Deuteronomy 3

King James Version

Full text for Deuteronomy Chapter 3

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.

2And 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.

3So 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.

4And 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.

5All these cities [were] fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many.

6And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.

7But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.

8And 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 Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)

10All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

11For 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.

12¶ 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.

13And 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.

14Jair 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.

15And I gave Gilead unto Machir.

16And 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;

17The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast [thereof], from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, [even] the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward.

18And 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.

19But 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;

20Until 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.

21¶ 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.

22Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.

23And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,

24O 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?

25I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that [is] beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

26But 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.

27Get 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.

28But 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.

29So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

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.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with Israel's successful campaign against Og, king of Bashan, at Edrei, where the Lord delivered Og and all his people into their hands. They utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Og's sixty cities and many unwalled towns, taking only the cattle and spoil for themselves. This vast territory, stretching from the river Arnon to Mount Hermon, was then divided among the tribes. The Reubenites and Gadites received land from Aroer to half of Gilead, while the half-tribe of Manasseh was given the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, including the region of Argob. Moses then commanded these eastern tribes to send their armed men across the Jordan to assist the other tribes in conquering their inheritance, promising they could return to their own possessions once the Lord had given rest to all Israel. Finally, Moses recounts his earnest prayer to the Lord to be allowed to enter the good land beyond Jordan, but the Lord, being wroth for the people's sake, refused his request and instead commanded him to charge, encourage, and strengthen Joshua, who would lead the people into the land.

Long Summary

Deuteronomy chapter three details the final stages of Israel's conquest east of the Jordan River, beginning with their advance into Bashan and the decisive victory over Og, its king, at Edrei. The Lord assured Moses not to fear Og, promising to deliver him and his land into Israel's hand, just as He had done with Sihon. Consequently, Israel smote Og and his people until none remained, capturing all sixty of his fortified cities, which were well-defended, along with numerous unwalled towns. Following the divine command, they utterly destroyed the men, women, and children of every city, taking only the cattle and spoil. This conquest, combined with the earlier defeat of Sihon, secured all the land on the east side of Jordan, from the river Arnon to Mount Hermon, encompassing the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan. Moses then describes the distribution of this conquered territory: the Reubenites and Gadites received the land from Aroer by the Arnon to half of Mount Gilead, while the remaining part of Gilead and all of Bashan, including the region of Argob, was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, a region known as the land of giants, highlighted by Og's massive iron bedstead. Moses then issued a command to these tribes, stating that while their wives, children, and cattle would remain in their new cities, all their men fit for war must pass over armed before their brethren to assist in conquering the land beyond Jordan. They were to continue fighting until the Lord had given rest to all the tribes of Israel, after which they could return to their own inheritance. The chapter concludes with Moses' personal plea to the Lord to be allowed to cross the Jordan and see the good land, but the Lord, wroth with Moses for the people's sake, refused his request, commanding him instead to ascend Pisgah to view the land from afar, for he would not cross the Jordan. Moses was then instructed to charge, encourage, and strengthen Joshua, confirming him as the chosen leader who would lead the people to inherit the land Moses had seen.

Core Concepts

  • Conquest of OgThis refers to Israel's decisive victory over Og, the giant king of Bashan, and the complete capture of his sixty fortified cities and vast territory. The Lord delivered Og and his people into Israel's hand, ensuring their total defeat.
  • Utter Destruction (Cherem)As with Sihon, Israel utterly destroyed the men, women, and children of every city in Bashan, taking only the cattle and spoil. This practice was a divine command for the inhabitants of these lands.
  • Territorial Distribution East of JordanThe conquered lands of Sihon and Og, stretching from the Arnon to Hermon, were allocated to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. This established their inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan River.
  • Military Obligation of Eastern TribesMoses commanded the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-Manassites to send their armed men across the Jordan to assist the other tribes in conquering the land to the west. They were to fight until all Israel had received their inheritance.
  • Moses' Denied Entry into CanaanDespite his earnest plea, the Lord refused Moses' request to enter the promised land beyond the Jordan. This denial was attributed to the Lord's wrath for the people's sake, stemming from past transgressions.
  • Joshua's CommissioningMoses was instructed by the Lord to charge, encourage, and strengthen Joshua, confirming him as the appointed leader. Joshua was destined to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan to inherit the land.