1. These are the kings whom the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the torrent Arnon unto Mount Hermon, and all the eastern region that looks toward the wilderness. 2. Sehon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Hesebon, ruled from Aroer, which is situated upon the bank of the torrent Arnon, and of the middle part in the valley, and of half Galaad, as far as the torrent Jaboc, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 3. and from the wilderness unto the sea of Ceneroth toward the east, and unto the sea of the desert, which is the most salt sea, toward the eastern region by the way that leads to Bethsimoth; and from the southern part that lies under Asedoth, Phasga [Pisgah]. 4. The border of Og king of Basan, of the remnant of the Raphaim, who dwelt in Astaroth, and in Edrai, and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecha, and in all Basan, unto the borders 5. of Gessuri and Machati, and of half Galaad: the borders of Sehon king of Hesebon. 6. Moses the servant of the Lord and the children of Israel smote them; and Moses delivered their land in possession to the Rubenites, and Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasse. 7. These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel smote beyond the Jordan toward the western region, from Baalgad in the plain of Libanus, unto the mountain, part of which goes up into Seir; and Joshua delivered it in possession to the tribes of Israel, to each their portions, 8. as well in the mountains as in the plains and the champaign countries. In Asedoth, and in the wilderness, and in the south, was the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Pherezite, the Hevite and the Jebusite. 9. The king of Jericho, one; the king of Hai, which is on the side of Bethel, one; 10. the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 11. the king of Jerimoth, one; the king of Lachis, one; 12. the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gazer, one; 13. the king of Dabir, one; the king of Gader, one; 14. the king of Herma, one; the king of Hered, one; 15. the king of Lebna, one; the king of Odullam, one; 16. the king of Maceda, one; the king of Bethel, one; 17. the king of Taphua, one; the king of Opher, one; 18. the king of Aphec, one; the king of Saron, one; 19. the king of Madon, one; the king of Asor, one; 20. the king of Semeron, one; the king of Achsaph, one; 21. the king of Thenac, one; the king of Mageddo, one; 22. the king of Cades, one; the king of Jachanan of Carmel, one; 23. the king of Dor, and of the province of Dor, one; the king of the Nations of Galgal, one; 24. the king of Thersa, one: all the kings, thirty-one.
COMMENTARY
In this chapter [there] is a recapitulation of the wars which were waged by Moses in the Transjordanian region, up to v. 7; then, [of those] which [were waged] by Joshua in the Cisjordanian [region], from v. 7 to the end of the chapter. Where note, first, [that] for that which we said “trans and cis [beyond and on-this-side],” the same preposition in the Hebrew is “heber [ʿeber],” which our [Interpreter] too always renders “trans [beyond]” (vv. 1 and 7); but the distinction of each bank, or side, is taken from east and west. Secondly: “Asedoth” is to be read in the text (v. 8), not “Aseroth.” Thirdly: “Rex Saron [King Saron]” is read (v. 19), for which, from the Hebrew, by Masius and the Chaldee, is substituted “Rex Lasaron” — which word is indeed in the Hebrew, but so that “La” seems rather to have the force of the article. And therefore not only our uncorrected books [read so], but of the Innovators too, Junius and Tremellius, saying “King Scharonin, one.” And Saron is a known plain and place, between Mount Tabor and the lake of Tiberias, praised for [its] exceeding fertility in Isaiah (ch. 33, v. 9). Yet to the same Masius it seems [that] Lasaron was a city not far from Lydda, which in the Acts of the Apostles is called ἀσσάρων [assarōn, “Assaron/Sharon”]. Fourthly: In the Hebrew there is also “Rex Sameron meron [King Sameron-meron]” (v. 20) — although it can rightly be said [that] that “meron” in the Hebrew is redundant, and made from the last preceding letters of the name “Simron,” an aleph being interposed. For the Jews themselves note in the margin of their Bibles [that] in this same word “meron” one letter, “vau,” is redundant; whereas perhaps that “aleph” which they interposed is more redundant — [and], as I said, that whole word [is redundant], which is therefore omitted in the corrected Latin [texts] too. Yet Josephus (bk. 18, ch. 12) says [that] “meron” was once the proper name of “Samaria.” Fifthly: From that “Rex Mageddo [King Mageddo], one,” seems [to derive] that [word] of the Apocalypse (ch. 16, v. 16), “harmageddon” — as [it were] “har,” that is, “mount Mageddo”; or, as the cited Innovators inflect [it], “of Mageddus”; and [it] is expounded τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐκκοπτομένων [to oros tōn ekkoptomenōn], that is, “the mount of the slain [those cut down],” as the 70 signify (Judg. 5 and 7). Lastly, in the names of the Kings [there] is to be observed the fourfold variety which is in the 70, concerning which [it will be treated] more fittingly in the following question.