Deuteronomy3
New Living Translation
1“Next we turned and headed for the land of Bashan, where King Og and his entire army attacked us at Edrei.
2But the Lord told me, ‘Do not be afraid of him, for I have given you victory over Og and his entire army, and I will give you all his land. Treat him just as you treated King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.’
3“So the Lord our God handed King Og and all his people over to us, and we killed them all. Not a single person survived.
4We conquered all sixty of his towns—the entire Argob region in his kingdom of Bashan. Not a single town escaped our conquest.
5These towns were all fortified with high walls and barred gates. We also took many unwalled villages at the same time.
6We completely destroyed the kingdom of Bashan, just as we had destroyed King Sihon of Heshbon. We destroyed all the people in every town we conquered—men, women, and children alike.
7But we kept all the livestock for ourselves and took plunder from all the towns.
8“So we took the land of the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River—all the way from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon.
9(Mount Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians, and the Amorites call it Senir.)
10We had now conquered all the cities on the plateau and all Gilead and Bashan, as far as the towns of Salecah and Edrei, which were part of Og’s kingdom in Bashan.
11(King Og of Bashan was the last survivor of the giant Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It can still be seen in the Ammonite city of Rabbah.)
12“When we took possession of this land, I gave to the tribes of Reuben and Gad the territory beyond Aroer along the Arnon Gorge, plus half of the hill country of Gilead with its towns.
13Then I gave the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan—Og’s former kingdom—to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (This entire Argob region of Bashan used to be known as the land of the Rephaites.
14Jair, a leader from the tribe of Manasseh, conquered the whole Argob region in Bashan, all the way to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. Jair renamed this region after himself, calling it the Towns of Jair, as it is still known today.)
15I gave Gilead to the clan of Makir.
16But I also gave part of Gilead to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The area I gave them extended from the middle of the Arnon Gorge in the south to the Jabbok River on the Ammonite frontier.
17They also received the Jordan Valley, all the way from the Sea of Galilee down to the Dead Sea, with the Jordan River serving as the western boundary. To the east were the slopes of Pisgah.
18“At that time I gave this command to the tribes that would live east of the Jordan: ‘Although the Lord your God has given you this land as your property, all your fighting men must cross the Jordan ahead of your Israelite relatives, armed and ready to assist them.
19Your wives, children, and numerous livestock, however, may stay behind in the towns I have given you.
20When the Lord has given security to the rest of the Israelites, as he has to you, and when they occupy the land the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan River, then you may all return here to the land I have given you.’
21“At that time I gave Joshua this charge: ‘You have seen for yourself everything the Lord your God has done to these two kings. He will do the same to all the kingdoms on the west side of the Jordan.
22Do not be afraid of the nations there, for the Lord your God will fight for you.’
23“At that time I pleaded with the Lord and said,
24‘O Sovereign Lord, you have only begun to show your greatness and the strength of your hand to me, your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as you do?
25Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.’
26“But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. ‘That’s enough!’ he declared. ‘Speak of it no more.
27But go up to Pisgah Peak, and look over the land in every direction. Take a good look, but you may not cross the Jordan River.
28Instead, commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead the people across the Jordan. He will give them all the land you now see before you as their possession.’
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