Deuteronomy Chapter 3

At a Glance

  • DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 3.
  • In Deuteronomy 3, Moses recounts the westward conquest of Og, king of Bashan, and the allotment of territory to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Written in the final decade of Moses’ life, Deuteronomy is a series of farewell sermons and legal reworkings delivered to the new generation just before they enter Canaan.
  • - God’s faithfulness and deliverance: Og’s defeat reaffirms that God fights for Israel and hands enemy territory to his people.

DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 3

Chapter Overview

In Deuteronomy 3, Moses recounts the westward conquest of Og, king of Bashan, and the allotment of territory to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The chapter sits within Moses’ broader retelling of Israel’s wilderness generation entering, and preparing to possess, the land. The narrative is both a martial history and a divine-human partnership: the Lord commands, the people respond in obedience, and victory follows. The recounting emphasizes God’s faithfulness in delivering enemy kings into Israel’s hands as a pattern for future conquest, mirroring what the Lord did against Sihon earlier in the journey. We see concrete details—territorial boundaries, cities “fenced with high walls,” and the famous “bedstead of iron” belonging to Og—to ground the memory in real landmarks. The chapter also highlights the distribution of land to the tribes, ensuring the stabilization of the community after conquest: the Reubenites and Gadites receive part of Gilead, while the rest of Bashan and Argob are assigned to Manasseh. This redistribution reinforces the communal dimension of the people—the land is a shared inheritance regulated by divine appointment and tribal affiliations. The text is less about glory in battle and more about divine sovereignty, obedience, and provision. The Lord’s command to “fear him not” and the promise to deliver Og and his land into Israel’s hand anchor the conquest in trust. Yet the chapter’s tone remains practical: it chronicles the outcome of obedience, the spoils of war, and the delineation of land that will shape Israel’s identity for generations. In sum, Deuteronomy 3 is a transitional triumph narrative that deepens confidence in God’s ongoing leadership as Israel moves toward the promised inheritance.

Historical & Literary Context

Written in the final decade of Moses’ life, Deuteronomy is a series of farewell sermons and legal reworkings delivered to the new generation just before they enter Canaan. Chapter 3 is part of the historical-narrative core of Deuteronomy that retells the wilderness wanderings as a preface to covenant obedience in the land. The genre blends memoir, forensic history, and theological exhortation: it is both a record of acts (conquests, distributions) and a summons to faithfulness. Placing this chapter here underscores the continuity between what God has done in the past and what the people are about to undertake. The chapter also functions as a pedagogy of memory—remembering victories to cultivate trust in God’s future provision. Stylistically, Deuteronomy often weaves direct divine speech with narrative detail (the Lord’s command, the smiting of enemies, the territorial allotments), creating a rhythm that binds history to law. In the larger book, this material lands after a decisive memory of God’s faithfulness at Horeb and Sihon’s defeat, setting up the central Deuteronomic calls to obedience, worship, and centralization of faith in the promised land.

Key Themes

- God’s faithfulness and deliverance: Og’s defeat reaffirms that God fights for Israel and hands enemy territory to his people.

- Obedience leading to blessing: The command to fear not, and the pattern of victory that follows obedience, shows causality between fidelity and provision.

- Land as covenant sign and communal identity: Allocation of territory reinforces who Israel is as a people—tribal allotments shape social structure and religious life.

- Memory as pedagogy: Reciting conquests serves to instruct the next generation in God’s power and mercy.

- Divine sovereignty over history: The Lord’s control of the nations (even “giant” leaders like Og) demonstrates who governs the world and who determines borders.

Modern Application

- Trusting in God amid daunting obstacles: When confronted with “giants” or seemingly insurmountable challenges, believers can recall God’s past faithfulness and step forward in obedience.

- God’s deliverance shapes communal life: Just as land and borders defined Israel’s life, communities today are called to steward resources, space, and shared spaces with justice and humility.

- The importance of memory in faith formation: Teaching children and communities about God’s deeds sustains hope and ethical living across generations.

- Combining strength with mercy: The chapter’s warfare notes invite reflection on how courage and restraint cohere—God’s people are called to act decisively yet within the moral boundaries of God’s will.

- Provision as motivation for gratitude: The spoils and settlements invite believers to cultivate a posture of gratitude and stewardship, acknowledging God as the source of every provision.

- Deuteronomy 2-4 (earlier conquered regions and recounting Horeb)

- Joshua 12-13 (Israel’s later territorial divisions and confirmation of conquest)

- Deuteronomy 8 (remembering God’s provision as they enter the land)

- Numbers 21 (victories over Sihon and Og, and Balaam episode)

Recommended Personas (Biblical insights)

- Moses (to illuminate leadership memory and covenant pedagogy)

- Joshua (to connect past conquests with future settlement)

- Levi/Joshua (to reflect on tribal land distribution and sacred space)

- Jesus (to draw parallels about trust in the Father and obedient mission)

Chapter Text

1

Then 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.

2

And 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.

3

So 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.

4

And 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.

5

All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many.

6

And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.

7

But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.

8

And 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;)

10

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

11

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.

12

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.

13

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.

14

Jair 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.

15

And I gave Gilead unto Machir.

16

And 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;

17

The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward.

18

And 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.

19

But 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;

20

Until 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.

21

And 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.

22

Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.

23

And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,

24

O 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?

25

I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

26

But 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.

27

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.

28

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.

29

So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.

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