Today we can't even get agreement between two parties often; but God settled 12 of them.

Numbers Chapter 34: Canaan’s Borders are Specified by God; Officials Named to Apportion the Inheritance to the Sons of Israel

(Courtesy of ConformingtoJesus.com)

 

Intro to Numbers 34:1-29

Day 92. Nothing new to report on the Covid-19 front. Some are fearing a second wave on its way; others think it’s still the tail end of the first. Toronto remains in Phase 1 of Re-opening, but with a little gas in your car, you can drive just north of the City and get your hair cut. (Men only; women, I’m told, would rather wait than switch.) We press on with our study of Numbers. In this chapter (Numbers 34), God tells Moses the exact extend of the Promised Land and its southern, western, northern, and eastern borders. Pretty simple really, but no, everybody and their uncle since 1947 when Israel became a state again, somebody has tried to change the boundaries still. Let’s take a closer look.

The Passage

Verses 1-5 describe the southern border.
Verse 6 describes the western border.

Verses 7-9, the northern border.
Verses 10-12, the eastern border.

In verses 13-15, Moses says this land was to be the inheritance for 9.5 tribes as the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh got their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan earlier.

Verses 16-29 tell that in charge of this division of property would be Eleazar the high priest and Joshua. They would have ten men (one from each of the 9.5 tribes) helping them out.

Thoughts on the Passage

The first thing I notice here is that we had 12 tribes (but 13 groups since the tribe of Joseph was two half-tribes). Two and a half tribes (or 3 groups) got their land east of the Jordan. The tribe of Levi gets no land as they are the priesthood. That would leave 9.5 groups to get the land west of the Jordan, which agrees with verse 13 of this chapter.

However, one of those groups that got their land earlier, east of the Jordan was that of Manasseh.  Yet that group has a leader appointed (see verse 23) to assist in this division of property.

Robert Jamieson says that the appointee was from the “western segment of the half-tribe of Manasseh – applying that some of Manasseh’s tribe did decide to reside in the Promised Land. And when we check the majority of the maps describing that period of time, we find that Manasseh’s tribe did indeed reside on both sides of the Jordan – some stayed in the old land of the Moabites and some went into the Promised Land.

Also, we would note that as Jamieson writes, “The names are mentioned in the exact order in which the tribes obtained possession of the land, and according to brotherly connection.”

Also, take a look at verse 5 – the reference there is to “the brook of Egypt”. David Guzik says: “There is some debate about the identity of the Brook of Egypt; is it the Nile river, or a smaller stream towards the south? This would determine whether or not God gave the greater Sinai region to Israel as part of the Promised Land.”  Most maps show the “brook or the river of Egypt” to cut through modern-day Egypt – but clearly the Israelites didn’t claim that in 1947.

Wrap-up

At first, I had to do some real mathematical gymnastics to make the events and numbers of chapter 32 balance with those of this chapter. The ‘snag’ for me was that Manasseh’s half-tribe had one might say a split-personality.

God, the Hero of every chapter of the Bible, indeed kept His Word and gave land, in accordance to their size, and I would imagine, what was already there, to each of the tribes that wanted to cross over Jordan and enter the Promised Land.

He was even generous enough to allows some tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of the half-tribe of Manasseh) to not end up in the Promised Land, and going even further, He allowed Manasseh’s half-tribe to be split into two again, so that some crossed over Jordan and some didn’t. This is the accommodating character of God to give His children what He possibly could, while at the same time, ensuring that His divine plan for us is being fulfilled.

We serve an amazing God.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.