Deuteronomy 3:12

3:12-20 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.

And this land, which we possessed at that time,.... Or took possession of, having conquered it; for it still remained in their possession: from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon: on the borders of Moab, from thence as far as Gilead was the land which was taken from Sihon king of Heshbon, Deuteronomy 2:36. and half Mount Gilead, and the cities thereof: which were taken from Og king of Bashan, Deuteronomy 3:10. gave I unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites; at their request, on certain conditions to be performed by them, afterwards repeated.

Verses 12-17. - Distribution of the conquered land . The countries thus conquered by the Israelites were assigned by Moses to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. The southern portion, from Aroer, in the valley of the Amen, to the Jabbok, with its towns (see Joshua 12:15-20, 24 -28), was assigned to the Reubenites and the Gadites; and the northern portion, from the Jabbok, comprehending, with Gilead, the whole of Bashan, or Argob, to the half tribe of Manasseh. Deuteronomy 3:12

Giants - Or Rephaim: see the marginal reference note. A bedstead of iron - The "iron" was probably the black basalt of the country, which not only contains a large proportion, about 20 percent, of iron, but was actually called "iron," and is still so regarded by the Arabians. Iron was indeed both known and used, principally for tools (see e. g. Deuteronomy 19:5 and compare Genesis 4:22 note), at the date in question by the Semitic people of Palestine and the adjoining countries; but bronze was the ordinary metal of which weapons, articles of furniture, etc., were made. The word translated "bedstead" is derived from a root signifying "to unite" or "bind together," and so "to arch" or "cover with a vault." The word may then certainly mean "bier," and perhaps does so in this passage. Modern travelers have discovered in the territories of Og sarcophagi as well as many other articles made of the black basalt of the country. Is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? - Probably after the defeat and death of Og at Edrei the remnant of his army fled into the territory of the friendly Ammonites, and carried with them the corpse of the giant king. After the cubit of a man - i. e. after the usual and ordinary cubit, counted as people are accustomed to count. Taking 18 inches to the cubit, the bedstead or sarcophagus would thus be from thirteen to fourteen feet long.

12, 13. this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer … gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites—The whole territory occupied by Sihon was parcelled out among the pastoral tribes of Reuben and Gad. It extended from the north bank of the Arnon to the south half of mount Gilead—a small mountain ridge, now called Djelaad, about six or seven miles south of the Jabbok, and eight miles in length. The northern portion of Gilead and the rich pasture lands of Bashan—a large province, consisting, with the exception of a few bleak and rocky spots, of strong and fertile soil—was assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh.

12, 13. this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer … gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites—The whole territory occupied by Sihon was parcelled out among the pastoral tribes of Reuben and Gad. It extended from the north bank of the Arnon to the south half of mount Gilead—a small mountain ridge, now called Djelaad, about six or seven miles south of the Jabbok, and eight miles in length. The northern portion of Gilead and the rich pasture lands of Bashan—a large province, consisting, with the exception of a few bleak and rocky spots, of strong and fertile soil—was assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh.

12 . And this land we took ] The discourse resumed from Deuteronomy 3:10 ; a more exact definition of the same lands. from Aroer … by the valley of Arnon ] 13 MSS and some Versions read on the lip of A ., as in Deuteronomy 2:36 . half … Gilead ] As far as the Jabboḳ; to Re’uben and Gad. P, Numbers 32:1 ff.: land of Ya‘zer and Gile‘ad .

All the rest (except perhaps Deuteronomy 3:15-17 , which see) forms a unity, complete in itself. [108] The Sing, in Deuteronomy 2:9 a (LXX Plur.) and even in Deuteronomy 2:19 may be due, as in Deuteronomy 3:27 , to the fact that the address is to Moses himself. The following are the divisions:—(1) Deuteronomy 1:6-8 , order to depart from Horeb; (2) Deuteronomy 1:9-18 , institution of Judges; (3) Deuteronomy 1:19 , journey to Ḳadesh-Barnea‘, to which probably belong Deuteronomy 1:1 b , Deuteronomy 1:2 (see above); (4) Deuteronomy 1:20-25 , mission of the spies; (5) Deuteronomy 1:26-43 , consequent disaffection of the people; (6) Deuteronomy 1:34-40 , wrath and judgement of God; (7) Deuteronomy 1:41-46 , defeat of the attempt to enter the land from the south, and residence at Ḳadesh; (8) Deuteronomy 2:1-8 a , departure from Ḳadesh and circuit of Mt Se‘îr; (9) Deuteronomy 2:8-15 , further march to Wâdy-Zered, which they cross 38 years after leaving Ḳadesh, when all the adult generation have died; (10) Deuteronomy 2:16-25 , command to cross Arnon, the border of Moab, to avoid ‘Ammon and to fight Sîḥôn; (11) Deuteronomy 2:26-37 , defeat of Sîḥôn; (12) Deuteronomy 3:1-7 , defeat of ‘Ôg; (13) Deuteronomy 3:8-17 , division of the conquered lands; (14) Deuteronomy 3:18-22 , directions to the tribes left there and to Joshua; (15) Deuteronomy 3:23-29 , Moses’ Prayer to cross Jordan and its rejection.

Review of the Distribution of the Conquered Land. - The land which the Israelites had taken belonging to these two kingdoms was given by Moses to the two tribes and a half for their possession, viz., the southern portion from Aroer in the Arnon valley (see at Numbers 32:34 ), and half Gilead (as far as the Jabbok: see at Deuteronomy 3:10 ) with its towns, which are enumerated in Joshua 13:15-20 and Joshua 13:24-28 , to the Reubenites and Gadites; and the northern half of Gilead, with the whole of Bashan (i.e., all the region of Argob: see at Deuteronomy 3:4 , and Numbers 32:33 ), to the half-tribe of Manasseh. לכל־הבּשׁן, "as for all Bashan," is in apposition to "all the region of Argob," and the ל simply serves to connect it; for "all the region of Argob" was not merely one portion of Bashan, but was identical with "all Bashan," so far as it belonged to the kingdom of Og (see at v. 4). All this region passed for a land of giants. הקּרא, to be called, i.e., to be, and to be recognised as being.