Deuteronomy 3: God’s Mission Continues To Next Generation

Deuteronomy 3: God’s Mission Continues To Next Generation

Collin Leong. 24th June 2026

(v1-22) The Defeat of King Og

(v1-3) "Then we turned and went up the to Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. But the LORD said to me, 'Do not fear him, for I have given him and his people and land into your hand. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon the king of the Amorites. So the LORD gave Og and all his people into our hands, and we struck him down until he had no survivor left."

Exp: He is recalling Num 21:33-35. The location of the battle is Edrei, a fortified city in Bashan (northern Transjordan - i.e. East of Jordan river). 

(v4-7) "And we took all his cities at that time - sixty cities, the whole region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates and bars, besides very many unwalled villages. And we devoted them to destruction, as we did to Sihon, devoting to destruction every city, men, women, and children. But the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as our plunder."

Exp: Argob was a district in Bashan, east of the Jordan River, in what is today the Golan Heights area. It was famous for its fortified cities and rocky terrain. The name Argob itself is linked to “stony” or “rugged,” reflecting its landscape. Numbers did not mention Argob, but it was mentioned again in 1 Kings 4:13 as part of Solomon's administrative districts. In 1967, Israel took Golan Heights again, from Syria, in the 6-day war. 

(v8-10) "So we took the land at that time out of the hand of two kings of the Amorites from the Valley of Arnon to Mount Hermon (The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, while the Amorites call it Senir), all the cities of the tableland and all Gilead and all Bashan, as far as Selecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og.

(v11) "For only Og the king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bed was iron. Is it not in Rabbah of the Ammonites? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its breadth, according to the common cubit."

Exp: Og was a Rephaim, the giant men. His bed was 13.5 ft (4.1 meters) long and 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide. (A cubit is generally taken as about 18 inches or 45 cm, though exact length varied by culture.) 

Moses says that Og's bed was in Rabbah, the capital city in Ammon. How does Moses know that? Some scholars believe that this phrase was edited in sometime in the future, pointing readers to where the bed could still be seen in their own time.  This would mean the bed was moved from Bashan to Rabbah after the war, as a gift to the Ammonites. The other option is that the bed was already in Rabbah for some reason, and Moses was told by the locals, or he receive the knowledge from God. 

(v12-13a) "When we took possession of this land at that time, I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory beginning at Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead with it's cities. The rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, that is all the region of Argob, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh."

Exp: This is a recall of Num 32:33. 

(v13b -14)  "(All that portion of Bashan is called the land of Rephaim. Jair the Manassite took all the region of Argob (in Bashan), as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites. He called the villages after his own name, Havvoth-jair, as it is to this day.)

Exp: This is a recall of Num 32:41. Jair the Manassite, a descendant of Manasseh (through Machir), captured Argob and named its villages Havvoth-jair (“villages of Jair”). The land he took was up to the border of Geshurites and Maacathites. Geshurites belong to a small Aramean kingdom east of the Sea of Galilee, later allied by marriage to David (2 Sam 3:3). Maacathites is another small kingdom near Mount Hermon on the north, north of Geshur.   

(v15-17) "To Machir I gave Gilead, and to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead as far as the Valley of Arnon, with the middle of the valley as a border, as far over as the river Jabbok, the border of the Ammonites; the Arabah also, with the Jordan as the border, from Chinnereth as far as the Sea of Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah on the east. 

Exp: Machir was the firstborn son of Manasseh, grandson of Joseph (Genesis 50:23; Numbers 26:29). Through Machir came Gilead, his son, which is why the clan of Gilead is traced back to him (Numbers 26:29). The region of Gilead is east of the Jordan River, bounded by the Yarmuk River in the north and the Arnon River in the south.  The clan of Manasseh (referred here as Machir) was given the northern part of the Gilead region and Bashan (Num 32:39-40). Gad's portion overlap the southern Gilead region, and Reuben was south of Gad, from the border of Heshbon to the Arnon River, bordering with Moab.  (The Sea of Arabah is the Salt Sea)

(v18-20) "And I commanded you at that time, saying 'The LORD you God has give you this land to possess. All your men of valor shall cross over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel. Only your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) shall remain in the cities that I have given you, until the LORD gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also occupy the land that God gives to them beyond Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession which I have given you.'

