Deuteronomy 3:7

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.

Complete Jewish Bible:

But we took all the livestock, along with the spoil from the cities, as booty for ourselves.

Berean Standard Bible:

But all the livestock and plunder of the cities we carried off for ourselves.

American Standard Version:

But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey unto ourselves.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

But all the cattle{H929}, and the spoil{H7998} of the cities{H5892}, we took for a prey{H962} to ourselves.

Cross-References (KJV):

Deuteronomy 2:35

  • Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.

Joshua 8:27

  • Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.

Joshua 11:11

  • And they smote all the souls that [were] therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying [them]: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

Joshua 11:14

  • And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.

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Commentary for Deuteronomy 3:7

Deuteronomy 3:7 is part of the Old Testament in the Bible, specifically found in the book of Deuteronomy, which is a series of speeches delivered by Moses to the Israelites as they are poised to enter the Promised Land. This verse is situated within the context of Moses recounting the Israelites' military campaigns under his leadership.

**Themes:**
1. **Divine Providence and Blessing:** The verse reflects the theme of God's provision for the Israelites. The spoils of war, including cattle and goods from conquered cities, are seen as blessings bestowed upon the Israelites by God.
2. **Obedience and Reward:** The Israelites' success in battle and their acquisition of spoils are conditional upon their obedience to God's commands, which is a recurring theme in Deuteronomy.
3. **Holy War:** The concept of holy war is present, where military conquests are justified as part of God's plan to establish the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

**Historical Context:**
The book of Deuteronomy is set during the final days of Moses, just before the Israelites cross the Jordan River to enter the land promised to their ancestors. Deuteronomy 3:7 specifically refers to the aftermath of the battle against the Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, which is also recounted in Numbers 21:21-35. This victory allowed the Israelites to occupy the territory east of the Jordan River.

The historical context of this verse is part of the broader narrative of the Exodus, where the Israelites, having been delivered from slavery in Egypt, wander in the wilderness for 40 years before reaching the borders of Canaan. The conquest of the Transjordan tribes, as described in Deuteronomy 3, sets the stage for the subsequent conquest and settlement of Canaan, which is detailed in the book of Joshua.

In summary, Deuteronomy 3:7 highlights the themes of divine providence, obedience, and holy war within the historical context of the Israelites' journey towards the Promised Land and their military campaigns under Moses' leadership.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H929
    There are 172 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בְּהֵמָה
    Transliteration: bᵉhêmâh
    Pronunciation: be-hay-maw'
    Description: from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective); beast, cattle.
  2. Strong's Number: H7998
    There are 64 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁלָל
    Transliteration: shâlâl
    Pronunciation: shaw-lawl'
    Description: from שָׁלַל; booty; prey, spoil.
  3. Strong's Number: H5892
    There are 937 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עִיר
    Transliteration: ʻîyr
    Pronunciation: eer
    Description: or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
  4. Strong's Number: H962
    There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בָּזַז
    Transliteration: bâzaz
    Pronunciation: baw-zaz'
    Description: a primitive root; to plunder; catch, gather, (take) for a prey, rob(-ber), spoil, take (away, spoil), [idiom] utterly.