Numbers34
New Living Translation
1Then the Lord said to Moses,
2“Give these instructions to the Israelites: When you come into the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your special possession, these will be the boundaries.
3The southern portion of your country will extend from the wilderness of Zin, along the edge of Edom. The southern boundary will begin on the east at the Dead Sea.
4It will then run south past Scorpion Pass in the direction of Zin. Its southernmost point will be Kadesh-barnea, from which it will go to Hazar-addar, and on to Azmon.
5From Azmon the boundary will turn toward the Brook of Egypt and end at the Mediterranean Sea.
6“Your western boundary will be the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.
7“Your northern boundary will begin at the Mediterranean Sea and run east to Mount Hor,
8then to Lebo-hamath, and on through Zedad
9and Ziphron to Hazar-enan. This will be your northern boundary.
10“The eastern boundary will start at Hazar-enan and run south to Shepham,
11then down to Riblah on the east side of Ain. From there the boundary will run down along the eastern edge of the Sea of Galilee,
12and then along the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. These are the boundaries of your land.”
13Then Moses told the Israelites, “This territory is the homeland you are to divide among yourselves by sacred lot. The Lord has commanded that the land be divided among the nine and a half remaining tribes.
14The families of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received their grants of land
15on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho toward the sunrise.”
16And the Lord said to Moses,
17“Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun are the men designated to divide the grants of land among the people.
18Enlist one leader from each tribe to help them with the task.
19These are the tribes and the names of the leaders:TribeLeaderJudah Caleb son of Jephunneh
20Simeon Shemuel son of Ammihud
21Benjamin Elidad son of Kislon
22Dan Bukki son of Jogli
23Manasseh son of Joseph Hanniel son of Ephod
24Ephraim son of Joseph Kemuel son of Shiphtan
25Zebulun Elizaphan son of Parnach
26Issachar Paltiel son of Azzan
27Asher Ahihud son of Shelomi
28Naphtali Pedahel son of Ammihud
29These are the men the Lord has appointed to divide the grants of land in Canaan among the Israelites.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 34.
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