Numbers 27:12

12 Also the Lord said to Moses, Go (thou) up into this hill of Abarim, and behold thou from thence the land, which I shall give to the sons of Israel. (And then the Lord said to Moses, Go thou up onto this Mount Abarim, and from there behold thou the land, which I have given to the Israelites.)

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 that and if brethren be not, ye shall give the heritage to the brethren of his father; (and if he hath no brothers, ye shall give the inheritance to his father's brothers;)
11 soothly if he have no brethren of his father, the heritage shall be given to them that be next to him. And this shall be holy by everlasting law to the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded to Moses. (and if his father hath no brothers, the inheritance shall be given to them who be next to him. And this shall be holy by an everlasting law to the Israelites, as the Lord commanded to Moses.)
12 Also the Lord said to Moses, Go (thou) up into this hill of Abarim, and behold thou from thence the land, which I shall give to the sons of Israel. (And then the Lord said to Moses, Go thou up onto this Mount Abarim, and from there behold thou the land, which I have given to the Israelites.)
13 And when thou hast seen it, also thou shalt go to thy people, as thy brother Aaron went; (And when thou hast seen it, then thou also shalt go to thy people, that is, thou shalt die, like thy brother Aaron did;)
14 for thou offendedest me in the desert of Zin, in the against-saying of the multitude, neither thou wouldest hallow me before the people, upon the waters. These be the waters of against-saying in Kadesh, in the desert of Zin. (for thou offendedest me in the wilderness of Zin, when the people spoke against me, and thou didest not uphold my holiness before the people, there at the waters. These be the waters of Meribah at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.