Deuteronomy 3
HAWEISDeuteronomy 3:1-11
Moses in this chapter relates, 1. The conquest of Og, king of Bashan, and the sexing of his country, ver. 1—11. 2. The destrication of their new conquests to the two tribes and a half, ver. 12—17. Under certain prevoses and limitations, ver. 18—20. 3. The encouragement given to Joshua to carry on the war which was se gloriously begun, ver. 21, 22. 4. Moses’s request to go over into Canaan, ver. 23—25. With the denial of that request, but the grant of an equivalent, ver. 26—29. 1. THEN we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and * Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people to battle * at Edrei. 2. And the LORD said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land into thy hand, and thou shalt do unto him as thou dost unto 3. So the LORD our God delivered into our hands we smore him until none was left to him remaining. 4. And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, * all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5. All these cities were senced with high walls, gates and bars, besides unwalled towns a great many. 6. And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Simon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city. 7. But all the cattle, and the posil of the cities, we took for a prey to outfitters. 8. And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites, the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon: 9. (Which * Hermon the Sidemans call Sirion: and the Amorites call it * Shenir.) 10. * All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and * all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan: 11. * For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold his bed-stead was a bed-stead of iron: it is not in * Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man. Moses continues a relation of their conquest. Og and his people fell like Simon before them. Though his own stature and strength were wonderful, as may be judged by his bed-stead of iron, preferred in Rabbah, by which he appears upwards of thirteen feet high, and his courage equal to it, for he came out to meet Israel, yet himself fell by their swound, and all his subjests persshed with him; whilst his country and goods became a prey, according to God’s promise and power, who delivered them into Israel’s hand. Note, (1.) There is no might or wissem against the Lord. (2.) They who refuse to be warned by others fall, and continue to provoke their judgments, will persist with them. 12. And this land which we possested at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and * the cities thereof, gave I unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites. 13. And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half-tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants. 14. * Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob, * unto the coaths of Geshuri, and * Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashan-havoth-jair, * unto this day. 15. And * I gave Gilead unto Machir. 16. And unto the Reubenites, and * unto the Gadites, I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon, half the valley, and the border, even unto the river Jabbok, * which is the border of the children of Ammon: 17. The plain also, and Jordan, and the coath thereof, from falt-lea, under Ashdoth-psigah eastward. 18. ¶ And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possest it: * ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war. 19. But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle (for I know that ye have much cattle) shall abide in your cities which I have given you; 20. Until the LORD have given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possest the land which the LORD your God hath given them beyond Jordan: and then shall * ye return every man unto his possession which I have given you.
Deuteronomy 3:12-20
Moses rehearses the settlement of these conquests on the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, reminding them within of the condition of their return. They muft go over Jordan before their brethren to fight the Lord’s battles, and for them comfortably settled in Canaan, before they preslomed to return to their own possessions in Gilead. Brethren in Christ muft be companions in tribulation; and seek each others peace as their own. 21. ¶ And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God fath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. 22. Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you. 23. * And I besought the LORD at that time saying, 24. O LORD God, thou hast begun to thee thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighry hand: for * what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? 25. I pray thee let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. 26. But * the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee, speak no more unto me of this matter. 27. * Get thee up into the top of Psigah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and ealward, and behold it with thine eyes; for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 28. But * charge 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 thou shall see. 29. So we abode in * the valley over against Beth-peor.
Deuteronomy 3:21-29
As Joshua was ordained to succeed Moses in the government, he repeats the encouragement he gave him to be beave and confident in so good a cause. He had seen already some of God’s mighty acts, and he was affured such would be the success which should ever attend him, since it was the Lord who sought their battles. If God be for us, wherefore should we fear or doubt? Moses mentions his own desire and prayer, and the resusal he met with. 1. He adores God for the mercies he had already tasted, admitting the power and greatness of the works which he had shoon to Israel, and intimates his wish that he might behold still greater display of God’s glory, in the perscition of his people’s trislement. Note, (1.) We ought never to entertain a desire in our hearts, that we may not offer in prayer to God. (2.) A glimpse of God’s glory quicken the soul’s longing after brighter discoveries of it. (3.) Thankfulness for any measure of God’s mercy we have tasted, in the surest means to obtain the blesling we need. 2. He puts up his petition for permission to go over Jordan, enamoured, as it were, with the love of the goodly land. Note, They
who have had a believing view of heaven, cannot but count it a goodly land, and long for an abode in it. 3. His request is denied, yet in such a way as sufficiently affirms him of God’s favour towards him. Our prayers may often succeed, though we receive not according to our particular requests. God was worth with him formerly, and had determined concerning the matter. Yet bids him kindly defi’d, as if he wished not to be afflicted for what he could not grant, and he content. Now, if God gives us contentment under disappointments, we have one skilled taken that our prayer is heard with favour. Yet he shall be the land, though he may not enter it, and from the top of Pilgrim he comforted in the prospect of what his dear flock would possess after his decease. Finally, He bids him charge Joshua, and strengthen him in his work, with the assurance of completing the conquests he had begun. Now, (1.) Aged and experienced Christians, are bound to encourage the hearts of their younger brethren. (2.) It is a great comfort to a dying ministry, to leave the flock of God in a prosperous state, and provided with every means for their edification, when he is sleeping in the dull.