Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel struck and possessed beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise. They ruled from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon and all the Arabah eastward.

The first was Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelled in Heshbon and controlled a vast territory that included Aroer on the Arnon River and half of Gilead as far as the Jabbok River, which marked the border of the children of Ammon. His domain also extended from the plain to the Sea of Chinneroth on the east and to the Salt Sea on the south, taking in the region around Beth-jeshimoth.

Farther north lay the territory of Og king of Bashan, a remnant of the giants who had once inhabited Canaan. He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salcah, and all of Bashan, including half of Gilead and the borderlands of the Geshurites and Maachathites.

Moses, serving the Lord, led the Israelites in striking down these powerful kings, after which he gave their territories to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh as their inheritance.

In the west, beyond the Jordan River, Joshua and the Israelites conquered a long list of cities and kingdoms. They began at Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon and traveled south to Mount Halak, which slopes up to Seir. Along the way, they defeated the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Among these conquered cities were Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Gezer, Debir, Geder, Hormah, Arad, Libnah, Adullam, Makkedah, Bethel, Tappuah, Hepher, Aphek, Lasharon, Madon, Hazor, Shimron-meron, Achshaph, Taanach, Megiddo, Kedesh, Jokneam in Carmel, Dor, and Gilgal.

In total, the Israelites defeated thirty-one kings of these cities and territories, with Tirzah being one of the most powerful.