Conquests Recounted

1“Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og, king of Bashan, came out [a]with all his people to meet us in battle at Edrei. 2But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have handed him and all his people and his land over to you; and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.’ 3So the LORD our God also handed over to us Og, king of Bashan, with all his people, and we struck [b]them until no survivor was [c]left. 4We captured all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides a great many [d]unwalled towns. 6We [e]utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, [f]utterly destroying [g]the men, women, and children of every city. 7But all the animals and the spoils of the cities we took as our plunder.

8“So at that time we took the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the [h]Valley of Arnon to Mount Hermon 9(Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir): 10all the cities of the plateau, all Gilead, and all Bashan, as far as Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 11(For only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his [i]bed was a [j]bed of iron; it is in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon. Its length was nine cubits, and its width four cubits by [k]the usual cubit.)

12“So we took possession of this land at that time. From Aroer, which is by the [l]Valley of Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead and its cities I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites. 13The rest of Gilead and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh, all the region of Argob. (As to all Bashan, it is called the land of Rephaim. 14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, that is, Bashan, and named [m]it after his own name: [n]Havvoth-jair, as it is to this day.) 15To Machir I gave Gilead. 16To the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave from Gilead even as far as the [o]Valley of Arnon, the middle of the [p]valley [q]as a border, and as far as the [r]river Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon; 17the Arabah also, with the Jordan [s]as a border, from [t]Chinnereth even as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, [u]at the foot of the slopes of Pisgah on the east.

18“Then I commanded you at that time, saying, ‘The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it; all you [v]valiant men shall cross over armed ahead of your brothers, the sons of Israel. 19However, your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall remain in your cities which I have given you, 20until the LORD gives rest to your fellow countrymen as to you, and they also take possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them beyond the Jordan. Then you may return, each man to his possession which I have given you.’ 21And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; the LORD will do the same to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. 22Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the One fighting for you.’

23“I also pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, 24‘Lord [w]GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours? 25Please let me cross over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, [x]that good hill country, and Lebanon.’ 26But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me; instead, the LORD said to me, ‘[y]Enough! Do not speak to Me any more about this matter. 27Go up to the top of Pisgah and raise your eyes to the west, the north, the south, and the east, and see it with your eyes; for you shall not cross over this Jordan. 28But commission Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across [z]leading this people, and he will give to them, as an inheritance, the land which you will see.’ 29So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor.

[a] 1 Lit he and
[b] 3 Lit him
[c] 3 Lit left to him
[d] 5 Or rural
[e] 6 Or put them under the ban
[f] 6 Or putting under the ban
[g] 6 Lit every city of men...
[h] 8 Or wadi
[i] 11 Or couch
[j] 11 Or couch
[k] 11 Lit by a man’s forearm; about 14 ft. long and 6 ft. wide or 4 m and 1.8 m
[l] 12 Or wadi
[m] 14 Lit them
[n] 14 I.e., the towns of Jair
[o] 16 Or wadi
[p] 16 Or wadi
[q] 16 Lit and
[r] 16 Or wadi
[s] 17 Lit and
[t] 17 I.e., the Sea of Galilee
[u] 17 Lit under
[v] 18 Lit sons of valor
[w] 24 Heb YHWH, usually rendered LORD
[x] 25 Lit this
[y] 26 Lit Much for you
[z] 28 Lit before this