Numbers 34 Study Notes

34:10-12 The eastern border began with the site of Hazar-enan, which has been associated with either the oasis of Qaryatein or modern Hadr in the vicinity of Mount Hermon. The border continued southeast toward Shepham (location unknown) and then south toward Riblah, then around the east side of Ain, and onward to the eastern edge of the Sea of Galilee (Chinnereth). The town of Ain (“spring”) may be identified with one of the springs that serve as the sources of the Jordan River. The boundary extended to the eastern side of the Huleh (upper Jordan) Valley, descending toward the Sea of Galilee, including a narrow strip of land on the eastern side of the Jordan up to the lower slopes of the Golan Heights. From the Sea of Galilee the eastern border then followed the Jordan River down to the Salt Sea (Dead Sea), a distance of about sixty miles, though the river itself meanders back and forth over a distance of more than a hundred miles.

34:13-15 Moses fulfilled the task given to him, and the responsibility to carry out these instructions would fall on Joshua son of Nun, his successor. The distribution of the land by lot and according to the relative size of each of the tribes was completed under Joshua (Jos 13-19). This allotment applied to the nine and one-half tribes who lived on the west side of the Jordan River, whereas the other two and one-half tribes had already received their allotment, according to the description in Nm 32:33-42. The borders reflect the ideal territorial limits for the land of Israel as outlined by divine instruction, but this was not fully realized until the time of the united monarchy under David and Solomon (2Sm 8:1-18; 10:1-19; 2Ch 18:1-20:3).

34:16-29 Of the original twelve spies sent to assess the land, only Caleb remained as a leader of a tribe for the territorial allotments. With the new leadership responsibilities placed on the shoulders of Joshua, his place as the representative for the tribe of Ephraim was assumed by Kemuel son of Shiphtan.