Joshua 13:21
“all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.”
What does Joshua 13:21 mean?
This verse is listing the specific territories and cities that Moses had conquered before Joshua's time, showing what land was already secured for the Israelites to settle. The mention of King Sihon and the Midianite chiefs refers to earlier battles described in Numbers, where these were real obstacles the Israelites had to overcome to reach the promised land. By reminding readers of these past victories, the passage reinforces that God had already proven himself faithful through military success, and now Joshua is inheriting land that's been won and cleared for settlement. It's a way of saying: these aren't just abstract promises, but concrete, actual territory with real cities that are now ready for the tribes of Israel to occupy.