Joshua 13:21

“And all the cities of the plain, etc.] In the champaign country, as well as those in the mountainous part: and all the kingdom of Sihon; or, as Masius renders the words, “which all had been the kingdom of Sihon”; for the whole kingdom of Sihon was not given to Reuben, only a part of it, and the rest to Gad, as in (<061327>Joshua 13:27); king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon; as in (<061310>Joshua 13:10); whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba; not at the same time that Sihon was smitten by him, but afterwards in a war with Midian, (<043108>Numbers 31:8); where their names are given as here; and there they are called kings of Midian,…”

“The writer appends to the command of God Joshua 13:1-7 a statement that the other two tribes and a half had already had their inheritance marked out for them by Moses in the land east of Jordan. The boundaries of this territory as a whole are first set forth Joshua 13:8-14, and afterward the portions assigned within it to the two tribes and a half are severally described Joshua 13:15-33. Joshua 13:14 See Deuteronomy 18:1-5 and notes. Joshua 13:15-24 Inheritance of the tribe of Reuben. This territory was the most southerly of the trans-Jordanic possessions of Israel, and adjoined Moab, which lay only on the other side of the Arnon. Hence, the Reubenites became in after times much intermixed…”

“Cities of the plain - Opposed to the cities of the mountain of the valley. All the kingdom of Sihon - A great part of it; in which sense we read of all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, Mat 3:5, and all Galilee, Mat 4:23. Whom Moses smote - Not in the same time or battle, as appears by comparing Num 21:23-24, with Num 31:8, but in the same manner. And they are here mentioned, partly because they were slain not long after, and upon the same occasion, even their enmity against Israel; and partly because of their relation and subjection to Sihon. Dukes of Sihon - But how could they be so, when they were kings of Midian? Num 31:8. There were divers petty kings in those parts, who…”

“13:21 The leaders of Midian were apparently kings (Num 31:8) or sheiks of small city-states south of Sihon’s kingdom. The nomadic Midianites depended mostly on sheep and goats for their livelihood.”

“And all the: Deu 3:10 whom Moses: Num 21:24-35; Deu 2:30-36 with the: Num 31:8 Joshua 13:22”