Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 13:21
And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, [which were] dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
21. all the cities ] = “all the other cities of the table-land, and all the kingdom of Sihon, as far as it extended over the plain.”
with the princes of Midian ] They are also mentioned, and in the same order, in Num 31:8.
which were dukes of Sihon ] “dukys of Sion,” Wyclif, from the Vulgate “duces” = vassals of Sihon, and princes. “The word stands only in the plural, and is always used, as would seem, of native, although dependent and subjugated, princes, and not of installed, ordinary officials.” Gesenius. From the appellation here used, “vassals of Sihon,” we may clearly infer that that king, who had taken from the Moabites the greatest part of their territory, had also made them tributary. From this subjection they were delivered by the defeat of Sihon, and then fearing that they would receive from the Israelites the same treatment as the Amorites, they immediately conspired to destroy the Israelites, and thus brought destruction upon themselves. See Keil.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 21. The princes of Midian] See the history of this war, Nu 31:1, c. and from that place this and the following verse seem to be borrowed, for the introduction of the death of Balaam here seems quite irrelevant.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The cities of the plain; opposed to the foregoing cities of the mountain of the valley.
All the kingdom of Sihon; a synecdochical expression, for a great part of it; in which sense we read of all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, Mat 3:5, and all Galilee, Mat 4:23, and many others. Or, which all were the kingdoms of Sihon, i.e. belonged to his kingdom. The Hebrew conjunction and is oft put for the relative particle which, as Jdg 2:21; Pro 19:1; Ecc 6:12.
With the princes of Midian; not in the same time or battle, as appears by comparing Num 21:23,24, with Num 31:8, but in the same manner. And they are here mentioned, partly because they were slain not long after, and upon the same occasion, even their enmity against Israel; and partly because of their relation and subjection to Sihon, as it here follows.
Dukes of Sihon.
Quest. How could they be so, when they were kings of Midian? Num 31:8.
Answ. There were divers petty kings in those parts, which were subject to greater kings; and such these were, but are here called dukes or princes of Sihon, because they were subject and tributaries to him, and therefore did one way or other assist Sihon in this war, though they were not killed at this time. It is probable, that when Sihon destroyed those Moabites which dwelt in these parts, he frighted the rest of them, and with them their neighbours and confederates the Midianites, into some kind of homage or tribute, which they were willing to pay to him.
Dwelling in, the country, Heb. inhabiting that land, namely,
Midian, last mentioned; whereby he signifies, that though they were subject to Sihon, yet they did not dwell in his land, but in another.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And all the cities of the plain,…. In the champaign country, as well as those in the mountainous part:
and all the kingdom of Sihon; or, as Masius renders the words, “which all had been the kingdom of Sihon”; for the whole kingdom of Sihon was not given to Reuben, only a part of it, and the rest to Gad, as in
Jos 13:27;
king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon; as in Jos 13:10;
whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur,
and Hur, and Reba; not at the same time that Sihon was smitten by him, but afterwards in a war with Midian, Nu 31:8; where their names are given as here; and there they are called kings of Midian, petty kings, and, as it seems by what follows, were subject to Sihon, and therefore are here mentioned:
[which were] dukes of Sihon dwelling in the country; for Midian, as Kimchi supposes, and not without reason, was under the government of Sihon, and these were his nobles, though they dwelt in the land of Midian.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(21) The princes of Midian . . . which were dukes of Sinon, dwelling in the country.
