How does Joshua 12:14 connect to God's covenant with Israel in Deuteronomy? Counting the Kings: Joshua 12:14 “the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one.” Why Two Small Towns Land in Scripture - Scripture records every king Israel conquered, even rulers of lesser-known towns, to show that God literally fulfilled His word down to each city and hill. - Hormah and Arad lay in the southern hill country—the very territory Moses said would fall under Israel’s feet (Deuteronomy 1:7; 11:24). - Each single “one” echoes God’s promise that “no man will be able to stand against you” (Deuteronomy 11:25). Direct Links to Deuteronomy’s Covenant Promises - Promise of the Land • Deuteronomy 1:8: “See, I have given you this land. Go in and possess it.” • Joshua 12 lists the literal possession—Hormah and Arad included—proving God’s covenant gift has become historical fact. - Divine Dispossession of Canaanites • Deuteronomy 7:1-2: “When the LORD your God brings you into the land… you must devote them to complete destruction.” • Joshua 12:14 shows that command carried out king by king. - Step-by-Step Conquest Strategy • Deuteronomy 7:22: “The LORD your God will drive out these nations before you little by little.” • Joshua 12 mirrors the gradual advance—each verse another “little” step completed. - Assurance of Victory Tied to Obedience • Deuteronomy 11:22-23 links wholehearted obedience to God’s driving out the nations. • Joshua’s record indicates Israel, under Joshua’s leadership, walked in that obedience, receiving the promised victories. Judgment and Mercy Intertwined - Deuteronomy 9:4-5: Israel’s success is God’s judgment on Canaanite sin, not Israel’s righteousness. - Hormah (“devotion to destruction”) and Arad (“wild ass”) stand as named monuments to that judgment, reminding future generations that covenant holiness matters. God’s Faithfulness in the Fine Print - Deuteronomy 32:4: “He is the Rock; His work is perfect.” - By listing even obscure kings, the text underlines that God finishes what He starts—perfectly, precisely, faithfully. Takeaway for Today - Joshua 12:14 may look like a mere ledger entry, yet it shouts that every syllable of God’s covenant promise in Deuteronomy came to pass. - If He kept His word to conquer Hormah and Arad, He will keep every other promise He has spoken. |
    |