Deuteronomy 3:8-20

The Land of the Transjordan Tribes

8 "At that time we took the land from the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, from the Arnon Valley as far as Mount Hermon,

9 which the Sidonians call Sirion, but the Amorites call Senir,

10 all the cities of the plateau, Gilead, and Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, cities of Og's kingdom in Bashan.

11 (Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed was made of iron.^[a] Isn't it in Rabbah of the Ammonites? It is 13 feet six inches long and six feet wide by a standard measure.^[b])

12 "At that time we took possession of this land. I gave to the Reubenites and Gadites [the area extending] from Aroer by the Arnon Valley, and half the hill country of Gilead along with its cities.

13 I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh the rest of Gilead and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og. The entire region of Argob, the whole territory of Bashan, used to be called the land of the Rephaim.

14 Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took over the entire region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. He called Bashan by his own name, Jair's Villages,^[c] as it is today.

15 I gave Gilead to Machir,

16 and I gave to the Reubenites and Gadites [the area extending] from Gilead to the Arnon Valley (the middle of the valley was the border) and up to the Jabbok River, the border of the Ammonites.

17 The Arabah and Jordan are also borders from Chinnereth^[d] as far as the Sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah on the east.^[e]

18 "I commanded you at that time: The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All your fighting men will cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers the Israelites.

19 But your wives, young children, and livestock-I know that you have a lot of livestock-will remain in the cities I have given you

20 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as He has to you, and they also take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession that I have given you.^[f]

Deuteronomy 3:8-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 3

In this chapter the account is carried on of the conquest of the Amorites by Israel, of Og king of Bashan, and his kingdom, De 3:1-11, and of the distribution of their country to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, De 1:12-17 and then the command to the said tribes is observed, to go out armed before their brethren, and assist them in the conquest of the land of Canaan, and then return to their possessions, De 3:18-20 and also that to Joshua not to fear, but to do to the Canaanitish kings and kingdoms what he had seen done to the two kings of the Amorites, De 3:21,22. After which Moses relates the request he made, to go over Jordan and see the good land, which was denied him, only he is bidden to look from the top of an hill to see it, De 3:23-27. And the chapter is closed with the charge he was to give Joshua, De 3:28 which was received in the valley where they abode, De 3:29.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or His sarcophagus was made of basalt
• [b]. Lit Nine cubits its length and four cubits its width, by a man's cubit
• [c]. Or Havvoth-jair
• [d]. The Sea of Galilee; Jos 12:3; 13:27; Lk 5:1
• [e]. Nm 32:1-19,33-42
• [f]. Nm 32:20-32