King James Version
Numbers 34
29 verses with commentary
The Boundaries of Canaan
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
The LORD's instruction to Moses about Canaan's boundaries demonstrates that God precisely defines His people's inheritance. The borders are not arbitrary or negotiable but divinely prescribed. This teaches that God's gifts come with defined boundaries—we possess what He gives, neither less nor more. The Reformed understanding that God's sovereignty includes precise determination of our circumstanc...
Read full commentary →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:)
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KJV Study Commentary
God precisely defines Canaan's borders before Israel crosses Jordan, demonstrating His sovereign gift of specific territory. The phrase 'This is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance' uses the Hebrew 'naphal' (fall), indicating distribution by lot under divine providence. God's detailed geographical boundaries show He cares about specifics, not just generalities. The land inheritanc...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
XXXIV.
(2, 3) **When ye come . . . —**Better, *Ye are entering into the land of Canaan; this is the land which shall fall unto you for an inheritance, *(even) *the land of Canaan, according to the borders thereof. And your south quarter *(or, *district*)* shall be from the wilderness of Zin by the side of Edom; and your south border shall be from the extremity of the salt sea eastward *(or, *on th...
Read full commentary →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:
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KJV Study Commentary
The southern border beginning at the wilderness of Zin along Edom's border establishes that Israel's inheritance was distinct from their relatives. Edom (Esau's descendants) received different territory. God distinguished between Jacob and Esau in inheritance, though both were Abraham's descendants. This teaches that physical descent doesn't guarantee spiritual inheritance. The Reformed doctrine o...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 31 Nu 31:1-54. The Midianites Spoiled and Balaam Slain.
**1-2. the Lord spake unto Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites--**a semi-nomad people, descended from Abraham and Keturah, occupying a tract of country east and southeast of Moab, which lay on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea. They seem to have been the principal instigators of the infamous scheme of seduction, pl...
Read full commentary →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:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim</strong> (<em>Ma'aleh Aqrabbim</em>, Scorpion Pass)—God defines Promised Land boundaries with geographic precision before Israel enters. The southern border curves from Wilderness of Zin through treacherous Scorpion Pass (steep ascent southeast of Dead Sea) to Kadesh-barnea (where Israel rebelled 38 years prior, 13:26-14:4...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **And your border shall turn from the south . . . —**Better, *And your border shall turn on *(or, *to*)* the south side of the ascent of Akrabbim, and shall pass over to Zin; and the goings forth thereof shall be on the south of Kadesh-barnea. *The meaning appears to be that the boundary line was to go in a south-westerly direction from the southern point (or, tongue) of the Dead Sea, as far a...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 31 Nu 31:1-54. The Midianites Spoiled and Balaam Slain.
**1-2. the Lord spake unto Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites--**a semi-nomad people, descended from Abraham and Keturah, occupying a tract of country east and southeast of Moab, which lay on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea. They seem to have been the principal instigators of the infamous scheme of seduction, pl...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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</strong>—The southern boundary curves (<em>nasav</em>, compass/turn) from Azmon westward to Wadi el-Arish (the 'river of Egypt,' <em>nachal Mitzrayim</em>—not the Nile but seasonal stream marking Egypt-Canaan border), terminating at the Mediterranean (<em>yam</em>, sea).<br...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **And the border shall fetch a compass . . . —**Although the exact spots of some of the places which determined the southern border have not been positively ascertained, there seems, on the whole, very little doubt that the boundary line ran along the valleys which form a natural division between the cultivated land and the desert, from the Arabah on the east to the Mediterranean on the west, ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3. Arm some of yourselves--**This order was issued but a short time before the death of Moses. The announcement to him of that approaching event [Nu 31:2] seems to have accelerated, rather than retarded, his warlike preparations.
And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border</strong>—The Mediterranean Sea (<em>yam ha-gadol</em>, the great sea) forms Israel's western boundary. Unlike other borders requiring detailed landmarks, the sea provides natural, unambiguous limit. God uses geography—mountains, seas, rivers—to define covenant space.<br><br>The west...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **And as for the western border . . . —**Better, *And as for the western border, ye shall have the great sea and *(its) *border *(*i.e., *its coast). (See Joshua 15:47. “the great sea and the border thereof.”)
And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor</strong>—The northern boundary begins at Mediterranean, extending inland to Mount Hor (not the mountain where Aaron died, 20:22-29, but another peak in Lebanon range, possibly modern Jebel Akkar). The Hebrew <em>ta'u lakem</em> (point out/mark) implies active surveying, not passive observation.<br>...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **Mount Hor.—**It has been thought by some that Hermon is the mountain to which reference is made. But, as Ritter has observed (“Comparative Geography of Palestine,” 3, p. 176), “Hermon stands too far eastward to answer the conditions of the problem,” and he thinks that some peak very near the Mediterranean must be meant. Von Raumer considers that it was probably one of the peaks belonging to ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5. there were delivered--**that is, drafted, chosen, an equal amount from each tribe, to prevent the outbreak of mutual jealousy or strife. Considering the numerical force of the enemy, this was a small quota to furnish. But the design was to exercise their faith and animate them to the approaching invasion of Canaan.
