16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
There was not a man left in Ai or Beth El, who didn't go out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it: he utterly destroyed them and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining; and he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
He left from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 12
Commentary on Joshua 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
This chapter is a summary of Israel's conquests.
Jos 12:1-6
Joshua, or whoever else is the historian before he comes to sum up the new conquests Israel had made, in these verses receives their former conquests in Moses's time, under whom they became masters of the great and potent kingdoms of Sihon and Og. Note, Fresh mercies must not drown the remembrance of former mercies, nor must the glory of the present instruments of good to the church be suffered to eclipse and diminish the just honour of those who have gone before them, and who were the blessings and ornaments of their day. Joshua's services and achievements are confessedly great, but let not those under Moses be overlooked and forgotten, since God was the same who wrought both, and both put together proclaim him the Alpha and Omega of Israel's great salvation. Here is,
Jos 12:7-24
We have here a breviate of Joshua's conquests.