Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Numbers 34

Introduction

1  The borders of the land.
16  The names of the men who shall divide the land.

Verse 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:)
is the land
33:51-53, Genesis 12:6,7, 13:15-17, 15:16-21, 17:8, Deuteronomy 1:7,8, Psalms 78:55, Psalms 105:11, Ezekiel 47:14, Acts 17:26
an inheritance
Psalms 16:5,6, Jeremiah 3:19, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 1:14,18, 1 Peter 1:3,4

Verse 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:
south quarter
Exodus 23:31, Joshua 15:1-12, Ezekiel 47:13,19-23
salt sea eastward
The lake Asphaltites, Dead sea, or Salt sea, is, according to the most authentic accounts, about 70 miles in length, and 18 in breadth. Viewing this sea from the spot where the Jordan discharges its waters into it, it takes a south-easterly direction, visible for ten or fifteen miles, when it disappears in a curve towards the east. Its surface is generally unruffled, from the hollow of the basin in which it lies scarcely admitting the free passage necessary for a strong breeze: it is, however, for the same reason, subject to whirlwinds or squalls of short duration. The mountains on each side are apparently separated by a distance of eight miles; but the expanse of water at this point has been supposed not to exceed five or six: as it advances towards the south, it evidently increases in breadth. The acrid saltness of its waters is much greater than that of the sea; and of such specific gravity that bodies will float on it that would sink in common sea-water. It is probably on this account that few fish can live in it; though the monks of St. Saba affirmed to Dr. Shaw, that they had seen fish caught in it.
Genesis 14:3, Joshua 3:16, 15:2, Ezekiel 47:8,18

Verse 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:
Akrabbim
Joshua 15:3, Judges 1:36
Zin
3, 13:21, 20:1, 33:36,37
Kadesh-barnea
13:26, 32:8
Hazar-addar
Joshua 15:3,4

Verse 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.
the river
Genesis 15:18, Joshua 15:4,47, 1 Kings 8:65, Isaiah 27:12
the sea
6,7

Verse 6

And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.
Joshua 1:4, 9:1, 15:12,47, 23:4, Ezekiel 47:10,15,20

Verse 7

And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:
north border
3,6,9,10
mount Hor
33:37

Verse 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:
the entrance
13:21, Joshua 13:5,6, 2 Samuel 8:9, 2 Kings 14:25, Jeremiah 39:5, Ezekiel 47:15-20

Verse 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.
Hazar-enan
Ezekiel 47:17

Verse 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:
Riblah
2 Kings 23:33, 25:6, Jeremiah 39:5,6, 52:10,26,27
side
Heb. shoulder. sea of Chinnereth.
Deuteronomy 3:17, Joshua 11:2
Chinneroth
Joshua 19:35, Matthew 14:34, Luke 5:1
Gennesaret
John 6:1
Sea of Tiberias

Verse 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.
the salt sea
3, Genesis 13:10, 14:3, 19:24-26

Verse 13

And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe:
This is the land
1, Joshua 14:1,2

Verse 14

For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:
32:23,33, Deuteronomy 3:12-17, Joshua 13:8-12, 14:2,3

Verse 15

The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.
two tribes
These two tribes inherited the dominions of Sihon and Og, the two vanquished kings of the Amorites, which extended from the Arnon to Mount Hermon. Of those counties, Moses gave to the tribe of Reuben the south-west part, which was bounded on the south by the river Arnon, on the west by Jordan, and on the north and east by the tribe of Gad. The tribe of Gad was bounded by the river Jordan and tribe of Reuben on the west, by the half tribe of Manasseh on the north, by the kingdom of the Amorites and Arabia Deserta on the East, and by the tribe of Reuben on the south. The part belonging to the tribe of Manasseh was bounded by the tribe of Gad on the south, by the sea of Galilee and part of Jordan on the west, by Hermon and Lebanon on the north, and by the mountains of Trachonitis on the east.
on this side Jordan
32:32

Verse 17

These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
are the names
It is worthy of remark, that Moses does not follow any order hitherto used in arranging the tribes, but places them exactly in the order in which they possessed the land, and according to their fraternal relationship. Judah is first, having the first lot, in the South (Jos ch. 15); and next to him is Simeon, because his inheritance was "within the inheritance of the children of Judah." (Jos 19:1.) Benjamin, the third, had his portion between "Judah and the children of Joseph." (Jos 18:11.) Dan was the fourth, and his lot was westward of Benjamin. (Jos 19:40, 41.) Manasseh and his brother Ephraim had their inheritances behind that of Benjamin. (Jos 16:7.) Next these dwelt Zebulun and Issachar, (Jos 19:10-17;) and then Asher and Naphtali. (Jos 19:24-32.)
Eleazar
Joshua 14:1, 19:51
Joshua
13:8,16

Verse 18

And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.
1:4-16

Verse 19

And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Caleb
13:30, 14:6,24,30,38, 26:65

Verse 29

These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.
18, Joshua 19:51

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