Joshua 12:20 — Word Study
WLCמֶ֣לֶךְ שִׁמְר֤וֹן מְראוֹן֙ אֶחָ֔ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַכְשָׁ֖ף אֶחָֽד׃
BSAthe kingmelek [ruler, monarch] of Shimron-meronShimrôwn Mᵉrʼôwn [watch-height of Meron, a Canaanite royal city] oneʼechâd [a single ruler] the kingmelek [sovereign, royal person] of AchshaphʼAkshâph [a city in northern Canaan, meaning I shall be bewitched] oneʼechâd [unique, solitary]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | [the] king of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| שִׁמְר֤וֹן | Shimron | Noun proper |
| מְראוֹן֙ | Meron | Noun proper |
| אֶחָ֔ד | one | Adj |
| מֶ֥לֶךְ | [the] king of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| אַכְשָׁ֖ף | Acshaph | 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 Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; |
| KJV | The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; |
| ASV | the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; |
| YLT | The king of Shimron-Meron, one; The king of Achshaph, one; |
| WEB | the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; |
| BBE | The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; |
Where they part company is in the specific phrasing of the kings' titles — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses, each detailing a king and their status. The structure highlights the singularity of each ruler.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, AdamClarke, Cambridge, Whedon & 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 12:20
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 12:20 lists the kings defeated by the Israelites, highlighting their territories and the singular authority of each ruler. This verse is part of a broader account that details the conquest of Canaan, showing the military success of Israel under Joshua's leadership. The mention of these kings serves to document the victories and establish the boundaries of the land allocated to the tribes of Israel.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 11:1 | Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon; to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph; |
| 2 | Joshua 19:15 | It also included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. There were twelve cities, along with their villages. |
| 3 | Joshua 11:1 | Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon; to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph; |
| 4 | Joshua 19:25 | Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מֶ֫לֶךְ, Me.lekhgenerated
The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king' and is derived from a root that suggests royalty. It refers specifically to a king or royal person, such as King David or King Saul, and is often used in the context of rulers of Israel.
In this verse, it describes the authority of the kings of Shimron-meron and Achshaph, emphasizing their roles as sovereigns over their respective cities.
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 structure of the verse consists of two main clauses, each detailing a king and their status. The finite verb is implied as the subject is understood, with each clause presenting a noun phrase followed by a predicate.
The repetition of אֶחָד emphasizes the singularity of each king, reinforcing the idea that each ruler stands alone in their authority.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מֶ֫לֶךְ as βασιλέα (basileá), which also means 'king.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on the royal status of the rulers mentioned.
However, the Septuagint's structure may differ from the Hebrew, as it presents the information in a way that reflects its own linguistic style.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 12:20 lists the king of Shimron-meron and the king of Achshaph, stating that each is one ruler. This verse highlights the kings defeated by Israel during their conquest of Canaan, emphasizing the singular authority of each.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In this context, 'king' refers to a ruler of a city or region in Canaan, indicating their authority and governance.
They are mentioned to document the conquests of Israel and to illustrate the extent of their victories in Canaan.
The word 'one' emphasizes the unique and singular authority of each king, indicating that they ruled independently.
This verse is part of a larger account detailing the kings defeated by Israel, showcasing the military successes under Joshua's leadership.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about leadership from the kings mentioned in this verse?
- How does understanding the context of these kings enhance our reading of the book of Joshua?
- In what ways does the concept of singular authority apply to leaders today?
- How do the victories recorded in Joshua inspire us in our own challenges?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 12:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe king of Shimronmeron, one,.... See Joshua 11:1: this place fell to the tribe of Zebulun, Joshua 19:15; the king of Achshaph, one; see Joshua 11:1; this city fell to the lot of Asher, Joshua 19:25.
Read John Gill on Joshua 12 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. Shimron-meron] See Clarke on Joshua 11:1.
Read AdamClarke on Joshua 12 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. Shimron-meron] Ch. Joshua 11:1. Achshaph] Joshua 11:1.
Read Cambridge on Joshua 12 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible19, 20. On the cities mentioned in these verses see Joshua 11:1.[21. Taanach — In the Scripture Taanach and Megiddo are generally mentioned together.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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 Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
the king of Shimron Meron (one), the king of Acshaph (one),
Tyndale line
The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
The king of Shimron-meron, one: the King of Achshaph, one:
Strictly literal
the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
The king of Shimron-Meron, one; The king of Achshaph, one;
the king of Shimron-Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
the king of Shimron Meron, the king of Akshaph,
From the Latin
The king of Semeron one, the king of Achsaph one,
Simplified
The king of Shimron-meron. The king of Acshaph.
The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, 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 mention of the kings, although only one word matches directly in the Septuagint. The Masoretic Text preserves the names and titles of the kings as they appear in the Hebrew.
מֶ֣לֶךְ שִׁמְר֤וֹן מְראוֹן֙ אֶחָ֔ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַכְשָׁ֖ף אֶחָֽד׃
1 of the 7 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 12:20
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…
שִׁמְרוֹן n.pr.loc. Canaanite city, with king
base
H8112 שִׁמְרוֹן, שִׁמְרוֹן מְראוֹן
8112 Shimrown Mro'wn shim-rone' mer-one'
from 8110 and a derivative of 4754; guard of lashing;
Shimron-Meron, a place in Palestine:--Shimon-meron.
see HEBREW for 08110
see HEBREW for 04754
שִׁמְרוֹן מְראוֹן (shim.ron me.r.on) — Shimron-meron.
Shimron-meron = "watch-height of Meron"
a Canaanite royal city allotted to Zebulun
Another name of shim.ron (שִׁמְרוֹן "Shimron" H8110A)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Shimron
Watch-post, an ancient city of the Canaanites; with its villages, allotted to Zebulun (Josh. 19:15); now probably Semunieh, on the northern edge of the plain of Esdraelon, 5 miles west of Nazareth.
(watch-height). A city of Zebulun. (Joshua 11:1; 19:15) Its full appellation was perhaps Shimron-meron. The fourth son of Issachar according to the lists of Genesis, (Genesis 46:13) and Numbers, (Numbers 26:24) and the head of the family of the Shimronites.
שִׁמְרוֹן n.pr.loc. Canaanite city, with king
base
H8112 שִׁמְרוֹן, שִׁמְרוֹן מְראוֹן
8112 Shimrown Mro'wn shim-rone' mer-one'
from 8110 and a derivative of 4754; guard of lashing;
Shimron-Meron, a place in Palestine:--Shimon-meron.
see HEBREW for 08110
see HEBREW for 04754
שִׁמְרוֹן מְראוֹן (shim.ron me.r.on) — Shimron-meron.
Shimron-meron = "watch-height of Meron"
a Canaanite royal city allotted to Zebulun
Another name of shim.ron (שִׁמְרוֹן "Shimron" H8110A)
HNpl — Noun properHNpl
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…
אַכְשָׁף (Akshaph) refers to a location in northern Canaan, specifically a city at the foot of Mount Carmel, associated with the tribe of Asher. The name is linked to the concept of fascination or bewitchment, derived from a related root. It appears in the context of a geographical reference rather than a specific narrative in the Old Testament.
אַכְשָׁף n.pr.loc. in (Northern) Canaan, with a king; situated on the border of Asher
base
H407 אַכְשָׁף
407 'Akshaph ak-shawf'
from 3784; fascination; Acshaph, a place in
Palestine:--Achshaph.
see HEBREW for 03784
אַכְשָׁף (akh.shaph) — Achshaph.
§ Achshaph = "I shall be bewitched"
city in north Canaan at foot of Mt Carmel
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
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.