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Boundaries of the Land

34 The Lord told Moses, “Issue these orders to the Israelis: ‘You’re about to enter the land of Canaan. This territory has been apportioned to you as your inheritance: the entire land of Canaan, all the way to its borders.’”

The Southern Border of Israel

“‘To your south is the Wilderness of Zin, bordering Edom. Your southern border is to extend east toward the far end of the Dead[a] Sea, then it is to turn southward to the ascent of Akrabbim, cross Zin, and then run south of Kadesh-barnea and proceed from there to Hazar-addar and across to Azmon. Then the border is to turn from Azmon toward the wadi[b] of Egypt and from there to the Mediterranean[c] Sea.’”

The Western Border of Israel

“‘The western[d] border is to be the Mediterranean[e] Sea. This is to be the western border.’”

The Northern Border of Israel

“‘Your northern border is to extend from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor. From Mount Hor, you are to mark out the entrance to Hammath, with the border running through Zedad, then through Ziphron, and then to Hazar-enan. This is to be the northern border.’”

The Eastern Border of Israel

10 “‘You are to mark the border on the east from Hazar-enan to Shepham. 11 The border is then to extend from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain, then to the Sea of Chinnereth[f] on the east. 12 The border is to continue along the Jordan River all the way to the Dead Sea. This is to be your land, as measured by its boundaries.’”

Assigning Tribal Responsibilities

13 Moses commanded the Israelis, “You are to inherit this land by lot, just as the Lord commanded to give it to the remaining[g] nine and a half tribes. 14 The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, as defined by their ancestral houses, have received their inheritance. 15 These two and a half tribes received their inheritance this side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho, facing the rising sun.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 34:3 Lit. Salt; and so in 34:12
  2. Numbers 34:5 I.e. a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times
  3. Numbers 34:5 The Heb. lacks Mediterranean
  4. Numbers 34:6 Lit. sea
  5. Numbers 34:6 Lit. Great; and so throughout the chapter
  6. Numbers 34:11 I.e. the Sea of Galilee
  7. Numbers 34:13 The Heb. lacks remaining

The Land of Canaan Is Divided

34 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the Israelites[a] and say to them, ‘When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that was allotted to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its boundaries. Your southern edge will be from the desert of Zin toward the side of Edom, and your southern border will be from the end of the Salt Sea[b] to the east; your boundary will turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim[c] and will pass over to Zin, and its limits will be from the south of Kadesh Barnea; it will continue to Hazar Addar and pass over to Azmon. The boundary will turn from Azmon to the valley of Egypt, and its limits will be to the sea.

“‘Your western boundary will be the Great Sea;[d] this will be your western boundary. Your northern border will be from the Great Sea;[e] you will make a boundary from the Great Sea[f] to Mount Hor. From Mount Hor you will make a boundary to reach Hamath; the limits of the territory will be at Zedad. The boundary will go out to Ziphron, and its limits will be at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary to the north.

10 “‘You will mark out your eastern boundary from Hazar Enan to Shepham; 11 the boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah from the east side of Ain, and the boundary will go down and border on the eastern side of the Sea of Kinnereth. 12 The boundary will go down to the Jordan, and its limits will be at the Salt Sea.[g] This will be your land according to its boundaries all around.’”

13 So Moses commanded the Israelites,[h] saying, “This is the land that you will obtain as an inheritance for yourself by lot, which Yahweh commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes. 14 For the tribe of the children of the Reubenites,[i] the children of the Gadites,[j] and the half-tribe of Manasseh took their inheritance according to the house of their families.[k] 15 The two and a half tribes have taken their inheritance from beyond the Jordan across Jericho, east toward the sunrise.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 34:2 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  2. Numbers 34:3 That is, the Dead Sea
  3. Numbers 34:4 Or “Scorpions”
  4. Numbers 34:6 That is, the Mediterranean
  5. Numbers 34:7 That is, the Mediterranean
  6. Numbers 34:7 That is, the Mediterranean
  7. Numbers 34:12 That is, the Dead Sea
  8. Numbers 34:13 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  9. Numbers 34:14 Hebrew “Reubenite”
  10. Numbers 34:14 Hebrew “Gadite”
  11. Numbers 34:14 Or “their fathers”