Numbers 34

Introduction

In this chapter the bounds and borders of the land Canaan are described, according to the direction of the Lord to Moses, Num. 34:1, Num. 34:2, the south border, Num. 34:3–5, the western border, Num. 34:6, the north border, Num. 34:7–9, the east border, Num.

Verse 1

And the Lord spake unto Moses At the same time that he ordered him to direct the children of Israel, when they had passed over Jordan, to drive out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, and divide their land among them, he proceeded to give the limits and boundaries of the land: saying; as follows.

Verse 2

Command the children of Israel, and say unto them Not to fix the borders, and settle the boundaries of the land, for that is done by the Lord himself, who has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of men’s habitations, and particularly of Israel, see , but to observe and take notice…

Verse 3

Then your south quarter Or border of the land; which, as Jarchi observes, was from east to west: shall be from the wilderness of Zin; which is Kadesh, where Miriam died, , and if this Kadesh was Kadeshbarnea, as Dr.

Verse 4

And your border That is, the south border, which is still describing: shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim; or Maalehacrabbim, as in so called from the multitude of serpents and scorpions in it, see , so Kimchi says [[9]], a place of serpents and scorpions was this ascent: Dr.

Verse 5

And the border shall fetch a compass Not go on in a straight line, but turn about: from Azmon unto the river of Egypt; the river Nile, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; but Aben Ezra seems to deny that that river is meant: and some think that Rhinocolura, which flows into the…

Verse 6

And as for the western border Of the land of Canaan: you shall even have the great sea for a border; and no other, meaning the Mediterranean sea, which lies west of the land of Judea; Aben Ezra calls it the Spanish sea: it has the name of “great”, in comparison of some in the land of Canaan, as the…

Verse 7

And this shall be your northern border What follows: from the great sea ye shall point out for you Mount Hor; not that Mount Hor on which Aaron died, for that was on the southern border of the land; but rather Mount Herman, which is said to be unto the entering into Hamath, as this Mount Hor is in…

Verse 8

From Mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath Antiochia, as Jarchi; or rather Epiphania, as Jerom [[16]]; the former being described by Hemath the great, , this entrance was a narrow pass leading from the land of Canaan to Syria, through the valley which lies between…

Verse 9

And the border shall go on to Ziphron Which in the Jerusalem Targum is called Zapherin; and Jerom [[17]] says, that in his time this city was called Zephyrium, a town in Cilicia; but this seems to be at too great a distance: and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan; which was the utmost of…

Verse 10

And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham. ] From the place where the northern border ended, which Jerom says [[19]] the Hebrews call Apamia, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem do here.

Verse 11

And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah Said to be in the land of Hemath, , which, according to Jerom [[22]], was Antioch of Syria; and both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem understand by it Daphne, which was in the suburbs of Antioch; but this seems to be carrying the limits of the…

Verse 12

And the border shall go down to Jordan A well known river to the east of the land of Canaan: and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea; the sea of Sodom; and though all sea water is generally salt, this was remarkably so, through the great quantity of bitumen and nitre in it; hence it was…

Verse 13

And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying Strictly enjoining them to observe what he was about to say to them: this is the land which ye shall inherit by lot; as above described and bounded: which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe; to the tribes of…

Verse 14

For the tribe of the children of Reuben, according to the house of their fathers That tribe, and all the families belonging to it: have received their inheritance, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance; that is, it was agreed they should have it on condition of their going…

Verse 15

The two tribes and the half tribe The tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh: have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho, eastward, toward the sun rising; that is, they received the grant of it there, even in the plains of Moab, opposite Jericho, which lay to…

Verse 16

And the Lord spake unto Moses At the same time that he gave him the bounds of the land of Canaan, which was to be divided between the nine tribes and a half; and that this might be done in the most impartial manner, and to the satisfaction of them all, he gave orders to Moses: saying; as follows.

Verse 17

These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you Or “inherit the land for you” [[24]]; that is, as Jarchi interprets it, they were to take possession of it in their name and stead, as their representatives, and then distribute it unto them, or divide it to be inherited by them;…

Verse 18

And ye shall take one prince out of every tribe That is, out of the nine tribes and the half, which are ten in all; of the tribes of Reuben and Gad none were taken, because they had had their inheritance granted them elsewhere; nor of the tribe of Levi, because they were to have no inheritance in…