Deuteronomy3

Deuteronomy chapter three recounts Israel's victory over Og, the king of Bashan, and the subsequent taking of his sixty fortified cities and territory. This land, along with that previously conquered from Sihon, was then distributed to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Moses commanded these tribes to send their armed men across the Jordan to aid their brethren in conquering the western land. The chapter concludes with Moses' plea to the Lord to enter the promised land, which is denied, and his subsequent instruction to commission and strengthen Joshua as the new leader.

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The Defeat of Og, King of Bashan

¶ 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.

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 didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.

So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.

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.

All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many.

And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.

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

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;

(Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)

All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it 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.

Allocation of the Transjordan Territory

¶ And this land, which we possessed 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.

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.

Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair, unto this day.

And I gave Gilead unto Machir.

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;

The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward.

Moses Charges the Tribes and Joshua

And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.

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;

Until the LORD have given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess 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.

¶ And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest.

Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.

Moses’ Final Plea and Succession

And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,

O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?

I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

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.

Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

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 shalt see.

So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.

Study Notes for Deuteronomy 3

Verse 2

God preemptively assures Moses of victory, emphasizing that the defeat of Og will mirror the successful campaign against Sihon. This reinforces God's consistent power and faithfulness in the conquest.

Verse 3

Og’s defeat confirms the execution of the *herem* mandate (complete destruction) against the inhabitants, a theme central to the conquest narratives, demonstrating God's judgment on these wicked nations.

Verse 4

Bashan was known for its fertility and secure cities. The capture of sixty fortified cities highlights the totality of the conquest and the overwhelming scale of God's power displayed through Israel.

Verse 9

This parenthetical comment provides geographical clarity, showing that Mount Hermon was known by different names to various regional peoples (Sirion to the Sidonians and Shenir to the Amorites).

Verse 11

Og is emphasized as the last survivor of the Rephaim (giants). The immense size of his iron bedstead (over 13 feet long) serves as a physical testament to the strength of the enemy God conquered, proving the impossibility of the victory without divine aid.

Verse 13

The reference to 'the land of giants' (Rephaim) confirms the previous verse (v. 11). This territory was desirable, known for its rich grazing and agricultural potential, appealing to the tribes with large flocks.

Verse 14

Jair’s action of renaming the area highlights how Israel established possession through military action and subsequent naming rituals, solidifying their claim to the former kingdom of Og.

Verse 20

This condition sets a crucial precedent: the land given by God requires participation in the communal struggle until all Israel has achieved ‘rest’ (security) in their promised land west of the Jordan.

Verse 21

Moses here commissions Joshua as the military leader, assuring him that the overwhelming victories against Sihon and Og are prophetic examples of what God will do for Israel in Canaan proper.

Verse 24

Moses’ prayer acknowledges God’s incomparable power, using the conquest of the Transjordan kings as irrefutable proof of Yahweh’s uniqueness among all gods.

Verse 25

Moses longs to see the 'good land,' specifically mentioning the mountainous region and Lebanon (representing the northern extent of the Promised Land), emphasizing the beauty and desirability of the inheritance.

Verse 26

God’s refusal is explicitly tied to the sin of the people ('for your sakes'), referencing the incident at Meribah (Num. 20:12), where Moses dishonored God before the assembly.

Verse 27

Pisgah (a peak within the Abarim range) becomes Moses’ final viewpoint, symbolizing the tragic limitation of his leadership—he sees the covenant promise but cannot enter it physically.

Verse 28

The definitive instruction for Moses to empower Joshua confirms the transfer of authority. Joshua is not just a general but the one who will 'cause them to inherit' the land, fulfilling the covenant promise.

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Deuteronomy3

The Defeat of Og, King of Bashan

Allocation of the Transjordan Territory

Moses Charges the Tribes and Joshua

Moses’ Final Plea and Succession

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