And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
Joshua balked at dividing land not yet conquered, but God corrected him: take what lies before you now and trust the rest will follow when your numbers require it. Property divided by law and equity, not force, secures the inheritance for your children; what is seized by arms alone is soon lost again, but what God grants cannot be shaken.
AI summary
Commenting on Joshua 13:7-33
Balaam also, the son of Beor the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword,.... At the same time that the princes of Midian were slain, and which is also observed; see Gill on Num 31:8. Kimchi supposes that he returned to Midian, on hearing that the counsel he gave to them, to ensnare Israel with their daughters, had taken effect, in order...
The princes of Midian - See the history of this war, Num 31:1, etc.; and from that place this and the following verse seem to be borrowed, for the introduction of the death of Balaam here seems quite irrelevant.