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DEUTERONOMY
CHAPTER 3

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.

After defeating Sihon, the nation turned North. Then Og, king of Bashan made war with Israel. But God delivered Og's armies into the hands of the Israelites. Then the armies of Israel conquered all the way up to Edrei (verse 10), and took over all the land according to God's direction.
They conquered over 60 cities that were walled and fenced and heavily armed (verses 4-5). From the Arnon River North, all the way to Mt. Hermon. HOW? God delivered.
Keep in mind, the Israelites had been in the desert wilderness for 39 years. They hardly had any weapons.

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.

You can imagine how a man of Og's size would be feared in those days. His bed was 13 and 1/2 feet long by 6 feet wide. Later, we'll hear about Goliath who was (1Samuel 17) 9 feet and 9 inches tall!

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, Bashan-havothjair, unto this day.

The tribes of Teuben and Gad received their inheritance on the West side of Jordan where all those peoples previously described had been conquered. Also one-half of Manasseh received their inheritance in this area.

15 And I gave Gilead unto Machir.

Machir, Manasseh's descendent had conquered Gilead and God decreed that specific area to him and his family (Numbers 32:40). Later we'll see how this is important.

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.

The land described here was divided among the two tribes of Reuben and Gad. God has a special place for everyone.

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.

Moses reminds these 2 and 1/2 tribes that they are to march in war with the other tribes so they might receive their inheritance.
Are we responsible for our neighbor? There is something about the way this passage of Scripture is written that makes me THINK. Are we to rest in our own place which God gives us by grace, and not fight to help others know that place of salvation in Jesus? Shall fear of contention in the world keep us from diligently trying to lead others to Christ (verse 21).

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.

Moses really wanted to go with the nation into the promised land. He was willing to fight with them, and he was still quite able (see Deuteronomy 34:5-7).
Why then would God not allow Moses that privilege? I think Moses tells us in verse 26: "...the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes.."
God forgives sin. Therefore it is not unforgiven sin that keeps Moses from the Promised Land. But Moses symbolizes the LAW in the Word of God. And the law cannot save a person: only GOD can save a person.
Since Moses' sin was because of his anger toward the people, he could not go with them. Because though God is angry with sinners ever day, His goal is to save them.

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.

Therefore, God instructs Moses to encourage (teach, instruct, inspire) Joshua to be the "deliverer" of the people into the promised land.
Moses is a picture of the Law. Jesus DIED under the law for our sakes. Joshua is a picture of Christ in deliverance. Jesus delivers us from slavery to sin AND slavery to law. He went before us to the grave, and conquered death for us.

Please continue to follow with us daily in Bible study.