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Numbers 34:2-12 King James Version (KJV)

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2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)

3 Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward:

4 And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon:

5 And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

6 And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.

7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:

8 From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad:

9 And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border.

10 And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham:

11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward:

12 And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.

Numbers 34:2-12 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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2 Command H6680 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and say H559 unto them, When ye come H935 into the land H776 of Canaan; H3667 (this is the land H776 that shall fall H5307 unto you for an inheritance, H5159 even the land H776 of Canaan H3667 with the coasts H1367 thereof:)

3 Then your south H5045 quarter H6285 shall be from the wilderness H4057 of Zin H6790 along by the coast H3027 of Edom, H123 and your south H5045 border H1366 shall be the outmost coast H7097 of the salt H4417 sea H3220 eastward: H6924

4 And your border H1366 shall turn H5437 from the south H5045 to the ascent H4608 of Akrabbim, H4610 and pass on H5674 to Zin: H6790 and the going forth H8444 thereof shall be from the south H5045 to Kadeshbarnea, H6947 and shall go on H3318 to Hazaraddar, H2692 and pass on H5674 to Azmon: H6111

5 And the border H1366 shall fetch a compass H5437 from Azmon H6111 unto the river H5158 of Egypt, H4714 and the goings out H8444 of it shall be at the sea. H3220

6 And as for the western H3220 border, H1366 ye shall even have the great H1419 sea H3220 for a border: H1366 this shall be your west H3220 border. H1366

7 And this shall be your north H6828 border: H1366 from the great H1419 sea H3220 ye shall point out H8376 for you mount H2022 Hor: H2023

8 From mount H2022 Hor H2023 ye shall point out H8376 your border unto the entrance H935 of Hamath; H2574 and the goings forth H8444 of the border H1366 shall be to Zedad: H6657

9 And the border H1366 shall go on H3318 to Ziphron, H2202 and the goings out H8444 of it shall be at Hazarenan: H2704 this shall be your north H6828 border. H1366

10 And ye shall point out H184 your east H6924 border H1366 from Hazarenan H2704 to Shepham: H8221

11 And the coast H1366 shall go down H3381 from Shepham H8221 to Riblah, H7247 on the east side H6924 of Ain; H5871 and the border H1366 shall descend, H3381 and shall reach H4229 unto the side H3802 of the sea H3220 of Chinnereth H3672 eastward: H6924

12 And the border H1366 shall go down H3381 to Jordan, H3383 and the goings out H8444 of it shall be at the salt H4417 sea: H3220 this shall be your land H776 with the coasts H1367 thereof round about. H5439

Numbers 34:2-12 American Standard (ASV)

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2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to the borders thereof),

3 then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward;

4 and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out thereof shall be southward of Kadesh-barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar-addar, and pass along to Azmon;

5 and the border shall turn about from Azmon unto the brook of Egypt, and the goings out thereof shall be at the sea.

6 And for the western border, ye shall have the great sea and the border `thereof': this shall be your west border.

7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall mark out for you mount Hor;

8 from mount Hor ye shall mark out unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad;

9 and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out thereof shall be at Hazar-enan: this shall be your north border.

10 And ye shall mark out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham;

11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

12 and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out thereof shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to the borders thereof round about.

Numbers 34:2-12 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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2 `Command the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye are coming in unto the land of Canaan -- this `is' the land which falleth to you by inheritance, the land of Canaan, by its borders --

3 then hath the south quarter been to you from the wilderness of Zin, by the sides of Edom, yea, the south border hath been to you from the extremity of the Salt Sea, eastward;

4 and the border hath turned round to you from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and hath passed on to Zin, and its outgoings have been from the south to Kadesh-Barnea, and it hath gone out at Hazar-Addar, and hath passed on to Azmon;

5 and the border hath turned round from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and its outgoings have been at the sea.

6 `As to the west border, even the great sea hath been to you a border; this is to you the west border.

7 `And this is to you the north border: from the great sea ye mark out for yourselves mount Hor;

8 from mount Hor ye mark out to go in to Hamath, and the outgoings of the border have been to Zedad;

9 and the border hath gone out to Ziphron, and its outgoings have been at Hazar-Enan; this is to you the north border.

10 `And ye have marked out for yourselves for the border eastward, from Hazar-Enan to Shepham;

11 and the border hath gone down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east of Ain, and the border hath gone down, and hath smitten against the shoulder of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

12 and the border hath gone down to the Jordan, and its outgoings have been at the Salt Sea; this is for you the land by its borders round about.'

