Joshua 12:14 — Word Study
WLCמֶ֤לֶךְ חָרְמָה֙ אֶחָ֔ד מֶ֥לֶךְ עֲרָ֖ד אֶחָֽד׃
BSAthe kingmelek [ruler, sovereign] of HormahChormâh [a town in southern Judah, meaning devotion] oneʼechâd [a single, unique monarch] the kingmelek [royal person, leader] of AradʻĂrâd [a place near ancient Palestine, a Benjamite] oneʼechâd [united, solo ruler]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מֶ֤לֶךְ | [the] king of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| חָרְמָה֙ | Hormah | Noun proper |
| אֶחָ֔ד | one | Adj |
| מֶ֥לֶךְ | [the] king of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| עֲרָ֖ד | Arad | Noun proper |
| אֶחָֽד׃ | one | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; |
| KJV | The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; |
| ASV | the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; |
| YLT | The king of Hormah, one; The king of Arad, one; |
| WEB | the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; |
| BBE | The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; |
Where they part company is אֶחָד — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses, each detailing a king and their singular rule. The structure emphasizes the unique authority of each king.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, AdamClarke, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֶחָד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Joshua 12:14
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Kings Defeated by Israelgenerated
Joshua 12:14 lists the kings defeated by the Israelites during their conquest of Canaan. This section highlights the victories attributed to Joshua and the Israelites, specifically naming the kings of Hormah and Arad, which were significant locations in the southern region of Judah. The verse serves to document Israel's military success and the establishment of their presence in the Promised Land.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 14:45 | Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah. |
| 2 | Numbers 21:3 | And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah. |
| 3 | Numbers 21:1 | When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מֶלֶךְ, Me.lekhgenerated
The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king' and is derived from a root that suggests royalty. It refers to a king or royal person, such as King David or King Saul, and is used throughout the Bible to describe rulers of Israel.
In this verse, it specifically denotes the kings of Hormah and Arad, emphasizing their authority over their respective cities. The parsing indicates that it is a masculine singular noun in construct form, showing its role in defining the rulers of these locations.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses, each featuring a noun phrase followed by a predicate. The finite verb is implied as the subject is understood in context.
The structure emphasizes the kings as subjects, each followed by their respective titles, indicating their singular rule over the cities mentioned.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מֶלֶךְ as βασιλέα, which also means 'king'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the sense of royal authority.
However, the Septuagint does not provide a direct equivalent for חָרְמָה and עֲרָד, indicating a potential interpretive difference in how these locations were understood in the Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 12:14 lists two kings that were defeated by Israel during their conquest of Canaan: the king of Hormah and the king of Arad. Each king is noted as a unique ruler over their respective cities, highlighting the victories of the Israelites.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Hormah was a town in southern Judah, symbolizing devotion and representing a significant victory for the Israelites.
The repetition of 'one' emphasizes the singular authority of each king over their respective city.
The name Arad means 'wild ass' and refers to both a location and a person in the biblical narrative.
This verse summarizes the conquests of Joshua, showcasing the military successes of Israel as they take possession of the Promised Land.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do the victories recorded in this verse teach us about God's faithfulness to His promises?
- How can we understand the significance of the names of places and kings in the biblical narrative?
- In what ways do the conquests in Joshua reflect the larger theme of divine guidance and leadership?
- How does the concept of a king relate to our understanding of authority in our own lives?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 12:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe king of Hormah, one,.... Which was formerly called Zephath, Jude 1:17; see Joshua 15:3; the king of Arad, one; perhaps the same with Arath, which, Jerom (i) says, is the border of the land of
Read John Gill on Joshua 12 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 14. The king of Hormah] Supposed to be the place where the Israelites were defeated by the Canaanites see Numbers 14:45; and which probably was called Hormah, הרמה chormah, or destruction, from this circumstance.
Read AdamClarke on Joshua 12 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. the king of Hormah] or Zephath, see Judges 1:17. Robinson would place it near the pass of Es-Sufah, W.S.W. of the Dead Sea, where the Israelites were defeated by the Canaanites (Numbers 14:44-45), and subsequently the Canaanites by the Israelites (Numbers 21:1-3). Arad] Near the wilderness of Kadesh, 20 Roman miles S. of Hebron. It is also mentioned in Numbers 21:1-3; Judges 1:16-17. Now probably Tell’ Arâd.
Read Cambridge on Joshua 12 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
the king of Hormah (one), the king of Arad (one),
Tyndale line
The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
The King of Hormah, one: the King of Arad, one:
Strictly literal
the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
The king of Hormah, one; The king of Arad, one;
the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
The king of Chormah, one; the king of 'Arad, one;
the king of Hormah, the king of Arad,
From the Latin
The king of Herma one, the king of Hered one,
Simplified
The king of Hormah. The king of Arad.
The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement in the overall content of the verse, with the Septuagint matching 4 of the 6 words. The differences in word order and articles reflect the distinct syntactical structures of Hebrew and Greek.
מֶ֤לֶךְ חָרְמָה֙ אֶחָ֔ד מֶ֥לֶךְ עֲרָ֖ד אֶחָֽד׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Joshua 12:14
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.
מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king
base
H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king
4428 melek meh'-lek
from 4427; a king:--king, royal.
see HEBREW for 04427
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.
1) king
Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)
הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.
'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.
Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
חָרְמָה (Chormah) refers to a town in ancient Canaan, associated with the tribe of Simeon. It is described as a royal city and is linked to the concept of devotion. The town was conquered by Joshua and is also identified with another name, Zephath. The word is derived from a root meaning 'devoted'.
חָרְמָה n.pr.loc. (asylum)—a royal city of Canaanites, in the South, in tribe of Simeon
base
H2767 חָרְמָה (asylum)—a royal city of Canaanites, in the South, in tribe of Simeon
2767 Chormah khor-maw'
from 2763; devoted; Chormah, a place in Palestine:--Hormah.
see HEBREW for 02763
חׇרְמָה (chor.mah) — Hormah.
Hormah = "devotion"
a town of the Canaanites, conquered by Joshua, allotted to Judah, and located in the south of Judah
Another name of tse.phat (צְפַ֑ת "Zephath" H6857)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
hor'-ma (chormah): A city first mentioned in connection with the defeat of the Israelites by the Amalekites and the Canaanites, when, after the ten spies who brought an evil report of the land had died of plague, the people persisted, against the will of Moses, in going "up unto the place which Yahweh hath promised" (Nu 14:45; De 1:44). after the injury done them by the king of Arad, Israel took the city, utterly destroyed it, and called it Hormah, i,e. "accursed" (Nu 21:3). To this event probably the reference is in Jud 1:17; where Judah and Simeon are credited with the work. In Jos 12:14 it is named between Geder and…
Hormah
Banning; i.e., placing under a “ban,” or devoting to utter destruction. After the manifestation of God’s anger against the Israelites, on account of their rebellion and their murmurings when the spies returned to the camp at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Paran, with an evil report of the land, they quickly repented of their conduct, and presumed to go up “to the head of the mountain,” seeking to enter the Promised Land, but without the presence of the Lord, without the ark of the convenant, and without Moses. The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down and “smote and discomfited them even unto Hormah” (Num. 14:45). This place, or perhaps the watch-tower commanding it, was originally called Zephath (Judg. 1:17), the modern Sebaiteh. Afterwards (
(a place laid waste), or ZEPHATH, (Judges 1:17) was the chief town of a king of a Canaanitish tribe on the south of Palestine, which was reduced by Joshua, and became a city of the territory of Judah, (Joshua 15:30; 1 Samuel 30:30) but apparently belonged to Simeon. (1 Chronicles 4:30)
Destruction, Nu 21:1-3; also called Zephath; a city in the extreme south of Canaan, near which the rebellious Hebrews were defeated, in the second year after leaving Egypt, Nu 14:45; it was afterwards laid waste, Jud 1:16,17. The Simeonites repeopled it, Jos 19:4, and David sent them some of his spoils taken from the Amalekites, 1Sa 30:30.
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Adj — AdjHAcfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.
מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king
base
H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king
4428 melek meh'-lek
from 4427; a king:--king, royal.
see HEBREW for 04427
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.
1) king
Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)
הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.
'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.
Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
עֲרָד (Arad) refers to both a city in the Negev region of Canaan and a Benjamite individual mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:15. The name is thought to mean 'wild ass' and is derived from a root implying seclusion or being a fugitive. The entries indicate its dual significance as a geographical location and a personal name.
ref
H6166a עֲרָד Can. city in the Negeb H6166b עֲרָד Benjamite
6166 `Arad ar-awd'
from an unused root meaning to sequester itself; fugitive;
Arad, the name of a place near Palestine, also of a Canaanite
and an Israelite:--Arad.
עֲרָד (a.rad) — Arad.
§ Arad = "a wild ass"
a royal city of the Canaanites north of the wilderness of Judah
עֲרָד (a.rad) — Arad.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.15;
son of: Beriah (H1283I);
brother of: Ahio (H0283H), Shashak (H8349), Jeremoth (H3406I), Zebadiah (H2069), Eder (H5738), Michael (H4317L), Ishpah (H3472) and Joha (H3109)
§ Arad = "a wild ass"
a Benjamite, son of Beriah, who drove out the inhabitants of Gath
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
a'-rad (`aradh; Arad):
(1) A city mentioned four times in the Old Testament. In the King James Version it is twice mistakenly rendered as the name of a king (Nu 21:1; 33:40). Three times it is spoken of as in the South Country, one mention using the phrase `the wilderness of Judah which is in the South Country of Arad' (Jud 1:16), that is, the part of the wilderness of Judah which is in the South Country near Arad. It was situated near the frontier of Judah and Simeon, being grouped with Debir, Hormah, Makkedah, etc. (Jos 12:14). Arad and other cities joined in attacking Israel in the fortieth year of the sojourn in the wilderness (Nu 21:1-3), and Israel vowed to "make their…
Arad
(1.) Now Tell Arad, a Canaanite city, about 20 miles south of Hebron. The king of Arad “fought against Israel and took of them prisoners” when they were retreating from the confines of Edom (Num. 21:1; 33:40; Judg. 1:16). It was finally subdued by Joshua (12:14).
(2.) One of the sons of Beriah (1 Chr. 8:15).
a royal city of the Canaanites, named with Hormah and Libnah. (Joshua 12:14) The wilderness of Judah was to the south of Arad." (Judges 1:16) It may be identified with a hill, Tel ’Arad , an hour and a half northeast by east from Milh (Moladah), and eight hours from Hebron.
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Adj — AdjHAcfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.