Deuteronomy 3:19

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.

But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle,.... These were to be left behind: for I know that ye have much cattle; which made the countries of Gilead and Bashan, so famous for pasturage, agreeable to them; see Numbers 32:1 these, under the care of servants, and also their wives and children: shall abide in your cities which I have given you; and which they rebuilt and repaired, Numbers 32:34.

16. from Gilead—that is, not the mountainous region, but the town Ramoth-gilead, even unto the river Arnon half the valley—The word "valley" signifies a wady, either filled with water or dry, as the Arnon is in summer, and thus the proper rendering of the passage will be—"even to the half or middle of the river Arnon" (compare Jos 12:2). This prudent arrangement of the boundaries was evidently made to prevent all disputes between the adjacent tribes about the exclusive right to the water.

19 . much cattle ] Cp. Numbers 32:1 . In the O.T. Mo‘ab, Gile‘ad and Bashan, the seats of the two and a half tribes, are celebrated for their cattle, imported thence to W. Palestine, which has inferior pastures. See the writer’s Jerusalem , i. 307, 321 ff. and HGHL , 523 f. which I have given you ] Deuteronomy 3:12 f.; so Numbers 32:29 ; Numbers 32:33 ; Numbers 32:40 . Deuteronomy 3:19

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.

They received the land of Gilead (to the south of the Jabbok) as far as the brook Arnon, the middle of the valley and its territory. הנּחל תּוך is a more precise definition of ארנן נחל, expressive of the fact that the territory of these tribes was not to reach merely to the northern edge of the Arnon valley, but into the middle of it, viz., to the river Arnon, which flowed through the middle of the valley; and וּגבוּל (and the border) is an explanatory apposition to what goes before, as in Numbers 34:6 , signifying, "viz., the border of the Arnon valley as far as the river." On the east, "even unto Jabbok the brook, the (western) border of the Ammonites" (i.e., as far as the upper Jabbok, the Nahr Ammn: see at Numbers 21:24 ); and on the west "The Arabah (the Ghor: see Deuteronomy 1:1 ) and the Jordan with territory" (i.e., with its eastern bank), "from Chinnereth" (i.e., the town from which the Sea of Galilee received the name of Sea of Chinnereth: Numbers 34:11 ; see at Joshua 19:35 ) "to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea under the slopes of Pisgah (see at Numbers 21:15 and Numbers 27:12 ) eastward" (i.e., merely the eastern side of the Arabah and Jordan). - In Deuteronomy 3:18-20 Moses reminds them of the conditions upon which he had given the two tribes and a half the land referred to for their inheritance (cf. Numbers 32:20-32 ).

[Bible] 3:17. And the plain of the wilderness, and the Jordan, and the borders of Cenereth unto the sea of the desert, which is the most salt sea, to the foot of mount Phasga eastward. 3:18. And I commanded you at that time, saying: The Lord your God giveth you this land for an inheritance, go ye well appointed before your brethren the children of Israel, all the strong men of you. 3:19. Leaving your wives and children and cattle. For I know you have much cattle, and they must remain in the cities, which I have delivered to you. 3:20. Until the Lord give rest to your brethren, as he hath given to you: and they also possess the land, which he will give them beyond the Jordan: then shall every man return to his possession, which I have given you. 3:21. I commanded Josue also at that time, saying: Thy eyes have seen what the Lord your God hath done to these two kings: so will he do to all the kingdoms to which thou shalt pass. 3:22. Fear them not: for the Lord your God will fight for you. 3:23. And I besought the Lord at that time, saying: 3:24. Lord God, thou hast begun to shew unto thy servant thy greatness, and most mighty hand, for there is no other God either in heaven or earth, that is able to do thy works, or to be compared to thy strength. 3:25. I will pass over therefore, and will see this excellent land beyond the Jordan, and this goodly mountain, and Libanus. 3:26. And the Lord was angry with me on your account and heard me not, but said to me: It is enough: speak no more to me of this matter. 3:27. Go up to the top of Phasga, and cast thy eyes round about to the west, and to the north, and to the south, and to the east, and behold it, for thou shalt not pass this Jordan. 3:28. Command Josue, and encourage and strengthen him: for he shall go before this people, and shall divide unto them the land which thou shalt see. 3:29. And we abode in the valley over against the temple of Phogor. Deuteronomy Chapter 4