Numbers34
New American Standard
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, that is, the land of Canaan according to its borders.
3 Your southern region shall extend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom, and your southern border shall extend from the end of the Salt Sea eastward.
4 Then your border shall change direction from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim and continue to Zin, and its termination shall be to the south of Kadesh-barnea; and it shall reach Hazaraddar and continue to Azmon.
5 Then the border shall change direction from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and its termination shall be at the sea.
6 ‘As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea, that is, its coastline; this shall be your western border.
7 ‘And this shall be your northern border: you shall draw your boundary from the Great Sea to Mount Hor.
8 You shall draw a boundary from Mount Hor to the Lebo-hamath, and the termination of the border shall be at Zedad;
9 and the border shall proceed to Ziphron, and its termination shall be at Hazar-enan. This shall be your northern border.
10 ‘For your eastern border you shall also draw a boundary 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 go down and reach to the slope on the east side of the Sea of Chinnereth.
12 And the border shall go down to the Jordan, and its termination shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders on all sides.’”
13 So Moses commanded the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you are to possess by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes.
14 For the tribe of the sons of Reuben have received theirs according to their fathers’ households, and the tribe of the sons of Gad according to their fathers’ households, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their possession.
15 The two and a half tribes have received their possession across the Jordan opposite Jericho, eastward toward the sunrise.”
16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
17 “These are the names of the men who shall assign the land to you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
18 And you shall take one leader of each tribe to assign the land as an inheritance.
19 These are the names of the men: of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
20 Of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammihud.
21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.
22 And of the tribe of the sons of Dan, a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli.
23 Of the sons of Joseph: of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, a leader, Hanniel the son of Ephod.
24 Of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim, a leader, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.
25 Of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun, a leader, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.
26 Of the tribe of the sons of Issachar, a leader, Paltiel the son of Azzan.
27 Of the tribe of the sons of Asher, a leader, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.
28 Of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, a leader, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.”
29 These are the ones whom the Lord commanded to apportion the inheritance to the sons of Israel in the land of Canaan.
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Numbers 34Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 34. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The bounds of the promised land. (1–15). Those appointed to divide the land. (16–29).
vv1-15
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. (Nu 34:16-29)
vv16-29
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.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
צָוָה: (intensively) to constitute, enjoin
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
כְּנַעַן: Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the country inhabited by him
Cross References
Numbers 34Joshua and Eleazar execute this command to divide the land of Canaan by inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel's prophetic vision of the restored tribal borders directly echoes the Mosaic boundaries given here.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Detailed geographical matching of the southern and western borders assigned to the tribe of Judah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfills God's covenant boundary promise to Abraham, specifically mentioning the river of Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The entrance of Hamath matches the northern limit reached by the twelve spies.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the northern border region near Lebanon and the entrance of Hamath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The New Testament name (Gennesaret) for the Old Testament Sea of Chinnereth.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Riblah in the land of Hamath is a key historical site on the northern border.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Geographical parallel detailing the Sea of Chinnereth and Jordan as eastern boundaries.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms the prior eastern land inheritance given to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.
Supported by JFB
Caleb, who faithfuly spied out the land, is appointed to divide Judah's inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Ezekiel's northern border description explicitly includes the same landmark, Zedad.
Supported by JFB
Concludes the division of Canaan by Eleazar, Joshua, and the tribal heads.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic mention of the entering in of Hamath as the far northern boundary limit.
Supported by Matthew Poole