Numbers 27:12

Moses Requests a Successor

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range ^[a] and see the land that I have given the Israelites. ¹

Numbers 27:12 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 27:12

And the Lord said unto Moses
After the covenant made with Israel in the plains of Moab, and the song delivered to them, ( Deuteronomy 29:1 ) ( Deuteronomy 32:1-49 )

get thee up to this Mount Abarim;
which was a range of mountains, so called from the passages by them over Jordan into the land of Canaan; one part of which was Nebo, and the top of that Pisgah, from whence Moses had the view of the good land here directed to; see ( Numbers 33:47 ) ( Deuteronomy 32:49 ) ( 34:1 ) .

and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel;
for though he was now one hundred and twenty years old, his eyes were not dim, he could see at a great distance; and the height of this hill gave him an advantage of taking a prospect of the land, a great way into it; and very probably his sight might be greatly strengthened and increased at this time by the Lord, for the purpose; this may be an emblem of that sight by faith, which believers have at times of the heavenly Canaan, and sometimes are favoured with an enlarged one of it before their death.

Numbers 27:12 In-Context

10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

11 And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and see the land that I have given the Israelites.

13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was;

14 for when the congregation contended in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight regarding the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin.

Cross References

• 1. (Deuteronomy 3:23–29)

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX Go up Mount Nebo beyond the Jordan