Section 12:1–24 The kings that Joshua and the Israelites defeated

In this section there is a list of the kings that the Israelites defeated on the east side and the west side of the Jordan River.

Here is another possible section heading:

The kings that the Israelites defeated on both sides of the Jordan River

Paragraph 12:1-6

The kings that the Israelites defeated on the east side of the Jordan River.

12:1a

Now: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now introduces a list of two kings that the Israelites defeated. Many English versions do not translate this word. Use a word that is appropriate to introduce a list in your language.

these are the kings: In some languages it may be more natural to say that these are the names of the kings.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

These are the names of the kings (Revised English Bible)

of the land: The phrase the land indicates the land east of the Jordan River. This is not stated until 12:1c. It may be more natural in some languages to reorder this verse. A way to reorder the verse is found at the end of the notes for this verse.

12:1b

whom the Israelites struck down: The Israelites defeated these kings at an earlier time, before they crossed the Jordan River. This story is found in Numbers 21:21-35. It may be helpful to express this implicit information.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

The people of Israel had defeated these kings ⌊before they crossed the Jordan River⌋

Israelites: The word Israelites indicates the Israelite army.

12:1c

and whose lands they took: The clause whose lands they took indicates that after the Israelites defeated the kings and their armies, they occupied their land and controlled it.

beyond the Jordan to the east: The phrase beyond the Jordan to the east indicates that the land was on the east side of the Jordan River.

12:1d

from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon: The Arnon Valley and Mount Hermon were at the south and the north of the area that the Israelites conquered east of the Jordan River.

the Arnon Valley: The Arnon River flows through a deep Valley that is dry during part of the year. It runs into the Dead Sea. Its valley is halfway between the southern and northern ends of the Dead Sea. This was the southern limit of the land that the Israelites conquered on the east side of the Jordan River.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the valley of the Arnon River

Valley: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Valley refers to a riverbed that has water in it only during the rainy season. This kind of riverbed is sometimes referred to by its Arabic term, wadi.

Here are some ways to translate this word:

gorge (New Living Translation (2004), New International Version)
-or-
ravine (New Century Version)
-or-
wadi (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

Use the word in your language that best fits this context.

Mount Hermon: Mount Hermon is west of Damascus. It was the northern limit of the land that the Israelites conquered on the east side of the Jordan River.

including all the Arabah eastward: The Arabah is the valley of the Jordan River. The land that the Israelites conquered included all the Jordan River valley and the land to the east of it.

General Comment on 12:1

Here are some other ways to translate verse 1. These examples have partially reordered the parts of the verse. They have also broken the verse into two sentences.

These are the kings of the land east of the Jordan River that the people of Israel defeated. Israel also took possession of their land from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, and all the eastern plains. (God’s Word)
-or-
Before Moses died, he and the Israelites had defeated two kings east of the Jordan River. These kings had ruled the region from the Arnon River Gorge in the south to Mount Hermon in the north, including the eastern side of the Jordan River Valley. (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 12:1-5

In the Hebrew text these verses are one long sentence, and the Berean Standard Bible translates them this way. It is recommended that you translate these verses as several sentences. Use the sentence breaks that are most natural in your language. There are some examples of how to do this the end of each verse.

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