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Numbers 34:14 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

14 For the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Reuben H7206 according to the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 and the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Gad H1425 according to the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 have received H3947 their inheritance; and half H2677 the tribe H4294 of Manasseh H4519 have received H3947 their inheritance: H5159

Cross Reference

Deuteronomy 3:12-17 STRONG

And this land, H776 which we possessed H3423 at that time, H6256 from Aroer, H6177 which is by the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and half H2677 mount H2022 Gilead, H1568 and the cities H5892 thereof, gave H5414 I unto the Reubenites H7206 and to the Gadites. H1425 And the rest H3499 of Gilead, H1568 and all Bashan, H1316 being the kingdom H4467 of Og, H5747 gave H5414 I unto the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh; H4519 all the region H2256 of Argob, H709 with all Bashan, H1316 which H1931 was called H7121 the land H776 of giants. H7497 Jair H2971 the son H1121 of Manasseh H4519 took H3947 all the country H2256 of Argob H709 unto the coasts H1366 of Geshuri H1651 and Maachathi; H4602 and called H7121 them after his own name, H8034 Bashanhavothjair, H1316 H2334 unto this day. H3117 And I gave H5414 Gilead H1568 unto Machir. H4353 And unto the Reubenites H7206 and unto the Gadites H1425 I gave H5414 from Gilead H1568 even unto the river H5158 Arnon H769 half H8432 the valley, H5158 and the border H1366 even unto the river H5158 Jabbok, H2999 which is the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon; H5983 The plain H6160 also, and Jordan, H3383 and the coast H1366 thereof, from Chinnereth H3672 even unto the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 even the salt H4417 sea, H3220 under Ashdothpisgah H798 H794 eastward. H4217

Joshua 13:8-12 STRONG

With whom the Reubenites H7206 and the Gadites H1425 have received H3947 their inheritance, H5159 which Moses H4872 gave H5414 them, beyond H5676 Jordan H3383 eastward, H4217 even as Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 gave H5414 them; From Aroer, H6177 that is upon the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and the city H5892 that is in the midst H8432 of the river, H5158 and all the plain H4334 of Medeba H4311 unto Dibon; H1769 And all the cities H5892 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which reigned H4427 in Heshbon, H2809 unto the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon; H5983 And Gilead, H1568 and the border H1366 of the Geshurites H1651 and Maachathites, H4602 and all mount H2022 Hermon, H2768 and all Bashan H1316 unto Salcah; H5548 All the kingdom H4468 of Og H5747 in Bashan, H1316 which reigned H4427 in Ashtaroth H6252 and in Edrei, H154 who remained H7604 of the remnant H3499 of the giants: H7497 for these did Moses H4872 smite, H5221 and cast them out. H3423

Joshua 14:2-3 STRONG

By lot H1486 was their inheritance, H5159 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 by the hand H3027 of Moses, H4872 for the nine H8672 tribes, H4294 and for the half H2677 tribe. H4294 For Moses H4872 had given H5414 the inheritance H5159 of two H8147 tribes H4294 and an half H2677 tribe H4294 on the other side H5676 Jordan: H3383 but unto the Levites H3881 he gave H5414 none inheritance H5159 among H8432 them.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 34

Commentary on Numbers 34 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 34

In this chapter God directs Moses, and he is to direct Israel,

  • I. Concerning the bounds and borders of the land of Canaan (v. 1-15).
  • II. Concerning the division and distribution of it to the tribes of Israel (v. 16, etc.).

Num 34:1-15

We have here a particular draught of the line by which the land of Canaan was meted, and bounded, on all sides. God directs Moses to settle it here, not as a geographer in his map, merely to please the curious, but as a prince in his grant, that it may be certainly known what passes, and is conveyed, by the grant. There was a much larger possession promised them, which in due time they would have possessed if they had been obedient, reaching even to the river Euphrates, Deu. 11:24. And even so far the dominion of Israel did extend in David's time and Solomon's, 2 Chr. 9:26. But this which is here described is Canaan only, which was the lot of the nine tribes and a half, for the other two and a half were already settled, v. 14, 15. Now concerning the limits of Canaan observe,

