Deuteronomy 3:12-17

Division of the Land

12 Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns.

13 The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites.

14 Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maakathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair.^[a] )

15 And I gave Gilead to Makir.

16 But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites.

17 Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.

Deuteronomy 3:12-17 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.

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 32:32-38; Deuteronomy 2:36; Joshua 13:8-13
• 2. Deuteronomy 29:8
• 3. S Genesis 14:5
• 4. S Numbers 32:41; 1 Chronicles 2:22
• 5. Joshua 12:5; Joshua 13:11,13; 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 23:34; 2 Kings 25:23; 1 Chronicles 4:19; Jeremiah 40:8
• 6. Joshua 19:47; Psalms 49:11
• 7. S Genesis 50:23; Numbers 32:39-40
• 8. S Numbers 21:24
• 9. 2 Samuel 2:29; 2 Samuel 4:7; Ezekiel 47:8
• 10. S Numbers 34:11; Joshua 13:27
• 11. S Deuteronomy 1:1
• 12. S Genesis 14:3; Joshua 12:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "called the settlements of Jair"