Joshua 12:24
the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Joshua 12:24
the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse caps off a long list of conquered kings by simply stating "the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one." What's easy to miss is that this seemingly ordinary number isn't just an arbitrary count, but a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness, fulfilling an ancient promise to Abraham by bringing His people into a land teeming with numerous, albeit petty, rulers.
This passage concludes a detailed list of the kings whom the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, defeated and dispossessed. Following an earlier account of victories east of the Jordan, this section enumerates the rulers conquered on the western side, culminating in the king of Tirzah, bringing the total to thirty-one kings. This extensive enumeration serves to underscore the completeness of Israel's victory and God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to give them the land.
It might seem strange that so many kings ruled over such a small territory. What does this tell us about the nature of kingship and territory in ancient Canaan?
Joshua 12:1-24 is a powerful list of defeated kings. While we might picture vast empires, the reality was quite different. Many of these 'kings' were essentially powerful lords of a single city and its surrounding villages.
Small Territories, Big Promises
Why is Tirzah singled out in this final count? What significance does this city hold?
The mention of 'the king of Tirzah' at the end of this list isn't random. Tirzah was a city of historical and future importance.
A City of Royal Significance
Understand the original words
Tirtsah · Hebrew Proper Noun
A city known in the Old Testament for its beauty and, later, for being a royal residence for the northern kingdom of Israel.
This chapter serves as a powerful historical record, detailing the comprehensive victory God granted Israel over thirty-one kings in Canaan. It underscores the fulfillment of God's ancient promise to Abraham, demonstrating His faithfulness in giving His people a land that was already densely populated and ruled by numerous, established monarchs.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Israel's Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites successfully conquered the land of Canaan, defeating numerous kings and their armies.
c. 1400 BC
Division of Canaan
After the conquest, the land of Canaan was divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, with Joshua overseeing the distribution.
c. 1400 BC
Establishment of Cities of Refuge
As part of the tribal divisions, cities were designated as places of refuge for those who committed unintentional manslaughter.
c. 1300 BC - 1050 BC
Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel entered a period where tribal leaders, known as judges, governed the land, often in times of conflict.
This passage also lists kings defeated by Israel before they entered the promised land, highlighting a similar narrative of conquest and divine enablement.
Deuteronomy 7:1This verse speaks of the nations that Israel would dispossess, setting the stage for the extensive conquests detailed in Joshua, including the defeat of these many kings.
Genesis 15:18-21This passage records God's promise to Abraham of the land and its inhabitants, providing the divine mandate for the extensive land appropriation and the defeat of its kings.
1 Kings 4:13This verse mentions another king, Baana son of Ahilud, whose jurisdiction included Tirzah, showing that even after Israel's conquest, the region retained distinct administrative entities, echoing the localized kingships.
1 Kings 16:18This verse recounts the tragic end of King Zimri of Tirzah, who burned himself in the palace, illustrating the violent history and eventual downfall of rulers in that very city.
calvinJoshua 12:1-24: "Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:"
Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:
Hi sunt reges terrae quos…
cambridgeJoshua 12:24: "The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one."
24 . Tirzah ] Three miles from the city of Samaria, now called Tellûzah , of proverbial beauty. Song of Solomon 6:4 , “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah .” It was to Shechem afterwards “what Windsor is to London,” and became the residence of Jeroboam and his successors ( 1 Kings 14:17 ). Here Zimri was besieged by Omri, and perished in the flames of his palace ( 1 Kings 16:18 ).
The verse caps off a long list of conquered kings by simply stating "the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one." What's easy to miss is that this seemingly ordinary number isn't just an arbitrary count, but a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness, fulfilling an ancient promise to Abraham by bringing His people into a land teeming with numerous, albeit petty, rulers.
This passage concludes a detailed list of the kings whom the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, defeated and dispossessed. Following an earlier account of victories east of the Jordan, this section enumerates the rulers conquered on the western side, culminating in the king of Tirzah, bringing the total to thirty-one kings. This extensive enumeration serves to underscore the completeness of Israel's victory and God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to give them the land.
This passage concludes a detailed list of the kings whom the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, defeated and dispossessed. Following an earlier account of victories east of the Jordan, this section enumerates the rulers conquered on the western side, culminating in the king of Tirzah, bringing the total to thirty-one kings. This extensive enumeration serves to underscore the completeness of Israel's victory and God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to give them the land.
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c. 1050 BC
Rise of the United Monarchy
The people desired a king, leading to the anointing of Saul, followed by David and Solomon, unifying the tribes under a single monarchy.
"the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings." — The verse caps off a long list of conquered kings by simply stating "the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one." What's easy to miss is that this seemingly ordinary number isn't just an a…