshua's mission to conquer and distribute. |
| Jos 10:40 | So Joshua struck all the land... he left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all... | General pattern of complete conquest. |
| Jos 21:43-45 | The Lord gave to Israel all the land... Not one word failed of any good promise... | Summary of God's faithful fulfillment. |
| Num 33:53 | You shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land... | Divine command for dispossessing. |
| Deut 7:1-2 | When the Lord your God brings you into the land... He will give them over to you... | God's active role in Israel's victory. |
| Deut 9:5 | Not because of your righteousness... but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out... | Reason for Canaanite dispossession. |
| Gen 15:18-21 | To your offspring I give this land... | Fulfillment of the Abrahamic land promise. |
| Ps 78:55 | He drove out nations before them and allotted them their inheritance by measure... | God's sovereign hand in establishing Israel. |
| Ps 105:43-45 | He brought out his people with joy... that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. | Purpose of God's deliverance and conquest. |
| Neh 9:24 | You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land... gave them into their hand... | Confirmation of God empowering conquest. |
| Deut 2:33-34 | The Lord our God gave him over to us... We devoted every city to destruction... | Similar summary of conquering specific kings. |
| Judg 1:4-5 | Judah went up, and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand... | Continuation of conquest theme post-Joshua. |
| Judg 1:17 | Judah went with Simeon his brother... and struck Zephath and devoted it to destruction. So its name was called Hormah. | Specific conquest of Hormah recounted later. |
| Num 14:45 | Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites... struck them down... as far as Hormah. | Irony of Hormah: earlier defeat, later victory. |
| Deut 1:44 | The Amorites... chased you and struck you down in Seir as far as Hormah. | Earlier Israeli defeat near Hormah by Amorites. |
| Col 2:15 | He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. | Christ's spiritual triumph over evil powers. |
| Eph 1:20-22 | seated him at his right hand... far above all rule and authority and power and dominion... | Christ's supreme authority over all power. |
| 1 Cor 15:24 | when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. | Christ's ultimate victory and kingdom handover. |
| Rev 11:15 | The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever... | Ultimate divine kingship and dominion. |
| Rom 13:1 | For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. | All authority, including kings, is from God. |
| Isa 60:21 | Your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever... | Prophetic echo of everlasting inheritance. |
Joshua 12 verses
Joshua 12 13 Meaning
Joshua 12:13 concisely lists two more kings who were decisively defeated by the Israelites under Joshua's command: the king of Geder and the king of Hormah. This verse is part of a comprehensive roster, highlighting the thoroughness of God's fulfillment of His covenant promise to give the land of Canaan to Israel, enumerating each victory as a distinct and complete conquest.
Joshua 12 13 Context
Joshua 12 serves as a pivotal chapter summarizing the grand military campaign under Joshua's leadership, following the detailed accounts of conquest in chapters 1-11. Verses 1-6 list the kings defeated by Moses east of the Jordan, setting the stage for Joshua's exploits. Verses 7-24, where Joshua 12:13 is located, enumerate the thirty-one kings and their territories west of the Jordan whom Joshua decisively defeated. This chapter functions as an inventory of vanquished foes, demonstrating the thoroughness and success of God's appointed leader, Joshua, in taking possession of the promised land. It visually (through listing) proves the fulfillment of divine promises and sets the stage for the subsequent division of the land among the Israelite tribes. Historically, the enumeration of these city-states underscores the fragmented political landscape of Canaan, composed of numerous small, independent kingdoms, each with its own ruler.
Joshua 12 13 Word analysis
- the king: (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ, melek) Refers to the sovereign ruler of a specific city-state and its immediate environs. In Canaan, "kings" often governed relatively small, independent territories.
- of Geder: (Hebrew: גֶּדֶר, Geder) A city-state in the Shephelah (lowland) of Judah. Its name likely means "wall" or "enclosure." Its conquest signifies Israel's expansion into the strategic low-lying areas.
- one; (Hebrew: אֶחָד, ’echad) Meaning "one" or "a single unit." This repeated enumeration after each king listed throughout Joshua 12:9-24 is not simply a numerical tally. It emphasizes the complete and individual defeat of each ruler and his kingdom. It denotes a decisive, undivided victory against each distinct opponent. It assures that no enemy, however small, was left unsubdued.
- the king of Hormah: (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ חָרְמָה, melek Ḥormah) "Hormah" literally means "devotion to destruction" or "utter destruction." This city bore a name laden with theological significance, echoing the concept of herem, or holy war. Its earlier historical context (Num 14:45; Deut 1:44) saw Israel defeated there due to disobedience, making its subsequent conquest by Israel (mentioned in Judg 1:17 and here by summary) a potent symbol of divine reversal and complete victory in accordance with God's will. The defeat of Hormah symbolizes God's determination to bring His chosen people into the land He promised.
- Word Group: "the king of... one; the king of... one;": This anaphoric, repetitive structure serves several crucial purposes. The repetitive cataloging underscores the systematic and exhaustive nature of the conquest. It’s a precise inventory of divine achievement, highlighting God's faithfulness in delivering every single one of Israel's enemies into their hand. It forms a cumulative witness to the irresistible power of Yahweh at work through Joshua, presenting undeniable evidence of the covenant promises being fulfilled king by king, city by city. This literary device makes the summary impactful, emphasizing completion and thoroughness.
Joshua 12 13 Bonus section
- Polemical Statement: The comprehensive listing of defeated kings serves as a direct challenge and theological polemic against the numerous local deities of Canaan. Each fallen king and conquered city signified the failure of their patron god to protect them against the power of Yahweh, thereby proclaiming His unique and ultimate sovereignty over all creation and earthly rulers.
- Literary Bridge: Joshua 12 acts as a crucial transition. It closes the narrative of conquest (chapters 1-11) by summarizing Israel's victories and simultaneously serves as a preamble to the distribution of the land (chapters 13-21). Verse 13 contributes to this foundational summary, establishing the scope of Israel's territory.
- Typological Echoes: The detailed historical record of Israel's methodical conquest of specific kings foreshadows the ultimate and comprehensive victory of Christ over all spiritual "rulers and authorities" (Col 2:15; Eph 1:20-22). Just as no king in Canaan could withstand Joshua, so no spiritual enemy can ultimately withstand the victorious work of Christ.
Joshua 12 13 Commentary
Joshua 12:13, as an entry in the roll call of thirty-one kings defeated by Israel, signifies the methodical and complete nature of God's conquest through Joshua. The listing of Geder and Hormah, like the other vanquished kings, attests to God's precise fulfillment of His covenant pledges to Israel, ensuring not a single promised territory or defiant ruler stood in the way of His people's inheritance. The repetitive structure, "the king of... one," systematically underscores that each defeat was decisive and divinely enabled. This historical record functions as a theological statement, affirming Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty over earthly powers and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, solidifying Israel's claim to the land.