Numbers 34

1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan, this shall be the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to the borders thereof.

3 Then your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin alongside of Edom, and your southern border shall be from the end of the salt sea eastward;

4 and your border shall turn from the south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin, and shall end southward at Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-Addar, and pass on to Azmon.

5 And the border shall turn from Azmon unto the torrent of Egypt, and shall end at the sea.

6 And as west border ye shall have the great sea, and [its] coast. This shall be your west border.

7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall mark out for you mount Hor;

8 from mount Hor ye shall mark out the entrance to Hamath, and the end of the border shall be toward Zedad;

9 and the border shall go to Ziphron, and shall end at Hazar-enan. This shall be your north border.

10 And ye shall mark out for you as eastern border from Hazar-enan to Shepham:

11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall strike upon the extremity of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

12 and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and shall end at the salt sea. This shall be your land according to the borders thereof round about.

13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall take for yourselves as inheritance by lot, which Jehovah commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe.

14 For the tribe of the children of the Reubenites according to their fathers' houses, and the tribe of the children of the Gadites according to their fathers' houses, have received, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance;

15 the two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side the Jordan of Jericho eastward, toward the sun-rising.

16 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

17 These are the names of the men who shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land.

19 And these are the names of the men: for the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh;

20 and for the tribe of the children of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammihud;

21 for the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon;

22 and for the tribe of the children of Dan, a prince, Bukki the son of Jogli;

23 for the children of Joseph: for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, a prince, Hanniel the son of Ephod,

24 and for the tribe of the children of Ephraim, a prince, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan;

25 and for the tribe of the children of Zebulun, a prince, Elizaphan the son of Pharnach;

26 and for the tribe of the children of Issachar, a prince, Phaltiel the son of Azzan;

27 and for the tribe of the children of Asher, a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi;

28 and for the tribe of the children of Naphtali, a prince, Phedahel the son of Ammihud.

29 These are they whom Jehovah commanded to distribute to the children of Israel their inheritance in the land of Canaan.

Numbers 34 Commentary

Chapter 34

The bounds of the promised land. (1-15) Those appointed to divide the land. (16-29)

Verses 1-15 Canaan was of small extent; as it is here bounded, it is but about 160 miles in length, and about 50 in breadth; yet this was the country promised to the father of the faithful, and the possession of the seed of Israel. This was that little spot of ground, in which alone, for many ages, God was known. This was the vineyard of the Lord, the garden enclosed; but as it is with gardens and vineyards, the narrowness of the space was made up by the fruitfulness of the soil. Though the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, yet few know him, and serve him; but those few are happy, because fruitful to God. Also, see how little a share of the world God gives to his own people. Those who have their portion in heaven, have reason to be content with a small pittance of this earth. Yet a little that a righteous man has, having it from the love of God, and with his blessing, is far better and more comfortable than the riches of many wicked.

Verses 16-29 God here appoints men to divide the land to them. So sure must they feel of victory and success while God fought for them, that the persons are named who should be intrusted with the dividing of the land.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit. 'its goings forth shall be;' and so often.
• [b]. i.e., the Mediterranean.
• [c]. Lit. 'shoulder.'

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 34

In this chapter the bounds and borders of the land Canaan are described, according to the direction of the Lord to Moses, Nu 34:1,2, the south border, Nu 34:3-5, the western border, Nu 34:6, the north border, Nu 34:7-9, the east border, Nu 34:10-12, which is ordered to be divided by lot to the nine tribes and a half, two tribes and a half having received their inheritance on the other side Jordan, Nu 34:13-15, and the persons are nominated to divide the land, Eleazar and Joshua, with one prince out of every tribe, and who are mentioned by name, Nu 34:16-29.