Deuteronomy 3:16

16 and to the Reubenites 1and the Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead as far as the Valley of the Arnon, with the middle of the valley as a border, as far over as the river Jabbok, 2the border of the Ammonites;

Deuteronomy 3:16 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 3:16

And unto the Reubenites, and unto the Gadites
The tribes of Reuben and Gad:

I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon:
see ( Deuteronomy 3:12 )

half the valley and the border;
or rather half the river, the river Arnon; and so it is rendered "the middle of the river", in ( Joshua 12:2 ) and so here the middle of the torrent by the Vulgate Latin and Septuagint versions, and by Onkelos:

even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of
Ammon;
beyond which the land given to the tribes of Reuben and Gad reached not; see ( Deuteronomy 2:37 ) .

Deuteronomy 3:16 In-Context

14 Jair the Manassite took all the region of Argob, that is, Bashan, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called the villages after his own name, Havvoth-jair, as it is to this day.)
15 To Machir I gave Gilead,
16 and to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead as far as the Valley of the Arnon, with the middle of the valley as a border, as far over as the river Jabbok, the border of the Ammonites;
17 the Arabah also, with the Jordan as the border, from Chinnereth as far as the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah on the east.
18 "And I commanded you at that time, saying, 'The LORD your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor shall cross over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel.

Cross References 2

  • 1. [2 Samuel 24:5]
  • 2. Numbers 21:24; Joshua 12:2
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.