  • I. That it was limited within certain bounds: for God appoints the bounds of our habitation, Acts 17:26. The borders are set them,
    • 1. That they might know whom they were to dispossess, and how far the commission which was given them extended (ch. 33:53), that they should drive out the inhabitants. Those that lay within these borders, and those only, they must destroy; hitherto their bloody sword must go, and no further.
    • 2. That they might know what to expect the possession of themselves. God would not have his people to enlarge their desire of worldly possessions, but to know when they have enough, and to rest satisfied with it. The Israelites themselves must not be placed alone in the midst of the earth, but must leave room for their neighbours to live by them. God sets bounds to our lot; let us then set bounds to our desires, and bring our mind to our condition.
  • II. That it lay comparatively in a very little compass: as it is here bounded, it is reckoned to be but about 160 miles in length and about fifty in breadth; perhaps it did not contain more than half as much ground as England, and yet this is the country which was promised to the father of the faithful and was the possession of the seed of Israel. This was that little spot of ground in which only, for many ages, God was known, and his name was great, Ps. 76:1. This was the vineyard of the Lord, the garden enclosed; but, as it is with gardens and vineyards, the narrowness of the extent was abundantly compensated by the extraordinary fruitfulness of the soil, otherwise it could not have subsisted so numerous a nation as did inhabit it. See here then,
    • 1. How small a part of the world God has for himself. Though the earth is his, and the fullness thereof, yet few have the knowledge of him and serve him; but those few are happy, very happy, because fruitful to God.
    • 2. How small a share of the world God often gives to his own people. Those that have their portion in heaven have reason to be content with a small pittance of this earth; but, as here, what is wanting in quantity is made up in quality; 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, Ps. 37:16.
  • III. It is observable what the bounds and limits of it were.
    • 1. Canaan was itself a pleasant land (so it is called Dan. 8:9), and yet it bordered upon wilderness and seas, and was surrounded with divers melancholy prospects. Thus the vineyard of the church is compassed on all hands with the desert of this world, which serves as a foil to it, to make it appear the more beautiful for situation.
    • 2. Many of its borders were its defences and natural fortifications, to render the access of enemies the more difficult, and to intimate to Israel that the God of nature was their protector, and with his favour would compass them as with a shield.
    • 3. The border reached to the river of Egypt (v. 5), that the sight of that country which they could look into out of their own might remind them of their bondage there, and their wonderful deliverance thence.
    • 4. Their border is here made to begin at the Salt Sea (v. 3), and there it ends, v. 12. This was the remaining lasting monument of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. That pleasant fruitful vale in which these cities stood became a lake, which was never stirred by any wind, bore no vessels, was replenished with no fish, no living creature of any sort being found in it, therefore called the Dead Sea. This was part of their border, that it might be a constant warning to them to take heed of those sins which had been the ruin of Sodom; yet the iniquity of Sodom was afterwards found in Israel (Eze. 16:49), for which Canaan was made, though not a salt sea as Sodom, yet a barren soil, and continues so to this day.
    • 5. Their western border was the Great Sea (v. 6), which is now called the Mediterranean. Some consider this sea itself to have been a part of their possession, and that by virtue of this grant, they had the dominion of it, and, if they had not forfeited it by sin, might have rode masters of it.

Num 34:16-29

God here appoints commissioners for the dividing of the land to them. The conquest of it is taken for granted, though as yet there was never a stroke struck towards it. Here is no nomination of the generals and commanders-in-chief that should carry on the war; for they were to get the land in possession, not by their own sword or bow, but by the power and favour of God; and so confident must they be of victory and success while God fought for them that the persons must now be named who should be entrusted with the dividing of the land, that is, who should preside in casting the lots, and determine controversies that might arise, and see that all was done fairly.

  • 1. The principal commissioners, who were of the quorum, were Eleazar and Joshua (v. 17), typifying Christ, who, as priest and king, divides the heavenly Canaan to the spiritual Israel; yet, as they were to go by the lot, so Christ acknowledges the disposal must be by the will of the Father, Mt. 20:23. Compare, Eph. 1:11.
  • 2. Besides these, that there might be no suspicion of partiality, a prince of each tribe was appointed to inspect this matter, and to see that the tribe he served for was in no respect injured. Public affairs should be so managed as not only to give their right to all, but, if possible, to give satisfaction to all that they have justice done them. It is a happiness to a land to have the princes of their people meet together, some out of every tribe, to concert the affairs that are of common concern, a constitution which is the abundant honour, ease, and safety, of the nation that is blessed with it.
  • 3. Some observe that the order of the tribes here very much differs from that in which they hitherto, upon all occasions, been named, and agrees with the neighbourhood of their lots in the division of the land. Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, the first three here named, lay close together; the inheritance of Dan lay next them on one side, that of Ephraim and Manasseh on another side; Zebulun and Issachar lay abreast more northerly, and, lastly, Asher and Naphtali most northward of all, as is easy to observe in looking over a map of Canaan; this (says bishop Patrick) is an evidence that Moses was guided by a divine Spirit in his writings. Known unto God are all his works beforehand, and what is new and surprising to us he perfectly foresaw, without any confusion or uncertainty.