Deuteronomy3
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan. Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
2Yahweh said to me, “Don’t fear him; for I have delivered him, with all his people and his land, into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”
3So Yahweh our God also delivered into our hand Og, the king of Bashan, and all his people. We struck him until no one was left to him remaining.
4We took all his cities at that time. There was not a city which we didn’t take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
5All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, in addition to a great many villages without walls.
6We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones.
7But all the livestock, and the plunder of the cities, we took for plunder for ourselves.
8We took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon.
9(The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir.)
10We took all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
11(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.)
12This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead with its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites;
13and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh—all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim.
14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called them, even Bashan, after his own name, Havvoth Jair, to this day.)
15I gave Gilead to Machir.
16To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and its border, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
17the Arabah also, and the Jordan and its border, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah eastward.
18I commanded you at that time, saying, “Yahweh your God has given you this land to possess it. All of you men of valor shall pass over armed before your brothers, the children of Israel.
19But your wives, and your little ones, and your livestock, (I know that you have much livestock), shall live in your cities which I have given you,
20until Yahweh gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also possess the land which Yahweh your God gives them beyond the Jordan. Then you shall each return to his own possession, which I have given you.”
21I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, “Your eyes have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to these two kings. So shall Yahweh do to all the kingdoms where you go over.
22You shall not fear them; for Yahweh your God himself fights for you.”
23I begged Yahweh at that time, saying,
24“Lord Yahweh, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or in earth that can do works like yours, and mighty acts like yours?
25Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that fine mountain, and Lebanon.”
26But Yahweh was angry with me because of you, and didn’t listen to me. Yahweh said to me, “That is enough! Speak no more to me of this matter.
27Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes; for you shall not go over this Jordan.
28But commission 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 shall 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