Numbers 33:50-56

Instructions for Occupying Canaan

50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses,

51 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

52 you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.

53 You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.

54 And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers.

55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you settle.

56 And then I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.”

Numbers 33:50-56 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 33

This chapter gives an account of the journeys of the people of Israel, from their first coming out of Egypt, to their arrival in the plains of Moab by Jordan, and the names of the various stations where they rested are given, Nu 33:1-49 and they are ordered, when they passed over Jordan, to drive out the Canaanites, destroy their idols, and divide the land among their families in their several tribes, Nu 33:50-54 or otherwise it is threatened the Canaanites should be troublesome and vexatious to them, even those that remained; and it might be expected God would do to the Israelites as he thought to do to those nations, Nu 33:55,56.