But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities ,.... The oxen and sheep, camels and asses; their gold and silver, and the furniture of their houses; their stores of corn, and of other fruits of the earth, even all their substance of whatsoever kind: we took for a prey to ourselves ; made them their own property, and used them for their own profit and service, whereby they became greatly enriched. read more
EXPOSITION CONQUEST OF OG , KING OF BASHAN . The Amorites had wrested from Moab a portion of the territory taken by the Moabites and the Edomites from the giant aborigines; and Og, who was of the same giant race, ruled over the northern half of the region of Gilead and over all Bashan. This district also God purposed Israel to possess; and therefore, before crossing the Jordan , a diversion was made north. wards by the Israelites, for the purpose of... read more
The conquest of Og. Og, King of Bashan, was a yet more formidable adversary than Sihon. We read with wonder of that extraordinary territory over which he ruled, the region of Argob, with its sixty cities built of black stone, hard as iron, and perched amidst the masses of basaltic rock, which are the characteristic feature of the district, and which formed an apparently impregnable barrier against assault. The suddenness, completeness, and decisiveness of the conquest of this region,... read more
The destruction of Og, King of Bashan. We have here an account of another conquest, for which the victory over Sihon, King of the Amorites, prepared the people. Bashan was "called the land of the giants" ( Deuteronomy 3:13 ), and Og, the king, was manifestly the greatest of the giants—hence the particulars about his bedstead, as being nine cubits long and four broad ( Deuteronomy 3:11 ). In a rude age and country , force was the recognized ruler, and the biggest man in consequence... read more
Self-propagating conquest. There is solid truth in the French proverb: "It is the first step that costs." An untried course makes large demands on a man's thought, self-watchfullness, and energy; but when habit is acquired, the machinery of the soul works with smooth facility. Enterprises which are most arduous at the first, become by repetition as simple as a natural instinct. I. CONQUEST INDUCES NEW ENERGY . The joy of conquest is a spur to fresh endeavor. The appetite for... read more
From Kadesh to Jordan (2:1-3:29)God told the Israelites that if they went through the land of Edom, they were not to seize any territory. This was partly because Edom was Israel’s brother nation (being descended from Esau), and partly because the Edomites’ territory, formerly possessed by the Horites, had been given them by God (2:1-7). Similar restrictions applied to Israel’s relations with the nations of Moab and Ammon, both of which were also related to Israel (being descended from Lot).... read more
spoil. For laws regulating this, see Numbers 31:0 . read more
4. The conquest of the kingdom of Og 3:1-11This record is also very similar to the previous account of this conquest in Numbers 21:33-35, though Moses provided more information here. Moses interpreted Israel’s history to emphasize God’s faithfulness. The land of Bashan was a fertile, heavily forested plateau famous for its oaks (Isaiah 2:13) and livestock (Deuteronomy 32:14; Amos 4:1). The region of Argob (Deuteronomy 3:4) may be another name for Bashan or a part of Bashan. The Rephaites lived... read more
A. God’s past dealings with Israel 1:6-3:29Moses began this first "sermon" by reviewing God’s faithfulness to Israel. God had been faithful in bringing the nation from Sinai to her present location, and by giving her victory over her Transjordanian enemies. He also reminded the people of the future blessings that she could anticipate. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 3:1-11
We have here another brave country delivered into the hand of Israel, that of Bashan; the conquest of Sihon is often mentioned together with that of Og, to the praise of God, the rather because in these Israel's triumphs began, Ps. 135:11; 136:19, 20. See, I. How they got the mastery of Og, a very formidable prince, 1. Very strong, for he was of the remnant of the giants (Deut. 3:11); his personal strength was extraordinary, a monument of which was preserved by the Ammonites in his bedstead,... read more