Numbers 34:2-12 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

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2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan, this shall be the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to the borders thereof.

3 Then your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin alongside of Edom, and your southern border shall be from the end of the salt sea eastward;

4 and your border shall turn from the south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin, and shall end southward at Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-Addar, and pass on to Azmon.

5 And the border shall turn from Azmon unto the torrent of Egypt, and shall end at the sea.

6 And as west border ye shall have the great sea, and [its] coast. This shall be your west border.

7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall mark out for you mount Hor;

8 from mount Hor ye shall mark out the entrance to Hamath, and the end of the border shall be toward Zedad;

9 and the border shall go to Ziphron, and shall end at Hazar-enan. This shall be your north border.

10 And ye shall mark out for you as eastern border from Hazar-enan to Shepham:

11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall strike upon the extremity of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

12 and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and shall end at the salt sea. This shall be your land according to the borders thereof round about.

Numbers 34:2-12 World English Bible (WEB)

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2 Command the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to the borders of it),

3 then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward;

4 and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh-barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon;

5 and the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

6 For the western border, you shall have the great sea and the border [of it]: this shall be your west border.

7 This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for you Mount Hor;

8 from Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad;

9 and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar Enan: this shall be your north border.

10 You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham;

11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

12 and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to the borders of it round about.

Numbers 34:2-12 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

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2 Give orders to the children of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land which is to be your heritage, the land of Canaan inside these limits,)

3 Then your south quarter will be from the waste land of Zin by the side of Edom, and your limit on the south will be from the east end of the Salt Sea,

4 And round to the south of the slope of Akrabbim, and on to Zin: and its direction will be south of Kadesh-barnea, and it will go as far as Hazar-addar and on to Azmon:

5 And from Azmon it will go round to the stream of Egypt as far as the sea.

6 And for your limit on the west you will have the Great Sea and its edge: this will be your limit on the west.

7 And your limit on the north will be the line from the Great Sea to Mount Hor:

8 And from Mount Hor the line will go in the direction of Hamath; the farthest point of it will be at Zedad:

9 And the limit will go on to Ziphron, with its farthest point at Hazar-enan: this will be your limit on the north.

10 And on the east, your limit will be marked out from Hazar-enan to Shepham,

11 Going down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain, and on as far as the east side of the sea of Chinnereth:

12 And so down to Jordan, stretching to the Salt Sea: all the land inside these limits will be yours.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 34

Commentary on Numbers 34 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 34

In this chapter God directs Moses, and he is to direct Israel,

  • I. Concerning the bounds and borders of the land of Canaan (v. 1-15).
  • II. Concerning the division and distribution of it to the tribes of Israel (v. 16, etc.).

Num 34:1-15

We have here a particular draught of the line by which the land of Canaan was meted, and bounded, on all sides. God directs Moses to settle it here, not as a geographer in his map, merely to please the curious, but as a prince in his grant, that it may be certainly known what passes, and is conveyed, by the grant. There was a much larger possession promised them, which in due time they would have possessed if they had been obedient, reaching even to the river Euphrates, Deu. 11:24. And even so far the dominion of Israel did extend in David's time and Solomon's, 2 Chr. 9:26. But this which is here described is Canaan only, which was the lot of the nine tribes and a half, for the other two and a half were already settled, v. 14, 15. Now concerning the limits of Canaan observe,

