Joshua 12:15 kjv
The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
Joshua 12:15 nkjv
the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
Joshua 12:15 niv
the king of Libnah ? one the king of Adullam ? one
Joshua 12:15 esv
the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
Joshua 12:15 nlt
The king of Libnah
The king of Adullam
Joshua 12 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's promise of the land to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18 | "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram..." | Covenant establishing land boundaries. |
| Exo 3:8 | "...to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land..." | God's stated purpose for the Exodus. |
| Num 21:3 | "And the Lord heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites..." | Victory over the Canaanites. |
| Deut 2:25 | "This day I will begin to put dread and fear of you on the peoples..." | God prepares the land for Israel's conquest. |
| Deut 7:2 | "...you must totally destroy them. Make no treaty with them..." | Command to utterly destroy Canaanite nations. |
| Deut 9:3 | "Understand therefore today that the Lord your God is He who goes over..." | God fights on Israel's behalf. |
| Josh 1:3 | "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given..." | Reinforcement of land promise to Joshua. |
| Josh 6:2 | "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men." | God giving a city's king to Israel. |
| Josh 10:1 | "When Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai..." | Kings reacting to Israel's conquests. |
| Josh 10:28 | "On that day Joshua captured Makkedah...he did not leave a survivor." | Pattern of complete destruction of kings/cities. |
| Josh 10:29 | "Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, went from Makkedah to Libnah..." | Direct mention of Libnah's capture. |
| Josh 10:33 | "...Joshua struck him and his people until he left him no survivor." | Illustrates the totality of conquests. |
| Josh 11:23 | "So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said..." | Summary of Joshua's comprehensive conquest. |
| Josh 14:1 | "These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received..." | Division of conquered land. |
| Psa 2:1-4 | "Why do the nations rage...He who sits in the heavens laughs..." | God's sovereignty over earthly kings. |
| Psa 33:10 | "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing..." | God frustrates the plans of earthly powers. |
| Psa 135:10-12 | "He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings...and their land." | Remembers God's mighty acts against kings. |
| Psa 136:17-21 | "To Him who struck down great kings, for His steadfast love endures..." | Echoes the specific act of conquering kings. |
| Isa 40:23 | "He brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness." | God's power over worldly rulers. |
| Dan 2:21 | "...He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings..." | God's ultimate authority over kingdoms. |
| Eph 6:12 | "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities..." | Spiritual parallel: a battle against unseen powers. |
Joshua 12 verses
Joshua 12 15 Meaning
Joshua 12:15 continues a precise military record of kings and city-states overthrown by the Israelites under Joshua, establishing the fulfillment of God's promise to give them the land of Canaan. Specifically, it lists the king of Libnah and the king of Adullam, each as a distinct defeat, emphasizing the comprehensive and individual nature of these conquests. This verse testifies to the complete subjugation of every localized power in the promised land, directly attributed to the power of the Lord.
Joshua 12 15 Context
Joshua chapter 12 serves as a summarizing document following the detailed accounts of conquest in the preceding chapters (Joshua 1-11). It is an essential administrative and theological record, listing the kings defeated by Moses east of the Jordan (verses 1-6) and by Joshua west of the Jordan (verses 7-24). The verse 15, therefore, is part of this comprehensive inventory, meticulously enumerating the kings whose domains were subjugated by the Israelites. This chapter underscores the faithfulness of Yahweh in delivering on His promises to Israel to give them the land, providing concrete evidence of the completion of the major conquest campaigns before the land division. Historically, such lists were common in the ancient Near East, serving as proofs of victory and claims of territorial control, and this one validates Israel's possession of the land through divine decree and action.
Joshua 12 15 Word analysis
- the king (מֶלֶךְ, melech): Signifies a monarch, a ruler, embodying the governmental authority and military strength of a city-state. The consistent use of "king" for each entry highlights the divine defeat of all established authority structures of Canaan, not just the general population. It underscores Yahweh's supremacy over all earthly powers and rival deities represented by these kings.
- of Libnah, (לִבְנָה, Libnah): Meaning "whiteness." This city was part of the Judean Shephelah (lowlands), important for its strategic location, possibly near a chalk quarry. Its capture is explicitly mentioned in Josh 10:29-30, showing it was among the southern coalition cities that attacked Gibeon and then fought Joshua. Its inclusion demonstrates the systematic and complete nature of the Israelite conquest, targeting key locations across the land. Later, it becomes a Levitical city (Josh 21:13).
- one; (אֶחָד, echad): Literally meaning "one" or "a certain one." This emphatic repetition after each king's name emphasizes the singular and distinct defeat of each king, highlighting that each sovereign ruler, no matter how powerful, was individually conquered. It serves as an audit-like verification, confirming every promised king's defeat, symbolizing a complete and unambiguous victory orchestrated by God. It assures that no king escaped God's judgment and Israel's victorious advance.
- the king (מֶלֶךְ, melech): See analysis above. The repetition reinforces the specific identification and singular defeat.
- of Adullam, (עֲדֻלָּם, ʿAdullam): Meaning "their witness" or "justice of the people." Also a significant city in the Shephelah of Judah. While not detailed in earlier narratives of conquest like Libnah, its presence on this list indicates its capture within the broader southern campaigns. Adullam is famous in later biblical narrative as the cave where David found refuge from Saul (1 Sam 22:1). Its defeat showcases the broad reach of the conquest, eliminating threats from culturally or historically significant locales, and demonstrating that God's judgment reached throughout the entire land.
- one; (אֶחָד, echad): See analysis above. The identical pattern signifies the same meticulous record-keeping and totality of conquest for every listed king.
Joshua 12 15 Bonus section
The detailed list in Joshua 12 not only chronicles military victory but also serves as a crucial legal document within the context of the ancient Near East. Such "king lists" validated claims to territory and demonstrated the power of the conquering entity. For Israel, this list proved their divine right to the land. Furthermore, these defeated kings were often revered by their people as having connections to their deities, so their comprehensive overthrow directly challenged and undermined the worship of false gods, serving as a powerful polemic against Canaanite idolatry and demonstrating the absolute supremacy of Yahweh. The precision in counting "one" king per city underscores the completeness of God's judgment and the methodical fulfillment of His word, leaving no ambiguity about the extent of the land claimed and the enemies subdued.
Joshua 12 15 Commentary
Joshua 12:15, as part of the list of defeated kings, is more than just a historical chronicle; it's a profound theological statement. It meticulously records the individual subjugation of each Canaanite ruler, affirming God's unfailing faithfulness to His covenant promises. The repetition of "one" after each king signifies not merely a tally, but the total and distinct defeat of every stronghold of opposition. This emphasizes the comprehensiveness of God's victory through Israel, ensuring no rival king remained to contest the divine inheritance of the land.
This passage serves as tangible evidence that God did precisely as He promised to Abraham and reiterated to Moses and Joshua – giving Israel every inch of the land whose kings and peoples resisted. It highlights the divine orchestrating of military success, as the battles were ultimately fought and won by the Lord Himself, fulfilling prophecies of judgment upon the wicked inhabitants of Canaan and establishing Israel's claim. It stands as a powerful testament to the sovereignty of Yahweh over all earthly authorities and kingdoms, revealing Him as the true and ultimate King.