Joshua 12:2

Verse

Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along the middle of the valley, up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites), that is, half of Gilead,

American Standard Version (1901)

Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;

Bible in Basic English

Sihon, king of the Amorites, who was living in Heshbon, ruling from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the town in the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, as far as the river Jabbok, the limits of the children of Ammon;

Free Bible Version

Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, ruled from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon valley, all the way from the middle of the valley to the Jabbok River, the boundary with the Ammonites (and included half of Gilead).

Geneva Bible 1599

Sihon King of the Amorites, that dwelt in Heshbon, hauing dominion from Aroer, which is beside the riuer of Arnon, and from the middle of the riuer, and from halfe Gilead vnto the riuer Iabbok, in the border of the children of Ammon.

King James (Authorized) Version

Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;

Translation for Translators

One of them was Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group. He lived in Heshbon city and ruled over the area from Aroer town along the Arnon River Gorge, north to the Jabbok River. His land started in the middle of the gorge, which was the border between his land and the land of the Ammon people-group. Sihon also ruled over the southern half of the Gilead region,

Unlocked Literal Bible

Sihon, king of the Amorites, lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer, which is on the rim of the Arnon Gorge from the middle of the valley, and half of Gilead down to the Jabbok River on the border of the Ammonites.

Noah Webster Bible

Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;

World English Bible

Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;

Young's Literal Translation

Sihon, king of the Amorite, who is dwelling in Heshbon, ruling from Aroer which [is] on the border of the brook Arnon, and the middle of the brook, and half of Gilead, and unto Jabok the brook, the border of the Bene-Ammon;

Context

The Kings Defeated East of the Jordan

¹Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites struck down and whose lands they took beyond the Jordan to the east, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the Arabah eastward:²Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along the middle of the valley, up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites), that is, half of Gilead, ³as well as the Arabah east of the Sea of Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ), eastward through Beth-jeshimoth, and southward below the slopes of Pisgah.

Summary

Joshua 12:2 lists the kings that were defeated by the Israelites under Moses' leadership on the east side of the Jordan River. This verse serves as a historical record of the victories God granted His people as they entered the Promised Land. It highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to give the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. By documenting these conquests, the verse showcases God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant with the Israelites.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

From Aroer - Aroer was situated on the western side of the river Arnon, in the middle of the valley through which this river takes its course. The kingdom of Sihon extended from the river Arnon and the city of Aroer on the south to the river Jabbok on the north. And from half Gilead - The mountains of Gilead extended from north to south from Mount Hermon towards the source of the river Arnon, which was about the midst of the extent of the kingdom of Sihon: thus Sihon is said to have possessed the half of Gilead, that is, the half of the mountains and of the country which bore the name of Gilead on the east of his territories. River Jabbok - This river has its source in the mountains of Gilead; and, running from east to west, falls into Jordan. It bounds the territories of Sihon on the north, and those of the Ammonites on the south.