  • I. That it was limited within certain bounds: for God appoints the bounds of our habitation, Acts 17:26. The borders are set them,
    • 1. That they might know whom they were to dispossess, and how far the commission which was given them extended (ch. 33:53), that they should drive out the inhabitants. Those that lay within these borders, and those only, they must destroy; hitherto their bloody sword must go, and no further.
    • 2. That they might know what to expect the possession of themselves. God would not have his people to enlarge their desire of worldly possessions, but to know when they have enough, and to rest satisfied with it. The Israelites themselves must not be placed alone in the midst of the earth, but must leave room for their neighbours to live by them. God sets bounds to our lot; let us then set bounds to our desires, and bring our mind to our condition.
  • II. That it lay comparatively in a very little compass: as it is here bounded, it is reckoned to be but about 160 miles in length and about fifty in breadth; perhaps it did not contain more than half as much ground as England, and yet this is the country which was promised to the father of the faithful and was the possession of the seed of Israel. This was that little spot of ground in which only, for many ages, God was known, and his name was great, Ps. 76:1. This was the vineyard of the Lord, the garden enclosed; but, as it is with gardens and vineyards, the narrowness of the extent was abundantly compensated by the extraordinary fruitfulness of the soil, otherwise it could not have subsisted so numerous a nation as did inhabit it. See here then,
    • 1. How small a part of the world God has for himself. Though the earth is his, and the fullness thereof, yet few have the knowledge of him and serve him; but those few are happy, very happy, because fruitful to God.
    • 2. How small a share of the world God often gives to his own people. Those that have their portion in heaven have reason to be content with a small pittance of this earth; but, as here, what is wanting in quantity is made up in quality; a little that a righteous man has, having it from the love of God and with his blessing, is far better and more comfortable than the riches of many wicked, Ps. 37:16.
  • III. It is observable what the bounds and limits of it were.
    • 1. Canaan was itself a pleasant land (so it is called Dan. 8:9), and yet it bordered upon wilderness and seas, and was surrounded with divers melancholy prospects. Thus the vineyard of the church is compassed on all hands with the desert of this world, which serves as a foil to it, to make it appear the more beautiful for situation.
    • 2. Many of its borders were its defences and natural fortifications, to render the access of enemies the more difficult, and to intimate to Israel that the God of nature was their protector, and with his favour would compass them as with a shield.
    • 3. The border reached to the river of Egypt (v. 5), that the sight of that country which they could look into out of their own might remind them of their bondage there, and their wonderful deliverance thence.
    • 4. Their border is here made to begin at the Salt Sea (v. 3), and there it ends, v. 12. This was the remaining lasting monument of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. That pleasant fruitful vale in which these cities stood became a lake, which was never stirred by any wind, bore no vessels, was replenished with no fish, no living creature of any sort being found in it, therefore called the Dead Sea. This was part of their border, that it might be a constant warning to them to take heed of those sins which had been the ruin of Sodom; yet the iniquity of Sodom was afterwards found in Israel (Eze. 16:49), for which Canaan was made, though not a salt sea as Sodom, yet a barren soil, and continues so to this day.
    • 5. Their western border was the Great Sea (v. 6), which is now called the Mediterranean. Some consider this sea itself to have been a part of their possession, and that by virtue of this grant, they had the dominion of it, and, if they had not forfeited it by sin, might have rode masters of it.

Num 34:16-29

God here appoints commissioners for the dividing of the land to them. The conquest of it is taken for granted, though as yet there was never a stroke struck towards it. Here is no nomination of the generals and commanders-in-chief that should carry on the war; for they were to get the land in possession, not by their own sword or bow, but by the power and favour of God; and so confident must they be of victory and success while God fought for them that the persons must now be named who should be entrusted with the dividing of the land, that is, who should preside in casting the lots, and determine controversies that might arise, and see that all was done fairly.

  • 1. The principal commissioners, who were of the quorum, were Eleazar and Joshua (v. 17), typifying Christ, who, as priest and king, divides the heavenly Canaan to the spiritual Israel; yet, as they were to go by the lot, so Christ acknowledges the disposal must be by the will of the Father, Mt. 20:23. Compare, Eph. 1:11.
  • 2. Besides these, that there might be no suspicion of partiality, a prince of each tribe was appointed to inspect this matter, and to see that the tribe he served for was in no respect injured. Public affairs should be so managed as not only to give their right to all, but, if possible, to give satisfaction to all that they have justice done them. It is a happiness to a land to have the princes of their people meet together, some out of every tribe, to concert the affairs that are of common concern, a constitution which is the abundant honour, ease, and safety, of the nation that is blessed with it.
  • 3. Some observe that the order of the tribes here very much differs from that in which they hitherto, upon all occasions, been named, and agrees with the neighbourhood of their lots in the division of the land. Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, the first three here named, lay close together; the inheritance of Dan lay next them on one side, that of Ephraim and Manasseh on another side; Zebulun and Issachar lay abreast more northerly, and, lastly, Asher and Naphtali most northward of all, as is easy to observe in looking over a map of Canaan; this (says bishop Patrick) is an evidence that Moses was guided by a divine Spirit in his writings. Known unto God are all his works beforehand, and what is new and surprising to us he perfectly foresaw, without any confusion or uncertainty.