Joshua 12:9 kjv
The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
Joshua 12:9 nkjv
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
Joshua 12:9 niv
the king of Jericho ? one the king of Ai (near Bethel) ? one
Joshua 12:9 esv
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
Joshua 12:9 nlt
The king of Jericho
The king of Ai, near Bethel
Joshua 12 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 15:18 | "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said... to the River Euphrates." | God promised land to Abraham. |
| Exod 23:27 | "I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion..." | God promised to drive out the inhabitants. |
| Num 33:53 | "take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you..." | Command to possess the land. |
| Deut 7:1-2 | "When the Lord your God brings you into the land... he drives out many nations..." | God's instruction to clear the land. |
| Deut 9:3 | "Understand therefore today that it is the Lord your God who crosses..." | Emphasizes God's role in the conquest. |
| Josh 6:2 | "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands..." | God delivers Jericho directly. |
| Josh 7:1 | "But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things..." | Context for Ai's initial defeat (Achan). |
| Josh 8:1 | "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you..." | God commands re-attack on Ai, promises victory. |
| Josh 8:28-29 | "So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent mound of ruins..." | Ai's complete destruction. |
| Josh 10:40-42 | "So Joshua conquered the whole country: the hill country... the Arabah..." | Summarizes comprehensive conquest in the south. |
| Josh 11:23 | "So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses..." | General statement of land possession. |
| Josh 21:43-45 | "So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors..." | God's fulfillment of all promises. |
| Judg 1:21-26 | "The Benjaminites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites..." | Partial failure to fully possess land. |
| 1 Sam 17:46 | "Today the Lord will deliver you into my hands..." | God gives victory in battle. |
| Ps 44:3 | "It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory..." | God's arm, not human strength, grants victory. |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations before them and allotted their land..." | God allotted land by lot. |
| Ps 135:10-12 | "He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings—Sihon... and Og..." | God's power over nations and kings. |
| Isa 60:1-3 | "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises..." | Future glory and nations coming to Israel. |
| Heb 11:30 | "By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days." | Jericho as an example of faith-driven victory. |
| Act 7:45 | "Their ancestors who followed Joshua brought it in with them when they took the land from the nations..." | The land acquisition under Joshua. |
Joshua 12 verses
Joshua 12 9 Meaning
Joshua 12:9 is part of a comprehensive list detailing the thirty-one kings and their kingdoms that the Israelites conquered under Joshua west of the Jordan River. Specifically, this verse identifies the kings of Jericho and Ai as two of the early and significant defeats. It serves as a historical record, affirming God's faithfulness in granting victory and fulfilling His promises regarding the possession of the land.
Joshua 12 9 Context
Joshua 12 marks a pivotal shift in the book of Joshua. After chapters 1-11 detail the specific campaigns (initial conquest of Jericho and Ai, southern campaign, northern campaign), Chapter 12 provides a complete, summarized list of all the kings conquered by Israel, first under Moses on the east side of the Jordan (vv. 1-6), then under Joshua on the west side (vv. 7-24). This chapter serves as a comprehensive record, officially declaring the significant portion of the conquest complete before the division of the land begins in Chapter 13.
Historically and culturally, the listing of defeated kings was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern conquest narratives. Such lists served as a clear demonstration of a victor's power and legitimate claim to territory, often implying the superiority of their deity. For the Israelites, this chapter firmly established that Yahweh, their God, was the ultimate victor, proving His power over local pagan gods and kings who resisted His people. The enumeration of Jericho and Ai at the beginning of the list for the Trans-Jordanic conquest highlights their foundational significance as the first major strongholds to fall under Joshua's command, representing the gateway victories into the Promised Land.
Joshua 12 9 Word analysis
- The king (מֶלֶךְ, melech): This Hebrew term denotes a sovereign ruler, often a figure of authority, military leader, and religious head of a city-state in the ancient Near East. The repeated emphasis on "king" highlights that it was not just land or cities but organized, formidable resistance that God overcame. It underscores Yahweh's supreme authority over human power.
- of Jericho (יְרִיחוֹ, Yericho): This city was a prominent and heavily fortified gateway city to central Canaan. Its capture (detailed in Joshua 6) through a miraculous act of God, rather than conventional siege warfare, uniquely established divine power and the necessity of Israel's obedience. Its mention first emphasizes the supernatural commencement of the conquest.
- one: The Hebrew word for "one" (eḥāḏ) is repeated after each king. This numerical emphasis is significant. It signifies that each king represented a distinct, sovereign entity that was entirely overcome. It could also emphasize the singularity of each victory, despite the grand scale, indicating careful and complete accounting.
- the king of Ai (הָעַי, hā-ʿAy): "Ai" means "the ruin" or "the heap." It was the second city conquered. The account of Ai (Joshua 7-8) highlights important theological lessons: Israel's initial defeat due to Achan's sin, the necessity of corporate holiness, and God's restoration after repentance. Its inclusion after Jericho underscores the complexity of the conquest and God's consistent guidance through both victory and tribulation.
- which is beside Bethel (בֵּית־אֵל, Bēth-'Ēl): "Bethel" means "house of God" (Gen 28:19). Though Ai was a pagan city, its geographical reference to Bethel is notable. Bethel became a significant future site for Israelite worship (Jacob's ladder, a future cultic center). This geographical marker is precise for the ancient reader, situating Ai in relation to a landmark that would become religiously crucial for Israel, contrasting the old pagan domain with the emerging sacred Israelite landscape.
- Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "The king of Jericho, one": This phrase establishes the fall of the primary initial target, not just a city but its ruler. Jericho represented pagan strongholds resistant to God's will. Its specific defeat by divine intervention is foundational to understanding the source of Israel's power.
- "the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one": The fall of Ai represents a different aspect of conquest. While still a kingly overthrow, it involves a human failure and a subsequent divinely ordained victory, stressing Israel's reliance on God even after a setback. The location "beside Bethel" ties the defeated pagan entity to a future holy site, highlighting God's transformation of the land.
Joshua 12 9 Bonus section
The consistent use of "one" after each city or king listed throughout Joshua 12:9-24 not only counts each defeated entity but also implies a comprehensive and intentional dispossessing. No single king or kingdom was overlooked; each was distinctly "one" that God brought low. This detailed inventory affirms the scale of God's power and Joshua's military achievement, ensuring the validity of Israel's inheritance claim. It solidifies the theological understanding that the conquest was a divine act, precisely executed as God promised.
Joshua 12 9 Commentary
Joshua 12:9, though seemingly a mere entry in a list, encapsulates profound theological and historical truths about the conquest of Canaan. It specifically highlights the kings of Jericho and Ai, the very first strongholds engaged by Joshua's army. Jericho's fall demonstrated God's miraculous power and the effectiveness of absolute obedience, while Ai's conquest, despite initial failure due to sin, ultimately confirmed God's continued faithfulness and justice, teaching Israel the vital link between holiness and victory. The meticulous enumeration of each "king... one" reinforces the totality and decisiveness of God's victory over specific, organized human resistance, underscoring that Yahweh systematically delivered the promised land by overthrowing the established order. This brief verse serves as an undeniable testament to the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant and Yahweh's unrivaled supremacy over all other powers.