Deuteronomy3
New International Version
1Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei.
2The Lord said to me, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.”
3So the Lord our God also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors.
4At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them—the whole region of Argob, Og’s kingdom in Bashan.
5All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages.
6We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city—men, women and children.
7But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.
8So at that time we took from these two kings of the Amorites the territory east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far as Mount Hermon.
9(Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.)
10We took all the towns on the plateau, and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as Salekah and Edrei, towns of Og’s kingdom in Bashan.
11(Og king of Bashan was the last of the Rephaites. His bed was decorated with iron and was more than nine cubits long and four cubits wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
12Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns.
13The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites.
14Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maakathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair.)
15And I gave Gilead to Makir.
16But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites.
17Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.
18I commanded you at that time: “The Lord your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of the other Israelites.
19However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you,
20until the Lord gives rest to your fellow Israelites as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you.”
21At that time I commanded Joshua: “You have seen with your own eyes all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going.
22Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”
23At that time I pleaded with the Lord:
24“Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?
25Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.”
26But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.
27Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.
28But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.”
29So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 3.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The conquest of Og king of Bashan. (1–11). The land of Gilead and Bashan. (12–20). Moses encourages Joshua. (21–29).
vv1-11
Og was very powerful, but he did not take warning by the ruin of Sihon, and desire conditions of peace. He trusted his own strength, and so was hardened to his destruction. Those not awakened by the judgments of God on others, ripen for the like judgments on themselves.
vv12-20
This country was settled on the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: see Nu 32. Moses repeats the condition of the grant to which they agreed. When at rest, we should desire to see our brethren at rest too, and should be ready to do what we can towards it; for we are not born for ourselves, but are members one of another.
vv21-29
Moses encouraged Joshua, who was to succeed him. Thus the aged and experienced in the service of God, should do all they can to strengthen the hands of those who are young, and setting out in religion. Consider what God has done, what God has promised. If God be for us, who can be against us, so as to prevail? We reproach our Leader if we follow him trembling. Moses prayed, that, if it were God's will, he might go before Israel, over Jordan into Canaan. We should never allow any desires in our hearts, which we cannot in faith offer up to God by prayer. God's answer to this prayer had a mixture of mercy and judgment. God sees it good to deny many things we desire. He may accept our prayers, yet not grant us the very things we pray for. It God does not by his providence give us what we desire, yet if by his grace he makes us content without, it comes to much the same. Let it suffice thee to have God for thy Father, and heaven for thy portion, though thou hast not every thing thou wouldst have in the world. God promised Moses a sight of Canaan from the top of Pisgah. Though he should not have the possession of it, he should have the prospect of it. Even great believers, in this present state, see heaven but at a distance. God provided him a successor. It is a comfort to the friends of the church of Christ, to see God's work likely to be carried on by others, when they are silent in the dust. And if we have the earnest and prospect of heaven, let these suffice us; let us submit to the Lord's will, and speak no more to Him of matters which he sees good to refuse us.
Key Words
פָּנָה: to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.
עָלָה: to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
דֶּרֶךְ: a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
בָּשָׁן: Bashan (often with the article), a region East of the Jordan
עוֹג: Og, a king of Bashan
מֶלֶךְ: a king
יָצָא: to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
קִרְאָה: an encountering, accidental, friendly or hostile (also adverbially, opposite)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
Cross References
Deuteronomy 3The original historical account of Israel's conquest of Og, king of Bashan, summarized here.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
God's command to Moses to view the land from the mountain and die due to rebellion.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The fulfillment of God's promise to let Moses see the land of promise from Pisgah.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The specific accounts of Jair and Machir taking possession of Gilead and Bashan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The original pledge of the Transjordan tribes to cross Jordan armed before their brethren.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Moses repeats that the Lord was angry with him "for your sakes."
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
The formal commissioning and charge given to Joshua to succeed Moses.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Celebrates God's great deliverance in smiting great nations, specifically Sihon and Og.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Describes the immense height of the Amorites, illuminating Og's giant stature.
Supported by John Calvin
Notes that Israel failed to expel the Geshurites and Maachathites from Jair's borders.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Defines the exact borders of Og's kingdom, including Hermon, Salcah, and Bashan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Mention of Rabbah of the Ammonites, where Og's giant bedstead was kept.
Supported by JFB
The historical sin of Moses at Meribah which provoked God's wrath.
Supported by JFB
The previous victory over Sihon, referenced by God to encourage Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole