Joshua 12:16
The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Beth-el, one;
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Joshua 10:28And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.Joshua 8:17And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.Judges 1:22And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Beth-el: and the LORD was with them.
Historical Context
Makkedah is identified with Khirbet el-Qom in the Shephelah lowlands, strategically positioned to control the coastal plain approaches. Beth-el (modern Beitin) was a major Canaanite city destroyed around 1200 BC, with archaeological evidence showing violent conflagration consistent with Joshua's conquest narratives. The site's religious significance from the patriarchal period made its capture symbolically crucial.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Beth-el's appearance among conquered cities warn us that religious heritage cannot substitute for present faithfulness?
- What does the meticulous one-by-one enumeration of defeated kings teach about God's thoroughness in fulfilling promises?
- How do monuments of past victories (like Makkedah's cave) serve to strengthen faith in present challenges?
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Analysis & Commentary
The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Beth-el, one—Makkedah (מַקֵּדָה, maqedah, 'place of shepherds') was where five Amorite kings hid in caves before Joshua executed them (10:16-27), making this notation a memorial of divine judgment. Beth-el (בֵּית־אֵל, bet-el, 'house of God'), the ancient sanctuary where Jacob saw angels ascending and descending (Genesis 28:19), appears in this catalog of defeated kings—a sobering reminder that sacred sites become targets for conquest when inhabitants practice idolatry.
The Hebrew repetition אֶחָד (echad, 'one') after each king emphasizes the totality of victory—thirty-one city-states (v. 24) fell one-by-one, each representing a discrete political entity eliminated from Canaan. This methodical enumeration demonstrates that God's promise to dispossess the Canaanites (Exodus 23:28-31) was fulfilled precisely, leaving no coalition undefeated, no pocket of resistance intact.