Discovery BoxDeuteronomy 3:12-29
Context3:12 This is the land we brought under our control at that time: The territory extending from Aroer 1 by the Wadi Arnon and half the Gilead hill country with its cities I gave to the Reubenites and Gadites. 2 3:13 The rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh. 3 (All the region of Argob, 4 that is, all Bashan, is called the land of Rephaim. 3:14 Jair, son of Manasseh, took all the Argob region as far as the border with the Geshurites 5 and Maacathites 6 (namely Bashan) and called it by his name, Havvoth-Jair, 7 which it retains to this very day.) 3:15 I gave Gilead to Machir. 8 3:16 To the Reubenites and Gadites I allocated the territory extending from Gilead as far as Wadi Arnon (the exact middle of the wadi was a boundary) all the way to the Wadi Jabbok, the Ammonite border. 3:17 The Arabah and the Jordan River 9 were also a border, from the sea of Chinnereth 10 to the sea of the Arabah (that is, the Salt Sea), 11 beneath the watershed 12 of Pisgah 13 to the east.
3:18 At that time I instructed you as follows: “The Lord your God has given you this land for your possession. You warriors are to cross over before your fellow Israelites 14 equipped for battle. 3:19 But your wives, children, and livestock (of which I know you have many) may remain in the cities I have given you. 3:20 You must fight 15 until the Lord gives your countrymen victory 16 as he did you and they take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them on the other side of the Jordan River. Then each of you may return to his own territory that I have given you.” 3:21 I also commanded Joshua at the same time, “You have seen everything the Lord your God did to these two kings; he 17 will do the same to all the kingdoms where you are going. 18 3:22 Do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God will personally fight for you.”
3:23 Moreover, at that time I pleaded with the Lord, 3:24 “O, Lord God, 19 you have begun to show me 20 your greatness and strength. 21 (What god in heaven or earth can rival your works and mighty deeds?) 3:25 Let me please cross over to see the good land on the other side of the Jordan River – this good hill country and the Lebanon!” 22 3:26 But the Lord was angry at me because of you and would not listen to me. Instead, he 23 said to me, “Enough of that! 24 Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 3:27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and take a good look to the west, north, south, and east, 25 for you will not be allowed to cross the Jordan. 3:28 Commission 26 Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because he will lead these people over and will enable them to inherit the land you will see.” 3:29 So we settled down in the valley opposite Beth Peor. 27
[3:12] 1 tn The words “the territory extending” are not in the Hebrew text; they are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[3:12] 2 sn Reubenites and Gadites. By the time of Moses’ address the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had already been granted permission to settle in the Transjordan, provided they helped the other tribes subdue the occupants of Canaan (cf. Num 32:28-42).
[3:13] 3 sn Half the tribe of Manasseh. The tribe of Manasseh split into clans, with half opting to settle in Bashan and the other half in Canaan (cf. Num 32:39-42; Josh 17:1-13).
[3:13] 4 sn Argob. See note on this term in v. 4.
[3:14] 5 sn Geshurites. Geshur was a city and its surrounding area somewhere northeast of Bashan (cf. Josh 12:5 ; 13:11, 13). One of David’s wives was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur and mother of Absalom (cf. 2 Sam 13:37; 15:8; 1 Chr 3:2).
[3:14] 6 sn Maacathites. These were the people of a territory southwest of Mount Hermon on the Jordan River. The name probably has nothing to do with David’s wife from Geshur (see note on “Geshurites” earlier in this verse).
[3:14] 7 sn Havvoth-Jair. The Hebrew name means “villages of Jair,” the latter being named after a son (i.e., descendant) of Manasseh who took the area by conquest.
[3:15] 8 sn Machir was the name of another descendant of Manasseh (cf. Num 32:41; 1 Chr 7:14-19). Eastern Manasseh was thus divided between the Jairites and the Machirites.
[3:17] 9 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in vv. 20, 25).
[3:17] 10 tn Heb “from Chinnereth.” The words “the sea of” have been supplied in the translation as a clarification.
[3:17] 11 sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea (cf. Gen 14:3; Josh 3:16).
[3:17] 12 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term אַשְׁדֹּת (’ashdot) is unclear. It is usually translated either “slopes” (ASV, NAB, NIV) or “watershed” (NEB).
[3:17] 13 sn Pisgah. This appears to refer to a small range of mountains, the most prominent peak of which is Mount Nebo (Num 21:20; 23:14; Deut 3:27; cf. 34:1).
[3:18] 14 tn Heb “your brothers, the sons of Israel.”
[3:20] 15 tn The words “you must fight” are not present in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[3:20] 16 tn Heb “gives your brothers rest.”
[3:21] 17 tn Heb “the
[3:21] 18 tn Heb “which you are crossing over there.”
[3:24] 19 tn Heb “Lord
[3:24] 20 tn Heb “your servant.” The pronoun is used in the translation to clarify that Moses is speaking of himself, since in contemporary English one does not usually refer to oneself in third person.
[3:24] 21 tn Heb “your strong hand” (so NIV), a symbol of God’s activity.
[3:25] 22 tn The article is retained in the translation (“the Lebanon,” cf. also NAB, NRSV) to indicate that a region (rather than the modern country of Lebanon) is referred to here. Other recent English versions accomplish this by supplying “mountains” after “Lebanon” (TEV, CEV, NLT).
[3:26] 23 tn Heb “the
[3:26] 24 tn Heb “much to you” (an idiom).
[3:27] 25 tn Heb “lift your eyes to the west, north, south, and east and see with your eyes.” The translation omits the repetition of “your eyes” for stylistic reasons.
[3:28] 26 tn Heb “command”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “charge Joshua.”
[3:29] 27 sn Beth Peor. This is probably the spot near Pisgah where Balaam attempted to curse the nation Israel (Num 23:28). The Moabites also worshiped Baal there by the name “Baal [of] Peor” (Num 25:1-5).
