Deuteronomy 3

Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan. Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.

The LORD said to me, “Don’t fear him; for I have delivered him, with all his people and his land, into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”

So the LORD our God also delivered into our hand Og, the king of Bashan, and all his people. We struck him until no one was left to him remaining.

We took all his cities at that time. There was not a city which we didn’t take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, in addition to a great many villages without walls.

We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones.

But all the livestock, and the plunder of the cities, we took for plunder for ourselves.

We took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon.

(The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir.)

We took all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.)

This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead with its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites;

and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh—all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim.

Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called them, even Bashan, after his own name, Havvoth Jair, to this day.)

I gave Gilead to Machir.

To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and its border, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;

the Arabah also, and the Jordan and its border, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah eastward.

I commanded you at that time, saying, “The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it. All of you men of valor shall pass over armed before your brothers, the children of Israel.

But your wives, and your little ones, and your livestock, (I know that you have much livestock), shall live in your cities which I have given you,

until the LORD gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God gives them beyond the Jordan. Then you shall each return to his own possession, which I have given you.”

I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, “Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings. So shall the LORD do to all the kingdoms where you go over.

You shall not fear them; for the LORD your God himself fights for you.”

I begged GOD at that time, saying,

“Lord GOD, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or in earth that can do works like yours, and mighty acts like yours?

Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that fine mountain, and Lebanon.”

But the LORD was angry with me because of you, and didn’t listen to me. The LORD said to me, “That is enough! Speak no more to me of this matter.

Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes; for you shall not go over this Jordan.

But commission 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 you shall see.”

So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter recounts Israel’s conquest of Bashan under Moses’ leadership, the division of Transjordanian territory among the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, and Moses’ personal plea to enter the Promised Land—rebuffed by God. It stands as a transition in Deuteronomy’s narrative, marking the completion of Israel’s military preparations east of the Jordan and the passing of leadership from Moses to Joshua.

Flow.

The narrative opens with Israel’s victory over Og of Bashan, echoing the earlier defeat of Sihon, affirming God’s faithful fulfillment of His word (vv. 1–6).
A detailed account of the territory seized and its boundaries follows, emphasizing the extent and strength of the cities now under Israelite control (vv. 7–11).
Moses describes the allocation of the conquered land to the eastern tribes, conditional upon their support in the conquest west of the Jordan (vv. 12–20).
The chapter closes with Moses’ personal intercession to enter Canaan—denied by God, yet leading to the commissioning of Joshua as the new leader (vv. 21–29).

Connections.
Following chapter 2, which detailed the defeat of Sihon and the initial land distribution, this chapter completes the account of Israel’s victories in the Transjordan, solidifying the foundation for the exhortations to obedience that begin in chapter 4. The denial of Moses’ request foreshadows his impending death in chapter 34 and highlights the gravity of divine authority, which chapter 4 takes up by calling Israel to faithful covenant life under the law. The transition from Moses to Joshua, introduced here, becomes central in the final chapters.

What it teaches.
God fulfills His promises to Israel by delivering powerful kings into their hands, demonstrating His sovereignty over all nations and the surety of His covenant word (WCF 7.3). The command for the armed men of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh to join their brothers in the conquest underscores the unity of God’s people in fulfilling His appointed work (HC LD 34). Moses’ exclusion from the Promised Land, due to Israel’s past rebellion (), illustrates the seriousness of sin even in leaders, while God’s appointment of Joshua confirms that His redemptive plan advances by His grace alone (WCF 18.4). The preservation of Israel’s identity and inheritance across generations reflects God’s steadfast covenant faithfulness.

Apply.
Trust God’s promises even when human leadership fails, because His purposes are carried forward by His sovereign hand.

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