Deuteronomy 3:15 kjv
And I gave Gilead unto Machir.
Deuteronomy 3:15 nkjv
"Also I gave Gilead to Machir.
Deuteronomy 3:15 niv
And I gave Gilead to Makir.
Deuteronomy 3:15 esv
To Machir I gave Gilead,
Deuteronomy 3:15 nlt
I gave Gilead to the clan of Makir.
Deuteronomy 3 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 13:15 | "all the land that you see I will give to you..." | Reiteration of land promise. |
| Num 21:21-35 | Israel defeats Sihon and Og, taking their land. | Conquest of Transjordanian kings. |
| Num 32:1-5 | Reuben and Gad desire Transjordan for their livestock. | Tribes requesting land East of Jordan. |
| Num 32:33 | "Moses gave to them... the kingdom of Sihon... and Og." | Initial distribution to tribes. |
| Num 32:39-40 | "And the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead..." | Machir's descendants conquer Gilead. |
| Deut 1:8 | "See, I have set the land before you. Go in..." | Moses reminds them of the promised land. |
| Deut 3:12 | Moses divides conquered lands to Reuben, Gad, Manasseh. | Summary of land distribution. |
| Deut 3:13 | The rest of Gilead and Bashan given to half-Manasseh. | Allotment of Bashan. |
| Josh 13:29-31 | "To the half-tribe of Manasseh was allotted the territory..." | Joshua confirms land for half-Manasseh. |
| Josh 17:1 | "...Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead." | Machir's descendants settled Gilead. |
| Josh 21:43-45 | "Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore..." | God's faithfulness in land fulfillment. |
| Josh 22:9 | Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh return to Gilead. | Tribes' home in Gilead. |
| Judg 5:17 | "Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan." | Gilead's location east of Jordan. |
| 2 Sam 2:9 | "Ish-bosheth son of Saul king over Gilead..." | Gilead as a significant region. |
| 2 Ki 10:33 | Hazael strikes "all the land of Gilead." | Gilead's later history. |
| Jer 8:22 | "Is there no balm in Gilead?" | Gilead's resources and metaphoric use. |
| Mic 7:14 | "Shepherd your people with your staff... in Gilead..." | Prophetic reference to Gilead. |
| Heb 3:5 | "Moses was faithful in all God's house." | Moses's faithfulness in service. |
| Heb 11:8 | "By faith Abraham obeyed... to go to a place..." | Faith in receiving God's promises. |
| Heb 11:9-10 | "By faith he lived in the land of promise as in a foreign land..." | Abraham's life of faith and promise. |
Deuteronomy 3 verses
Deuteronomy 3 15 Meaning
Deuteronomy 3:15 records Moses's act of allotting the region of Gilead to Machir, the firstborn son of Manasseh, and his descendants. This action highlights God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promise to provide land for His people, even before they fully enter Canaan. It emphasizes the orderly distribution of territory under divine guidance and Moses's role as God's appointed leader in this process of inheritance.
Deuteronomy 3 15 Context
Deuteronomy 3:15 is situated within Moses's second address to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they cross the Jordan River into Canaan. Moses is recounting the significant victories God granted them over Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, both powerful Amorite rulers east of the Jordan. This conquered territory was the first portion of the promised land Israel physically possessed. Verses 12-17 detail how Moses, by divine direction, allotted this land to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Verse 15 specifically highlights the portion given to Machir, Manasseh's son, in the fertile region of Gilead, reaffirming an earlier account in Numbers 32 and setting a precedent for future land divisions in Canaan.
Deuteronomy 3 15 Word analysis
- And (וּלְ, ū-lə): A simple conjunction, connecting this specific act of allocation to the preceding broader distribution described by Moses, indicating continuity in the account of land assignments.
- to Machir (לְמָכִיר, lə-mā-ḵîr): Machir was the firstborn son of Manasseh (Gen 50:23; Num 26:29). His prominence meant his descendants formed a powerful clan within the tribe of Manasseh, and they played a significant role in conquering this particular territory east of the Jordan (Num 32:39-40). The specificity underscores the detailed nature of Israel's tribal organization and land tenure, reflecting God's orderly plan.
- I gave (נָתַתִּי, nā-ṯat-tî): The verb "to give" in the Qal Perfect first person singular indicates Moses personally acted in this distribution. However, it's understood that Moses acted as God's instrument. This highlights Moses's divinely appointed authority in establishing the nation's foundational land tenure system, not by human will alone, but as directed by Yahweh.
- Gilead (גִּלְעָד, Gil-‘āḏ): A significant geographical region east of the Jordan River, known for its fertile pasturelands and rugged terrain. It extended north of the Arnon River and south of the Yarmuk River. Historically, Gilead served as a strategic buffer zone and was economically vital, especially for livestock (Num 32:1). Its occupation by Machir's descendants confirmed the initial fulfillment of God's land promise to Abraham's offspring, before the full conquest of Canaan proper.
Deuteronomy 3 15 Bonus section
The prominence given to Machir's claim over Gilead also implicitly teaches about tribal responsibility. While God promised the land, its possession often required human effort (Num 32:39). The Machirites' initial conquering of Gilead thus provided a legitimate, divinely approved basis for their inheritance, further solidified by Moses's official declaration in this verse. This echoes the principle that while God grants, His people must still step out in obedience and actively possess what has been promised.
Deuteronomy 3 15 Commentary
Deuteronomy 3:15 provides a concise, precise detail within Moses's historical review, focusing on the specific allocation of Gilead to Machir's clan within the half-tribe of Manasseh. This verse is not merely a geographic note but a testament to several profound truths. Firstly, it showcases God's covenant faithfulness; He actively orchestrated the conquest and orderly distribution of the first tangible portion of the promised land. Secondly, it exemplifies the leadership of Moses, who, as God's faithful servant, executed the divine will concerning the nation's inheritance. Thirdly, the particular mention of Machir underscores the detailed, purposeful, and familial nature of Israel's tribal system and land tenure, which was rooted in ancestral claims and divinely guided allotment rather than mere might or random acquisition. The allocation of Gilead was pivotal as it established a physical presence for Israel east of the Jordan, solidifying their claims and demonstrating their imminent entry into the rest of the land.