Exp: This recalls the event in Numbers 32:28-32. Moses commanded the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh to cross the Jordan together with other tribes,  while their families stayed behind, and they can come back after the war has been won. These clans agreed with Moses. 

(v21-22) And I have commanded Joshua at that time, 'Your eyes have seen all that the LORD has done to the two kings. So will the LORD do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing. You shall not fear them, for it is the LORD your God who fights for you.

Exp: There is no direct verse in Numbers where Moses encourages Joshua in v21-22. He did commission Joshua to take over his place and lead the battle (Num 27:18-23). This could be a private words Moses had with Joshua. 

(v23-29) Moses Forbidden To Enter the Land

(v23-25) "And I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, 'O Lord GOD, you have only begin to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts of yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.'

Exp: This is a personal request from Moses to God. Numbers did not have this account. Note that Moses address this request to "Lord GOD", not the usual "LORD".  In Hebrew, "LORD" means YHWH, meaning "I AM".  "Lord GOD" means Adonai YWHH. “Adonai” in Hebrew means “Lord” or “Master,” emphasizing God’s sovereignty, authority, and covenant faithfulness. "Lord GOD" emphasize God’s sovereign rulership.

(v26-27) "But the LORD was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the LORD said to me, 'Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to see west, north, south, and east, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan.'"

Exp: In Num 20:12, God declares that Moses and Aaron will not bring the assembly into the land because of their disobedience at Meribah. Moses blamed the people for his outburst in striking the rock, instead of speaking to it, as God commanded. He had been very patient with the people and even asked God not to punish them for many events. But this time, he lost his cool and disobeyed God.

In Num 27:12-14, God commands Moses to ascend Mount Abarim to view the land. However in v27, Moses said he was asked to go up to Pisgah. The names Pisgah and Abarim are often understood as overlapping or related ridges east of the Jordan, near Nebo. Deuteronomy narrows the location to Pisgah, while Numbers uses the broader term Abarim. Numbers also did not record that God scolded him by saying 'Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again.' Again, this could be a private conversation with God that was not revealed in Numbers. 

(v28-29) 'But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.' So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor.

Exp: As in v21-22, Moses' encouragement to Joshua may be a private event. Beth-peor is located near Mount Nebo/Pisgah, and is remembered as the place where some Israelites worship Baal after being seduced by Moab women (Num 25:1-5). The valley opposite Beth-peor is the place Moses died (Deut 34:6).

Key Messages

Deuteronomy 3 recounts Israel’s conquest of Og king of Bashan, the distribution of land to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, Moses’ charge to Joshua to lead Israel into the promised land, and Moses’ own plea to enter the land which God denies. It emphasizes God’s power in defeating mighty enemies, the fulfillment of His promises through land inheritance, the importance of courageous leadership, and the sobering reality of divine discipline. Themes include divine victory, inheritance, leadership succession, obedience, and God’s sovereignty.

1. Victory over Og, King of Bashan (vv. 1–11)

Israel defeats Og and his fortified cities, showing God’s power over seemingly invincible foes.

Application: Believers are reminded that no obstacle is too great when God fights for His people. Faith requires confidence in God’s strength rather than fear of human might.

2. Distribution of Land East of the Jordan (vv. 12–20)

The conquered land is given to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, with the condition that they help their brothers secure the rest of the land.

Application: Believers are reminded that blessings come with responsibility. God’s gifts are not for selfish enjoyment but for service and solidarity with His people.

3. Charge to Joshua (vv. 21–22)

Moses encourages Joshua to lead Israel, assuring him that God will give victory just as He did against Sihon and Og.

Application: Believers are reminded that leadership requires courage rooted in God’s promises. Passing the mantle of faith to the next generation is essential for God’s mission to continue.

4. Moses’ Plea and God’s Refusal (vv. 23–29)

Moses prays to enter the land, but God denies his request, allowing him only to view it from afar. Joshua is commissioned to lead instead.

Application: Believers are reminded that God’s discipline is firm yet merciful. Even great leaders face consequences for disobedience. Faith means accepting God’s will, trusting His plan, and preparing others to carry forward His mission.