The Law · Chapter 3 of 34
Deuteronomy 3
Moses recalls the defeat of Og king of Bashan, the last of the giants, and the taking of his sixty cities. He describes how the conquered eastern land was given to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, on condition that their fighting men cross Jordan ahead of their brethren. Moses recounts his own plea to enter the land, God's refusal for his sake, and the charge to encourage Joshua who would lead Israel in.
What happens in Deuteronomy 3
Turning toward Bashan, Israel meets Og, a giant king whose iron bedstead is remembered for its size. God tells Moses not to fear, and Israel defeats Og and takes all his sixty fenced cities, utterly destroying them as they had Sihon. Moses distributes this eastern territory to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, recalling their pledge to send armed men across Jordan ahead of the rest of Israel until their brethren find rest. He then charges Joshua, whose eyes have seen what God did to these two kings, not to fear the kingdoms ahead, for the LORD himself will fight for them.
Moses recounts his own earnest prayer, begging to be allowed to cross over and see the good land. But God, angry for the people's sake, refuses, telling him to speak no more of it, only to climb Pisgah and view the land with his eyes. Moses must charge, encourage, and strengthen Joshua, who will bring the people in.
Deuteronomy 3 in context
Continuing the historical review, this chapter completes the eastern conquests before the crossing of Jordan and records the poignant personal note of Moses being denied entry to the land for striking the rock in anger years before.
The transfer of leadership to Joshua is set here, preparing Israel for the change of leaders that will accompany their entrance into Canaan under a new commander.
Main themes of Deuteronomy 3
Deuteronomy 3 (KJV)
1Then 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. 12And 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. 21And 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.
Verses to carry from Deuteronomy 3
“Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.”Deuteronomy 3:22
“Get 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.”Deuteronomy 3:27
“But 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.”Deuteronomy 3:28
Christian typology
How Deuteronomy 3 points to Jesus
Moses, the great mediator of the law, is not permitted to bring Israel into the land; he can only see it from afar and must hand the task to Joshua. The pattern is deliberate and rich: the law given through Moses cannot bring God's people into their rest, but Joshua, whose name is the Hebrew form of Jesus, leads them across. So the New Testament teaches that the law made nothing perfect, but a better hope through Jesus brings us near, and that what the law could not do, God did by sending his own Son.
Moses' promise that the LORD himself will fight for you is answered in Christ, who conquers the powers arrayed against his people. Where the lawgiver reaches his limit, the greater Joshua leads his people all the way home.
Questions about Deuteronomy 3
Why could Moses not enter the promised land?
God refused him because of his earlier failure at the waters of Meribah, where he struck the rock in anger and did not honor God before the people. Here Moses says it was for the people's sake as well. Yet the refusal carries deeper meaning: the lawgiver cannot bring Israel into rest. That task falls to Joshua, quietly teaching that entrance into God's rest comes not through the law but through the one Joshua foreshadows.
What does the handoff to Joshua signify?
It marks a change of leaders at the threshold of the land and a truth about salvation. Moses can lead the people to the edge but not across; Joshua, bearing the name that is Jesus in Hebrew, brings them in. Christians see here a picture of Christ, who accomplishes what the law through Moses could not, leading his people into the inheritance and rest that the law could only point toward.
Reflection
There are borders your best efforts cannot cross, rest the law and your striving cannot reach. Moses learned this on Pisgah. Look instead to the greater Joshua, who leads his people all the way in, and let him fight the battles you cannot win.
A prayer from Deuteronomy 3
Read the whole Bible with the family
Open it in the app, study it live with someone, and let it lead you to Christ.
Open the BibleRead it togetherSee what God is doing