The conquest of the Midianites is recorded in Numbers 31. The orders given were, Avenge the Lord of Midian (Jos. 13:3); avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites (Jos. 13:2), because they tempted Israel to idolatry and uncleanness. But this verse in Joshua supplies us with a further reason for hostilities between Midian and Israel. The Midianites were dukes of Sihon, and a part of his government. Through them he appears to have exercised his dominion over the conquered territory which he had taken from Moab. This land Israel had now, in turn, taken from him. But in order to its complete subjugation, the removal of Sihons dukes, the princes or kings of Midian, was also necessary. This was brought about in the manner described in Numbers 22-25, , 31. The relation between Midian and Moab which is implied, but not explained in Numbers, is explained by the apparently casual remark in this place. It is another example of undesigned agreement between Joshua and the Pentateuch. Of the same kind is the allusion to Balaam, as (Jos. 13:22) the soothsayer, or diviner. In Numbers we do not read of anything but prophecy and counsel as coming from Balaams lips; but it is abundantly evident, from hints scattered through the story, that he was a sooth-sayer, or diviner, as well as a prophet. The elders of Moab and Midian went to him with the reward of divination in their hands (Num. 22:7); Neither is there any divination against Israel (Num. 23:23) the word in each of these places is radically connected with the epithet applied to Balaam here. (Comp. Num. 24:1 : He went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantmentswhere a different word is employed.) He is thus shown to have been an unscrupulous man, who, if he could not obtain the knowledge that he desired from above, would not hesitate to seek it from below, that he might secure his base gain.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. All the cities of the plain That is, all the other mirror cities of the southern plain which had not been particularly described.
All the kingdom of Sihon These words must not be taken as the entire extent of the territory belonging to Sihon, but must be qualified by the statement of Jos 13:27, that the northern part of his kingdom, which extended even to the Sea of Chinnereth, was allotted to Gad. The words are therefore to be understood of the southern part of his territory, which, lying south of Mount Gilead, and including by far the larger part of the kingdom, with its capital and most important cities, might easily have been called all the kingdom.
Dukes of Sihon For their defeat by Moses see Num 31:1-12. These dukes were sheiks of the neighbouring towns, tributary to and dependent upon Sihon.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And all the cities of the tableland and all the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the chiefs of Midian, Evi and Rekem, and Zur and Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon who dwell in the land. Balaam also, the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among the rest of their slain.’
For ‘cities of the tableland’ compare Deu 3:10. This was clearly a local name for the whole area. (Contrast ‘the cities of the plain’ – Gen 19:29).
The description is a brief summary of larger events occurring at different times, the slaying of Sihon and his forces at one time (Num 21:21-31) and the slaying of the ‘leaders of Sihon’ and Balaam at another (Numbers 31 where they are also named). It would appear that these Midianite chiefs were vassals to Sihon, probably due to receiving certain rights to the use of lands for grazing, who were not present when Sihon was slain. Their subsequent appearance to avenge Sihon was met with by the denunciation of YHWH and their defeat at the hands of Israel (Numbers 31). The word translated ‘princes’ is a rare one occurring only five times in the Old Testament. See especially Psa 83:11 where it refers to Midianite leaders as here. Thus it was seemingly a term especially applied to Midianite leaders. The other references are Eze 32:30 where it refers to vague ‘princes of the north’; Mic 5:4 where it is subordinate leaders to the shepherds; and Dan 11:8 where it has a different meaning altogether.
Balaam was said in Num 24:25 to have ‘returned to his place’ (see Num 22:5). However it appears that either he dwelt among the Midianites or was recalled by the Midianites to obtain revenge for Sihon for here he was slain along with them. The slaying of such a powerful soothsayer (compare Deu 8:14), who was made wealthy by divining on behalf of people against their enemies, was looked on as a great feat.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jos 13:21 And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, [which were] dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
Ver. 21. Dukes of Sihon. ] His vassals; and after his death they made themselves kings, but were shortly after slain by the sword of Israel. Num 31:8
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
dukes anointed [leaders], called kings in Num 31:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
And all the: Deu 3:10
whom Moses: Num 21:24-35, Deu 2:30-36
with the: Num 31:8
Reciprocal: Num 22:4 – elders Num 25:15 – Zur Jos 21:39 – Heshbon
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 13:21. Cities of the plain Opposed to the cities of the mountain or the valley. All the kingdom of Sihon A great part of it; in which sense we read of all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, Mat 3:5; and all Galilee, Mat 4:23. Whom Moses smote Not in the same time or battle, as appears by comparing Num 21:23-24, with Num 31:8, but in the same manner. Dukes of Sihon But how could they be so, when they were kings of Midian? Num 31:8. There were divers petty kings in those parts, who were subject to other kings, and such these were, but are here called dukes or princes of Sihon, because they were subject and tributaries to him, and therefore did one way or other assist Sihon in this war, though they were not killed at this time.