_MOSES RELATES THE VICTORY OF ISRAEL OVER OG KING OF BASHAN, AND THE DIVISION OF HIS KINGDOM BETWEEN THE TRIBES OF REUBEN AND GAD, AND THE HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH; AND HOW HE HIMSELF WISHED TO ENTER INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN._ _Before Christ 1451._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 4. _ALL THE REGION OF ARGOB_— In the Hebrew, _all the line,_ or _cord,_ such as lands were measured by: an allusion frequent in the Holy Scriptures, Amos 7:17. Micah 2:5.Psalms 16:6. _Argob_ was a small province, lying between Jordan and the mountains of Gilead, a little above the sea of Tibe... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 8. _THAT WAS ON THIS SIDE JORDAN_— _That is,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 9. _WHICH HERMON THE SIDONIANS CALL SIRION_— _Sirion_ signifies _a mountain._ Now as Hermon, one of the mountains of Gilead, where it joins to Lebanon, rises in the territories of the Sidonians, they term it _the mountain,_ by way of eminence: it is called by this name, Psalms 29:6. _The Amor... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 11. _ONLY OG—REMAINED OF THE REMNANT OF THE GIANTS_— רפאים _Rephaim,_ who were the ancient inhabitants of the country, and of a gigantic size, descended from _Rapha;_ as the _Anakims_ were descended from _Anak,_ of the race of the giants also. _Og_ was the last of the Rephaim of the country o... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 12. _WE POSSESSED_— Or, _we took possession of._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 14. _UNTO THE COASTS OF GESHURI, AND MAACHATHI_— A people of Assyria, to the north of the tribe of Manasseh, near the source of the river Jordan. _Unto this day_ has been thought by some to have been inserted by Ezra, who added these words to certify the original of this name: but there seems... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 16. _HALF THE VALLEY, AND THE BORDER, EVEN UNTO THE RIVER JABBOK_— Or, _What is between the river and its border, as far as to the river Jabbok._ Wat. _Regionem intermediam._ Houb. See Joshua 12:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 17. _UNDER ASHDOTH-PISGAH_— _Under the declivities of Pisgah,_ Hiller. Hierophut. pars II. p. 70. _Subter clivum Phasga._ Houb. "From the mountain of _Quarantania,"_ says Dr. Shaw, "the very same, perhaps, where the _two spies_ concealed themselves, Judges 2:16 we have a distinct view of the... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE COMMENTARY ON DEUTERONOMY 3:29... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 21-29. As Joshua was ordained to succeed Moses in the government, he repeats the encouragement that he gave him to be brave and confident in so good a cause. Joshua had seen already some of God's mighty acts, and he was assured that such would be the success which should ever attend him, sinc... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 23. _AND I BESOUGHT THE LORD AT THAT TIME_— The Samaritan text introduces this petition, &c. in Numbers 20:13 where, probably, it has been omitted in the Hebrew text for brevity sake, _And I implored grace,_ says Moses; according to the original, _I prayed God to pardon me._ The chastisements... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 24. _WHAT GOD IS THERE IN HEAVEN,_ &C.— Moses here speaks in reference to the popular notion of the times concerning particular and tutelary gods; yet, at the same time, with a full confession of his belief in the omnipotence of Jehovah. St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 8:5 seems plainly to refer to t... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 25. _THAT GOODLY MOUNTAIN, AND LEBANON_— The French renders this, _that goodly mountain, that is to say, Lebanon; c'est a savoir, le Liban._ Some commentators suppose mount Moriah, on which the temple was built, to be meant. But there seems no ground for this supposition. A similar mode of ex... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE COMMENTARY ON DEUTERONOMY 3:29... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 28. _BUT CHARGE JOSHUA, AND ENCOURAGE HIM_— This, as Grotius judiciously observes, is what every good prince ought to do to his successor. He ought to instruct him, to animate him to glory. If he does otherwise, through the fear of effacing or diminishing his own reputation, he dishonours hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 29. _SO WE ABODE IN THE VALLEY OVER AGAINST BETH-PEOR_— _Beth-peor_ was one of those cities in the plains of Moab, which were given to the tribe of Reuben. The Israelites continued encamped in this valley from their conquest of the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, till their passage over Jordan, und... [ Continue Reading ]