The Boundaries of Canaan
Chapter 34 gives the borders of the land...
Chapter 34 gives the borders of the land of Canaan, which Israel was to settle according to the guidelines in 26:52–56. Ever since the call of Abraham (Gen 12:1–7), the Promised Land of Canaan had stood at the heart of the Old Testament story. Though an entire generation of Hebrews died in the wilderness because they refused to believe the report of the faithful spies (Num 13), God had reaffirmed his promise of land (33:53). Here, God reviewed the plan and identified the boundaries of the Promised Land in an idealized form (cp. Josh 13–19; Ezek 47–48). Old Testament Israel did not possess the exact extent of the territory described here (though it came close in the days of David and Solomon; e.g., 2 Sam 24:1–9), but these borders describe the region of Canaan as generally defined by Egyptian texts dating 1500–1200 BC (the period of the Hebrew invasion). The region actually occupied by Israel changed from time to time.
1Then the LORD said to Moses, 2“Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance with these boundaries:
Portions of the southern boundary of Canaan were...
Portions of the southern boundary of Canaan were familiar to Israel from earlier experiences in the wilderness of Zin on the northwestern edge of Edom (see chs 13–14). This southern frontier ran east to west in an arc from the southern end of the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.
3Your southern border will extend from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom. On the east, your southern border will run from the end of the Salt Sea,† 4cross south of the Ascent of Akrabbim,† continue to Zin, and go south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it will go on to Hazar-addar and proceed to Azmon, 5where it will turn from Azmon, join the Brook of Egypt, and end at the Sea.†
The natural western boundary of Canaan was the...
- The natural western boundary of Canaan was the Mediterranean coast (34:6). The northern boundary began at the Mediterranean and ran eastward to Mount Hor somewhere in the Lebanon range (not the place of Aaron’s death, 20:22–29).
- Lebo-hamath: Cp. 13:21; 1 Kgs 8:65; Amos 6:14.
6Your western border will be the coastline of the Great Sea; this will be your boundary on the west.
7Your northern border will run from the Great Sea directly to Mount Hor, 8and from Mount Hor to Lebo-hamath, then extend to Zedad, 9continue to Ziphron, and end at Hazar-enan. This will be your boundary on the north.
10And your eastern border will run straight from Hazar-enan to Shepham, 11then go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Chinnereth.† 12Then the border will go down along the Jordan and end at the Salt Sea.
This will be your land, defined by its borders on all sides.”
you are to divide... by sacred lot: Cp....
you are to divide . . . by sacred lot: Cp. 26:55–56. Because of the settlement of two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh) in Transjordan (cp. 32:33), Canaan was to be divided among the nine and a half remaining tribes.
13So Moses commanded the Israelites, “Apportion this land by lot as an inheritance. The LORD has commanded that it be given to the nine and a half tribes. 14For the tribes of the Reubenites and Gadites, along with the half-tribe of Manasseh, have already received their inheritance. 15These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance across the Jordan from Jericho, toward the sunrise.”
Leaders to Divide the Land
Eleazar (the high priest) and Joshua (the political...
Eleazar (the high priest) and Joshua (the political leader) were to divide the land among the remaining tribes. The ten tribal leaders who would help them are listed in 34:19–28.
16Then the LORD said to Moses, 17“These are the names of the men who are to assign the land as an inheritance for you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18Appoint one leader from each tribe to distribute the land.
Caleb son of Jephunneh is the only tribal...
Caleb son of Jephunneh is the only tribal leader who appears elsewhere in Numbers (13:6, 30; 14:6–38). Nearly all of the older generation had already died during the wilderness period (Num 26:63–65), but the two faithful spies were still leading their people.
19These are their names:
Caleb son of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah;
20Shemuel son of Ammihud from the tribe of Simeon;
21Elidad son of Chislon from the tribe of Benjamin;
22Bukki son of Jogli, a leader from the tribe of Dan;
23Hanniel son of Ephod, a leader from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph;
24Kemuel son of Shiphtan, a leader from the tribe of Ephraim;
25Eli-zaphan son of Parnach, a leader from the tribe of Zebulun;
26Paltiel son of Azzan, a leader from the tribe of Issachar;
27Ahihud son of Shelomi, a leader from the tribe of Asher;
28and Pedahel son of Ammihud, a leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”
29These are the ones whom the LORD commanded to apportion the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.