Deuteronomy 3:1-11

4. The conquest of the kingdom of Og 3:1-11

This 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 there (Deuteronomy 3:13). The spies had feared the giants and walled cities of Canaan. Nevertheless in this campaign God delivered to His people 60 heavily fortified cities besides many other rural towns plus at least one real giant, Og. Moses probably recorded the size of his king size bed (Deuteronomy 3:11) to document the fact that God gave the Israelites victory over the giants they had so greatly feared. Some writers have argued that the Hebrew word ’eres means sarcophagus rather than bed. [Note: Craigie, The Book . . ., p. 120; Timothy R. Ashley, The Book of Numbers, p. 430; and Jack S. Deere, "Deuteronomy," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, p. 267.] Most translators disagree. His bed probably contained iron decorations since at this time iron was a precious metal. [Note: See Alan R. Millard, "King Og’s Iron Bed: Fact or Fancy?" Bible Review 6:2 (April 1990):20.]