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:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad</strong>—The northern boundary continues from Mount Hor inland to <em>Lebo-Hamath</em> (entrance/approach to Hamath), a strategic pass between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges, then to Zedad (possibly modern Sadad, northeast of Damascus).<br><br>Hamath was Aramean/Sy...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **From Mount Hor . . . —**From Mount Hor the boundary line was to pass the unknown Ziphron to the village of Enan, or Hazar-enan, which is likewise unknown. (Comp. Ezekiel 47:16-18.) This line probably crossed the northern portion of the Lebanon.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6. Moses sent ... Eleazar the priest, to the war--**Although it is not expressly mentioned, it is highly probable that Joshua was the general who conducted this war. The presence of the priest, who was always with the army (De 20:2), was necessary to preside over the Levites, who accompanied the expedition, and to inflame the courage of the combatants by his sacred services and counsels.
**hol...
Read full commentary →And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-enan: this shall be your north border</strong>—The Hebrew <em>gebul</em> (גְּבוּל, 'border/boundary') appears repeatedly in Numbers 34, establishing Israel's Promised Land boundaries. Hazar-enan (חֲצַר עֵינָן, 'village of springs') marked the northeastern limit—approximately 50 miles northeast of Damascus. Go...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7. they slew all the males--**This was in accordance with a divine order in all such cases (De 20:13). But the destruction appears to have been only partial--limited to those who were in the neighborhood of the Hebrew camp and who had been accomplices in the villainous plot of Baal-peor (Nu 25:1-3), while a large portion of the Midianites were absent on their pastoral wanderings or had saved the...
Read full commentary →And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And ye shall point out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham</strong>—The command to 'point out' uses the Hebrew <em>ta'u</em> (תָּאוּ, 'mark out/designate'), requiring active participation in God's gift. Israel must physically survey and claim what God promised. Shepham's location (possibly near the Sea of Galilee's eastern shore) marks where the northern boundary turns southward.<b...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8. the kings of Midian--**so called, because each was possessed of absolute power within his own city or district; called also dukes or princes of Sihon (Jos 13:21), having been probably subject to that Amorite ruler, as it is not uncommon in the East to find a number of governors or pachas tributary to one great king.
**Zur--**father of Cozbi (Nu 25:15).
**Balaam also ... they slew with the...
Read full commentary →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: side of the sea: Heb. shoulder of the sea
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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</strong>—The <em>yam Kinneret</em> (יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, 'Sea of Galilee,' literally 'harp-shaped sea') marks a crucial eastern boundary point. Riblah's identification remains uncertain, but the descent from highlands to the Se...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) R**iblah, on the east side of Ain.—**Ain (Heb., a *fountain*) is supposed to be the great fountain of Neba Anjar at the foot of Antilibanus, in which case Riblah must be distinguished from the Riblah in the land of Hamath, which is mentioned in 2Kings 23:33 and in Jeremiah 39:9. From this point the boundary went further southward by the side (Heb., *shoulder*) of the lake of Chinnereth, or Se...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea</strong>—The Jordan River and <em>yam ha-melach</em> (יָם הַמֶּלַח, 'Salt Sea,' the Dead Sea) form Israel's eastern boundary. At 1,410 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is earth's lowest point—a stark, lifeless body of water whose 34% salinity prevents aquatic life. Yet even this barren boundary belo...
Read full commentary →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:
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses commands the nine and a half tribes to receive their inheritance 'by lot,' emphasizing divine sovereignty in distribution. The Hebrew 'goral' (lot) was used to discern God's will, removing human favoritism or strife. Proverbs 16:33 affirms, 'The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.' This method demonstrated that each tribe's portion came from God's hand, ...
Read full commentary →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:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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</strong>—The Hebrew לָקְחוּ נַחֲלָתָם (laqechu nachalatam, "they have taken/received their inheritance") uses the perfect tense, indicating completed action. Reuben and Gad's נַחֲלָה (nachalah, "inheri...
Read full commentary →The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising</strong>—The Hebrew מֵעֵבֶר לְיַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה (me-ever le-Yarden Yericho qedmah mizrachah, "from across the Jordan of Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise") precisely locates Transjordan territory. The double emphasis on east (קֵדְמָה and מִזְ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(15) **On this side Jordan.—**Better, *Along the side or bank of Jordan. *(See Note on chapter 32:19.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**13. Moses, and Eleazar the priest, ... went forth to meet them without the camp--**partly as a token of respect and congratulation on their victory, partly to see how they had executed the Lord's commands, and partly to prevent the defilement of the camp by the entrance of warriors stained with blood.
Leaders to Divide the Land
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying</strong>—The covenant formula וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר (vayedaber YHWH el-Moshe lemor, "And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying") introduces divine instruction for Canaan's division. This marks transition from Transjordan settlement (already accomplished) to detailed plans for the nine-and-a-half tribes' western inheritance.<br><br>The formula's ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**14-18. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host--**The displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, how...
Read full commentary →These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
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KJV Study Commentary
God designates those who 'shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.' The combination of priest (Eleazar) and leader (Joshua) ensured both spiritual and practical oversight in land distribution. The Hebrew 'nachal' (divide/inherit) indicates apportioning tribal inheritances by divine lot. This partnership of priestly and governmental leadership typified Israel's...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(17) **Which shall divide the land unto you.—**Better, *Which shall give *(or, *allot*)* the land as an inheritance unto you.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**14-18. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host--**The displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, how...
Read full commentary →And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance</strong>—God commands appointing <strong>one prince</strong> (נָשִׂיא אֶחָד <em>nasi echad</em>, one leader/chief) per tribe to oversee land distribution (לִנְחֹל אֶת־הָאָרֶץ <em>linchol et-ha'aretz</em>, 'to cause the land to be inherited'). The singular emphasis—one per tribe—ensures clear tribal representatio...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **And ye shall take one prince of every tribe . . . —**In addition to Eleazar the high priest, and Joshua the commander of the army, one chief man, or prince, was to be selected out of each of the ten tribes which were interested in the division, as at the first census one out of each tribe was associated with Moses and Aaron (Numbers 1:4), and as was *probably *the case at the second census ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**14-18. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host--**The displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, how...
Read full commentary →And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh</strong>—<strong>Caleb</strong> (כָּלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה <em>Kalev ben-Yefunneh</em>), the faithful spy from 40 years earlier (Numbers 13:6,30), represents Judah in land distribution. His appointment honors faithfulness—while his generation perished in wilderness, Caleb survived to receive promised inheritan...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**14-18. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host--**The displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, how...
Read full commentary →And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud</strong>—Simeon's appointed representative (Shemuel the son of Ammihud) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of alloc...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**14-18. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host--**The displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, how...
Read full commentary →Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon</strong>—Benjamin's appointed representative (Elidad the son of Chislon) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of all...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person ... purify both yourselves and your captives--**Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Le 15:13; Nu 19:9-12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, house...
Read full commentary →And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli</strong>—Dan's appointed representative (Bukki the son of Jogli) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of allocating Promised...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person ... purify both yourselves and your captives--**Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Le 15:13; Nu 19:9-12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, house...
Read full commentary →The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod</strong>—Manasseh's appointed representative (Hanniel the son of Ephod) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of alloc...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person ... purify both yourselves and your captives--**Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Le 15:13; Nu 19:9-12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, house...
Read full commentary →And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan</strong>—Ephraim's appointed representative (Kemuel the son of Shiphtan) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of all...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person ... purify both yourselves and your captives--**Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Le 15:13; Nu 19:9-12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, house...
Read full commentary →And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach</strong>—Zebulun's appointed representative (Elizaphan the son of Parnach) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person ... purify both yourselves and your captives--**Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Le 15:13; Nu 19:9-12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, house...
Read full commentary →And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan</strong>—Issachar's appointed representative (Paltiel the son of Azzan) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of alloc...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person ... purify both yourselves and your captives--**Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Le 15:13; Nu 19:9-12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, house...
Read full commentary →And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi</strong>—Asher's appointed representative (Ahihud the son of Shelomi) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of allocatin...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**25-39. Take the sum of the prey that was taken--**that is, of the captives and cattle, which, having been first lumped together according to ancient usage (Ex 15:9; Jud 5:30), were divided into two equal parts: the one to the people at large, who had sustained a common injury from the Midianites and who were all liable to serve: and the other portion to the combatants, who, having encountered th...
Read full commentary →And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud</strong>—Naphtali's appointed representative (Pedahel the son of Ammihud) ensures fair land distribution for his tribe. The specific naming of all tribal leaders demonstrates Scripture's historical precision—these weren't generic placeholders but actual historical figures overseeing the monumental task of a...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**25-39. Take the sum of the prey that was taken--**that is, of the captives and cattle, which, having been first lumped together according to ancient usage (Ex 15:9; Jud 5:30), were divided into two equal parts: the one to the people at large, who had sustained a common injury from the Midianites and who were all liable to serve: and the other portion to the combatants, who, having encountered th...
Read full commentary →These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan</strong>—The concluding formula emphasizes divine command: <strong>the LORD commanded</strong> (צִוָּה יְהוָה <em>tzivah YHWH</em>) these specific men for this sacred task. The phrase <strong>divide the inheritance</strong> (לְנַחֵל אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל <em>lenachel et-benei-...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**25-39. Take the sum of the prey that was taken--**that is, of the captives and cattle, which, having been first lumped together according to ancient usage (Ex 15:9; Jud 5:30), were divided into two equal parts: the one to the people at large, who had sustained a common injury from the Midianites and who were all liable to serve: and the other portion to the combatants, who, having encountered th...
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