Joshua 12 8

Joshua 12:8 kjv

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:

Joshua 12:8 nkjv

in the mountain country, in the lowlands, in the Jordan plain, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the South? the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

Joshua 12:8 niv

The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev. These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:

Joshua 12:8 esv

in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the Negeb, the land of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites):

Joshua 12:8 nlt

including the hill country, the western foothills, the Jordan Valley, the mountain slopes, the Judean wilderness, and the Negev. The people who lived in this region were the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.) These are the kings Israel defeated:

Joshua 12 verses

Joshua 12 8 Meaning

Joshua chapter 12, verse 8 lists six of the indigenous peoples of the land of Canaan: the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. This verse concludes the description of the conquered territory, specifying that these nations inhabited the diverse geographical regions now under Israelite control, namely, the hill country, the Shephelah (foothills), the Arabah (Jordan Valley), the slopes, and the wilderness. It serves as a concise summary of the extensive dispossession that took place as a direct fulfillment of God's covenant promises to Israel.

Joshua 12 8 Context

Joshua 12 serves as a pivotal summary chapter in the Book of Joshua. It functions as a concluding report on the Israelite military campaign in Canaan before the subsequent chapters detail the division of the conquered land among the tribes. The chapter distinguishes between the territories conquered by Moses east of the Jordan River (vv. 1-6) and those conquered by Joshua west of the Jordan (vv. 7-24). Verse 8 specifically elaborates on the lands captured by Joshua, clarifying that these triumphs took place across varied topographies: the central hill country, the coastal lowlands (Shephelah), the Jordan valley (Arabah), mountain slopes, and arid wilderness areas. This exhaustive list of regions, populated by the nations specified in verse 8, underscores the vastness and completeness of the divinely granted victory, reinforcing that God had fulfilled His promise to bring Israel into a land already inhabited by formidable peoples. Historically, these nations were distinct ethno-linguistic groups known to have resided in ancient Canaan, each with their own urban centers, political structures, and idolatrous religious practices, against which Israel's monotheistic worship and covenant lifestyle stood in stark opposition.

Joshua 12 8 Word analysis

• The Hittites (חִתִּי Ḥittî): Descendants of Heth, son of Canaan (Gen 10:15). While there was a vast Hittite empire in Anatolia, the Hittites in Canaan were local groups, sometimes influential, but distinct from the major empire. Their presence signifies the diverse pre-Israelite population God commanded Israel to dispossess.
• the Amorites (אֱמֹרִי ʼĚmōrî): Often appear as a dominant or generalized term for the inhabitants of Canaan, particularly the highland dwellers. In Gen 15:16, their iniquity reaches its full measure before God acts. Their inclusion highlights the comprehensive nature of the conquest.
• the Canaanites (כְּנַעֲנִי Kĕna‘ănî): While sometimes used broadly for all inhabitants of Canaan, here it refers to a specific ethnic group, often associated with the plains and coastal regions. Their mention emphasizes the conquest of not just the interior but also strategic low-lying and fertile areas.
• the Perizzites (פְּרִזִּי Pĕrizzî): Their name possibly means "villagers" or "rural dwellers," suggesting their presence outside of major fortified cities. Their inclusion indicates the dispossession encompassed both urban strongholds and agricultural areas, leaving no part of the land untouched.
• the Hivites (חִוִּי Ḥiwwî): Known for the strategic deception of the Gibeonites (Josh 9), which led to a treaty that spared them. Their listing here reminds the reader of the thoroughness of the conquest despite specific instances of exceptions or incomplete expulsion detailed later in the narrative.
• and the Jebusites (וְהַיְבוּסִי wə-ha-Yĕbûsî): The inhabitants of Jebus, which later became Jerusalem. Their stronghold was notoriously difficult to conquer, eventually falling only in the time of David (2 Sam 5:6-9). Their mention signifies that even the most formidable fortresses were encompassed by the scope of the overall divine command and strategic plan for conquest.

Words-group analysis

• "the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites": This consistent litany of six or seven nations throughout the Pentateuch and Joshua serves multiple purposes. First, it underscores the divine promise's specificity, as God explicitly identified the inhabitants of the land He was giving to Israel (Gen 15:19-21; Exod 3:8; Deut 7:1). Second, their repeated mention highlights God's sovereignty and power in overcoming nations more numerous and mightier than Israel (Deut 7:1). Third, their enumeration acts as a legal and theological claim, affirming Israel's God-given right to dispossess these particular peoples due to their wickedness (Lev 18:24-28). Fourth, from a literary perspective, it acts as a fulfillment statement, declaring that despite all challenges, God remained faithful to His word regarding the possession of the land inhabited by these specified groups.

Joshua 12 8 Bonus section

The number of nations listed as inhabitants of Canaan often varies slightly across different Old Testament texts (e.g., ten in Gen 15:19-21, seven in Deut 7:1 by adding the Girgashites). Joshua 12:8 lists six of these, omitting the Girgashites. This variation does not contradict the overall message but perhaps reflects differing scopes of emphasis or common colloquial groupings at various times. The significance lies not in the exact count, but in the divine command to displace a significant portion of the pre-Israelite inhabitants, ensuring Israel would inherit the land freely and be separate from the pervasive idolatry and corrupt practices of those nations. The summary in Joshua 12 effectively declares a complete military victory over the identified kingdoms and inhabitants, even as later books like Judges show that total eradication of all peoples was an ongoing challenge due to Israel's own failures. This highlights the concept of "already and not yet" in the biblical narrative – the victory was declared and accomplished, but the full possession and clean separation required continuous faithfulness.

Joshua 12 8 Commentary

Joshua 12:8 is more than a simple geographical and demographic listing; it is a profound theological statement. It marks the successful execution of God's ancient promise to Abraham, reiterating that the God of Israel is a covenant-keeping God who fulfills His word. The explicit enumeration of these six distinct nations, residing in various challenging terrains, highlights the comprehensive scope of the conquest and the formidable odds overcome by divine power, not by Israel's own might. It signifies the effective establishment of Israel's presence in the land of Canaan, even if full occupation would remain a subsequent struggle, thereby setting the stage for the territorial divisions and future generations' responsibility to complete the work.