Joshua 12:9
New International Version
the king of Jericho one the king of Ai (near Bethel) one

New Living Translation
The king of Jericho The king of Ai, near Bethel

English Standard Version
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

Berean Standard Bible
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is near Bethel, one;

King James Bible
The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

New King James Version
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

New American Standard Bible
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

NASB 1995
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

NASB 1977
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

Legacy Standard Bible
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

Amplified Bible
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

Christian Standard Bible
the king of Jericho one the king of Ai, which is next to Bethel one

Holman Christian Standard Bible
the king of Jericho one the king of Ai, which is next to Bethel one

American Standard Version
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

English Revised Version
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el, one;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
the king of Jericho, the king of Ai (near Bethel),

Good News Translation
The people of Israel defeated the kings of the following cities: Jericho, Ai (near Bethel),

International Standard Version
The king of Jericho: 1 The king of Ai, which is near Bethel: 1

Majority Standard Bible
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is near Bethel, one;

NET Bible
the king of Jericho (one), the king of Ai--located near Bethel--(one),

New Heart English Bible
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

Webster's Bible Translation
The king of Jericho one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el, one;

World English Bible
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which [is] beside Bethel, one;

Young's Literal Translation
The king of Jericho, one; The king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

Smith's Literal Translation
The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai which is beside the house of God, one;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The king of Jericho one: the king of Hai, which is on the side of Bethel, one:

Catholic Public Domain Version
The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

New American Bible
The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is near Bethel, one;

New Revised Standard Version
the king of Jericho one the king of Ai, which is next to Bethel one
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
These are the kings of the land whom Joshua slew: The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el, one;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And these are the Kings of the land whom Yeshua put to the sword: the one King of Yerikho, the one King of Ai on the side of Bayth Eil
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el, one;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The king of Jericho, and the king of Gai, which is near Baethel;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Kings Defeated West of the Jordan
8the hill country, the foothills, the Arabah, the slopes, the wilderness, and the Negev—the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites): 9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is near Bethel, one; 10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;…

Cross References
Numbers 21:21-35
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, / “Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” / But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. ...

Deuteronomy 2:26-37
So from the Wilderness of Kedemoth I sent messengers with an offer of peace to Sihon king of Heshbon, saying, / “Let us pass through your land; we will stay on the main road. We will not turn to the right or to the left. / You can sell us food to eat and water to drink in exchange for silver. Only let us pass through on foot, ...

Deuteronomy 3:1-11
Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet us in battle at Edrei. / But the LORD said to me, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.” / So the LORD our God also delivered Og king of Bashan and his whole army into our hands. We struck them down until no survivor was left. ...

Joshua 10:28-39
On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and put it to the sword, along with its king. He devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. So he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. / Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. / And the LORD also delivered that city and its king into the hand of Israel, and Joshua put all the people to the sword, leaving no survivors. And he did to the king of Libnah as he had done to the king of Jericho. ...

Joshua 11:10-12
At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword, because Hazor was formerly the head of all these kingdoms. / The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself. / Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and put them to the sword. He devoted them to destruction, as Moses the LORD’s servant had commanded.

Judges 1:1-7
After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?” / “Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.” / Then the men of Judah said to their brothers the Simeonites, “Come up with us to our allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. And we likewise will go with you to your territory.” So the Simeonites went with them. ...

1 Kings 4:19-21
Geber son of Uri in the land of Gilead, including the territories of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. There was also one governor in the land of Judah. / The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and they were eating and drinking and rejoicing. / And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

1 Chronicles 18:1-6
Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines. / David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to David and brought him tribute. / As far as Hamath, David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, who had marched out to establish his dominion along the Euphrates River. ...

Psalm 136:17-22
He struck down great kings His loving devotion endures forever. / and slaughtered mighty kings—His loving devotion endures forever. / Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever. ...

Nehemiah 9:22-24
You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan. / You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess. / So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.

Acts 13:19
And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.

Hebrews 11:30-31
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. / By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11
Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Hebrews 4:8
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.


Treasury of Scripture

The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

jericho

Joshua 6:2-21
And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour…

Ai

Joshua 8:1,17,29
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: …

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Joshua 12
1. The two kings whose countries Moses took and disposed of
7. The thirty-one kings on the other side of Jordan which Joshua smote














the king of Jericho
The mention of "the king of Jericho" immediately brings to mind the miraculous victory that God granted the Israelites in Joshua 6. Jericho was a fortified city, representing a significant obstacle in the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land. The Hebrew root for Jericho, "Yeriho," is thought to be related to the word for "fragrance" or "moon," suggesting a city of significance and allure. Historically, Jericho is one of the oldest inhabited cities, with archaeological evidence supporting its existence during the time of Joshua. The fall of Jericho symbolizes God's power and faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to Israel, as well as the importance of obedience to His commands.

one
The use of "one" here is not merely a numerical count but signifies the completeness of the victory. Each king represents a distinct victory granted by God. The singularity emphasizes that each conquest was a unique act of divine intervention. In the broader biblical narrative, the number one often symbolizes unity and the singularity of God's purpose and plan. It reminds believers of the unity they have in Christ and the singular focus they should have on God's will.

the king of Ai
Ai, meaning "ruin" in Hebrew, was the second city conquered by the Israelites. The initial defeat at Ai, due to Achan's sin (Joshua 7), serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience. However, the subsequent victory (Joshua 8) underscores God's mercy and the restoration that follows repentance. Ai's location near Bethel, a place of significant patriarchal history, adds to its importance. The victory at Ai demonstrates God's continued guidance and the necessity of holiness among His people.

which is near Bethel
Bethel, meaning "house of God," holds deep historical and spiritual significance. It was a place where Abraham and Jacob encountered God (Genesis 12:8; 28:19). The proximity of Ai to Bethel highlights the intertwining of Israel's past and present, as they reclaim the land promised to their forefathers. This geographical note serves as a reminder of God's enduring faithfulness and the continuity of His covenant promises.

one
Reiterating "one" for the king of Ai reinforces the idea of individual victories contributing to the overall conquest. Each victory is a testament to God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His promises. It also serves as a reminder that every battle, no matter how small, is significant in God's plan. For believers, this underscores the importance of trusting God in every aspect of life, knowing that He is in control of both the grand and the minute details.

Verse 9. - The list of the cities subdued. The king of Jericho, one. Here follows a list of the royal cities of the Canaanites, the remainder being daughter, or dependent cities, or else, perhaps, like Gibeon, cities whose government was not regal. See Joshua 9:3, and Introduction.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
the king
מֶ֥לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Jericho,
יְרִיח֖וֹ (yə·rî·ḥōw)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3405: Jericho -- a city in the Jordan Valley captured by Joshua

one;
אֶחָ֑ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

the king
מֶ֧לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Ai,
הָעַ֛י (hā·‘ay)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5857: Ai -- a Canaanite city

which [is]
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

near
מִצַּ֥ד (miṣ·ṣaḏ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6654: A side, an adversary

Bethel,
אֵ֖ל (’êl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1008: Bethel -- 'house of God', a city in Ephraim, also a place in southern Judah

one;
אֶחָֽד׃ (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first


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OT History: Joshua 12:9 The king of Jericho one (Josh. Jos)
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