Deuteronomy 3

CHAPTER 3

Defeat of Og King of Bashan (3:1–11)

1–11 See Numbers 21:32–35 and comment.

Division of the Land (3:12–20)

12–20 After the defeat of the Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh were given the Amorites’ land on the east side of the Jordan River as their inheritance in the “promised land.”⁸ However, Moses told the two and a half tribes that their fighting men must join with the rest of their Israelite brothers in the conquest of Canaan (verses 18–20); this they agreed to do.

For a detailed account of how Moses gave the land east of the Jordan to the two and a half tribes, see Numbers 32:1–42 and comment.

Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan (3:21–29)

21–22 In these verses Moses gives encouragement to Joshua, who will lead the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan. Just as the Lord had conquered the two kings—Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21–35)—so would He conquer the tribes within Canaan: “. . . The LORD your God himself will fight for you” (verse 22).

23–29 Moses made one final request to God that he might be allowed to cross over the Jordan and see Canaan, the good land (verse 25). But God refused his request. Instead, God told him to go to the top of Pisgah,⁹ from which point he would be able to see the whole promised land (verse 27).

And so Moses stayed on the east side of the Jordan. After delivering the addresses recorded in Deuteronomy, Moses went up to Mount Nebo, where he died (Deuteronomy 32:48–50). However, his body was buried in the valley opposite Beth Peor(Deuteronomy 34:5–6), the very place where the messages of Deuteronomy were delivered (verse 29).