Deuteronomy3
New King James Version
1“Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan; and Og king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
2And the Lord said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’
3“So the Lord our God also delivered into our hands Og king of Bashan, with all his people, and we attacked him until he had no survivors remaining.
4And we took all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
5All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides a great many rural towns.
6And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city.
7But all the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as booty for ourselves.
8“And at that time we took the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were on this side of the Jordan, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon
9(the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir),
10all the cities of the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan, as far as Salcah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
11“For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.
12“And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the River Arnon, and half the mountains of Gilead and its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites.
13The rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh. (All the region of Argob, with all Bashan, was called the land of the giants.
14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and called Bashan after his own name, Havoth Jair, to this day.)
15“Also I gave Gilead to Machir.
16And to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave from Gilead as far as the River Arnon, the middle of the river as the border, as far as the River Jabbok, the border of the people of Ammon;
17the plain also, with the Jordan as the border, from Chinnereth as far as the east side of the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.
18“Then I commanded you at that time, saying: ‘The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All you men of valor shall cross over armed before your brethren, the children of Israel.
19But your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall stay in your cities which I have given you,
20until the Lord has given rest to your brethren as to you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them beyond the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession which I have given you.’
21“And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings; so will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you pass.
22You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you.’
23“Then I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying:
24‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?
25I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’
26“But the Lord was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the Lord said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.
27Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.
28But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.’
29“So we stayed in the valley opposite 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