King James Version

What Does Deuteronomy 3:11 Mean?

“For 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.”

Context

( Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)

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

For 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.

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.

And 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.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(11) **Of the remnant of giants**—i.e., of the nation of Rephaim in these parts. (See Note on Genesis 14:5.) **His bedstead.**—The word may mean either bedstead or coffin. Both the word for “bedstead” and the word for “iron” have given rise to some discussion and difficulty. An iron bedstead and an iron coffin are almost equally improbable. *Basalt *has been suggested as an alternative. But though there is basalt in Argob, there is none in Rabbath-Ammon. Conder, who has recently explored Rabbath, has discovered a remarkable throne of stone on the side of a hill there, and he suggests that the Hebrew word rendered “bedstead,” which properly signifies *a couch with a canopy, *may apply to this. The word for “iron” (b*arz*îl) in Talmudical language means also “*a prince,” *and this meaning has been suggested for the name *Barzillai, *which we find in the same district in later times. “His canopied throne was a princely one, and yet remains in Rabbath of the Ammonites,” would be the meaning of the passage, on this hypothesis. The dimensions of the throne recently discovered are said to be nearly those given in this verse. **After the cubit of a man**-*Ish *(not *adam*) the distinctive and emphatic word for a man. Some think that the cubit of *any man *is meant; others that the man himself for whom it was made, *viz., *Og, is intended. (Comp. Revelation 21:17, “according to the measure of a man—*i.e., *of an angel.”)

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Deuteronomy. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Deuteronomy 3:11 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.