Numbers 34

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

2 Command the Israelites, and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan, defined by its boundaries),

3 your south sector shall extend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom. Your southern boundary shall begin from the end of the Dead Sea on the east;

4 your boundary shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to Zin, and its outer limit shall be south of Kadesh-barnea; then it shall go on to Hazar-addar, and cross to Azmon;

5 the boundary shall turn from Azmon to the Wadi of Egypt, and its termination shall be at the Sea.

6 For the western boundary, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast; this shall be your western boundary.

7 This shall be your northern boundary: from the Great Sea you shall mark out your line to Mount Hor;

8 from Mount Hor you shall mark it out to Lebo-hamath, and the outer limit of the boundary shall be at Zedad;

9 then the boundary shall extend to Ziphron, and its end shall be at Hazar-enan; this shall be your northern boundary.

10 You shall mark out your eastern boundary from Hazar-enan to Shepham;

11 and the boundary shall continue down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; and the boundary shall go down, and reach the eastern slope of the sea of Chinnereth;

12 and the boundary shall go down to the Jordan, and its end shall be at the Dead Sea. This shall be your land with its boundaries all around.

13 Moses commanded the Israelites, saying: This is the land that you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe;

14 for the tribe of the Reubenites by their ancestral houses and the tribe of the Gadites by their ancestral houses have taken their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manasseh;

15 the two tribes and the half-tribe have taken their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise.

16 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

17 These are the names of the men who shall apportion the land to you for inheritance: the priest Eleazar and Joshua son of Nun.

18 You shall take one leader of every tribe to apportion the land for inheritance.

19 These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh.

20 Of the tribe of the Simeonites, Shemuel son of Ammihud.

21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of Chislon.

22 Of the tribe of the Danites a leader, Bukki son of Jogli.

23 Of the Josephites: of the tribe of the Manassites a leader, Hanniel son of Ephod,

24 and of the tribe of the Ephraimites a leader, Kemuel son of Shiphtan.

25 Of the tribe of the Zebulunites a leader, Eli-zaphan son of Parnach.

26 Of the tribe of the Issacharites a leader, Paltiel son of Azzan.

27 And of the tribe of the Asherites a leader, Ahihud son of Shelomi.

28 Of the tribe of the Naphtalites a leader, Pedahel son of Ammihud.

29 These were the ones whom the Lord commanded to apportion the inheritance for the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

Numbers 34 Commentary

Chapter 34

The bounds of the promised land. (1-15) Those appointed to divide the land. (16-29)

Verses 1-15 Canaan was of small extent; as it is here bounded, it is but about 160 miles in length, and about 50 in breadth; yet this was the country promised to the father of the faithful, and the possession of the seed of Israel. This was that little spot of ground, in which alone, for many ages, God was known. This was the vineyard of the Lord, the garden enclosed; but as it is with gardens and vineyards, the narrowness of the space was made up by the fruitfulness of the soil. Though the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, yet few know him, and serve him; but those few are happy, because fruitful to God. Also, see how little a share of the world God gives to his own people. Those who have their portion in heaven, have reason to be content with a small pittance of this earth. Yet a little that a righteous man has, having it from the love of God, and with his blessing, is far better and more comfortable than the riches of many wicked.

Verses 16-29 God here appoints men to divide the land to them. So sure must they feel of victory and success while God fought for them, that the persons are named who should be intrusted with the dividing of the land.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb [Salt Sea]
• [b]. Syr: Heb lacks [its]
• [c]. Heb [Salt Sea]

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 34

In this chapter the bounds and borders of the land Canaan are described, according to the direction of the Lord to Moses, Nu 34:1,2, the south border, Nu 34:3-5, the western border, Nu 34:6, the north border, Nu 34:7-9, the east border, Nu 34:10-12, which is ordered to be divided by lot to the nine tribes and a half, two tribes and a half having received their inheritance on the other side Jordan, Nu 34:13-15, and the persons are nominated to divide the land, Eleazar and Joshua, with one prince out of every tribe, and who are mentioned by name, Nu 34:16-29.