Numbers 36 13

Numbers 36:13 kjv

These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

Numbers 36:13 nkjv

These are the commandments and the judgments which the LORD commanded the children of Israel by the hand of Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.

Numbers 36:13 niv

These are the commands and regulations the LORD gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

Numbers 36:13 esv

These are the commandments and the rules that the LORD commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Numbers 36:13 nlt

These are the commands and regulations that the LORD gave to the people of Israel through Moses while they were camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

Numbers 36 verses

Numbers 36 13 Meaning

This verse serves as a concluding statement for the Book of Numbers, explicitly declaring the divine origin and authority of the commands and regulations contained within, particularly those outlined in the preceding chapters, including the vital law concerning female inheritance and the preservation of tribal land. It underscores that these divine decrees were conveyed to Israel through Moses while they were encamped on the plains of Moab, precisely at the threshold of the Promised Land, signifying the final preparation before their entry.

Numbers 36 13 Context

Numbers 36:13 is the concluding verse of the entire Book of Numbers. Chapter 36 specifically addresses a final legal ruling necessitated by the daughters of Zelophehad (introduced in Num 27) being heirs to their father's land. The ruling mandates that female inheritors must marry within their own tribe, ensuring that tribal land inheritances remain within the patrimonial boundaries and do not transfer to other tribes upon marriage. This detail reflects God's meticulous care for the future settlement of Israel in the Promised Land, ensuring the stability and preservation of tribal identities and land distribution as they prepare to occupy Canaan. The verse places the final commands of the book historically and geographically, marking the end of God's direct legislation through Moses to the wilderness generation, as they stand poised at the entrance to the land promised to their ancestors.

Numbers 36 13 Word analysis

• These are: Hebrew "אֵלֶּה" (elleh). A common concluding formula or colophon in ancient Near Eastern legal texts and biblical writings, signaling the end of a section, a series of laws, or an entire book. It functions as a summary marker, referring back to the previously stated laws and injunctions.
• the commands: Hebrew "הַמִּצְוָה" (ham-mitzwa), singular collective. Refers to the broader category of divine injunctions or moral precepts, embodying God's will and direction for His people. It speaks to divine authority and an absolute imperative for obedience.
• and regulations: Hebrew "וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים" (ve-ham-mishpatim), plural. Denotes specific judgments, ordinances, or legal precedents that establish justice and equity within the community. While "commands" signifies general principles, "regulations" often refers to detailed case laws and their application. Together, they represent the full scope of God's righteous standards.
• the LORD: Hebrew "יְהוָה" (YHWH), the sacred personal name of God, revealing His covenant relationship with Israel. Its presence emphasizes that these are not merely human laws but direct pronouncements from the sovereign Creator and covenant-keeping God, ensuring their absolute authority and binding nature.
• gave Israel: Hebrew "צִוָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל" (tzavah Yisrael). "Tzavah" means "to command" or "to instruct with authority." This signifies God's direct act of instructing His chosen people. Israel, as the recipient, bore the unique privilege and responsibility of living by these divine directives.
• through Moses: Hebrew "בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה" (b'yad Moshe), literally "by the hand of Moses." This highlights Moses' pivotal role as God's chosen and faithful mediator. He was not the originator of these laws but the trusted vessel through whom God communicated His will to His people. This underscores the authenticity and divine inspiration of the commands.
• on the plains of Moab: Hebrew "בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב" (be'arvot Mo'av). A specific geographical location east of the Jordan River. This vast region served as Israel's final encampment site before entering the Promised Land. Its significance lies in its liminality—it was the place of final preparation, instruction, and re-covenant before fulfilling the land promise. It sets the stage for Deuteronomy, which also takes place here.
• by the Jordan: Hebrew "עַל יַרְדֵּן" (al Yarden). This clarifies the location's proximity to the Jordan River, the natural boundary separating the wilderness from the land of Canaan. It symbolizes the immediacy of their transition and the pending fulfillment of God's promises.
• across from Jericho: Hebrew "יְרֵחוֹ" (Yericho). Specifies that the Israelites were camped opposite Jericho, the first city to be conquered in Canaan. This direct view into the Promised Land from their position reinforced the urgency and purpose of the final commands given to them. It underscores that these laws were for the life they were about to live in the land.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "These are the commands and regulations": This opening phrase serves as a divine imprimatur, confirming the full body of laws, particularly those found in the book, are God's complete and authoritative instructions for righteous living. It establishes their comprehensive scope.
• "the LORD gave Israel through Moses": This essential theological declaration establishes the direct, unmediated origin of the laws from YHWH, their chosen recipients (Israel), and the singular human agent (Moses). It clarifies the chain of divine revelation and the absolute authority of the lawgiver.
• "on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho": This highly precise geographical and historical anchoring grounds the divine revelation in a specific time and place. It marks the culmination of God's law-giving during the wilderness wanderings, immediately preceding Israel's entry into the Promised Land. The imminence of the conquest gives the final commands a powerful sense of purpose and immediacy for the future life in Canaan.

Numbers 36 13 Bonus section

• The strategic placement of this verse at the end of Numbers forms a seamless theological bridge to the Book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy opens in the same geographical context (Deut 1:1, 5) with Moses reiterating and expounding upon these very laws, emphasizing their importance as Israel stands ready to cross the Jordan.
• The final legal pronouncements in Numbers (especially the detailed regulations of chapters 27-36 regarding inheritance, vows, offerings, and festivals) show a progression from primarily regulating the wilderness journey to increasingly focusing on the complexities of life within a settled agricultural society in the Promised Land.
• The particular ruling in Numbers 36 about Zelophehad's daughters (and the specific marriage restriction) demonstrates the flexibility and practical nature of God's law within its immutable divine framework. While initially unaddressed, the new scenario was brought to Moses, and God provided a specific, just, and land-preserving solution. This highlights divine responsiveness to the people's evolving circumstances while upholding fundamental covenant principles.
• The use of "mitzvah" (command) and "mishpatim" (regulations) together captures the essence of God's Torah: it encompasses universal moral principles and specific, actionable laws to be applied in daily life and governance.

Numbers 36 13 Commentary

Numbers 36:13 acts as a powerful colophon, marking the authoritative conclusion of God's legislative phase for Israel in the wilderness, delivered through Moses. Far from being a mere summary, it reinforces several core theological tenets: the absolute sovereignty of YHWH as the law-giver, the unique role of Moses as His faithful messenger, and the covenant obligations of Israel as recipients. The specific mention of "commands and regulations" affirms that both the broad ethical principles and the detailed judicial rulings were divinely sanctioned, meticulously crafted to govern every aspect of Israelite life within the Promised Land, not merely the journey to it. The precise geographical markers – the plains of Moab, by the Jordan, across from Jericho – are not incidental. They powerfully situate these laws, including the critical and recent ruling on female inheritance, as Israel stood at the very threshold of Canaan. This implies that these were not theoretical guidelines but vital instructions for maintaining social order, tribal integrity, and divine justice once settled in the land, preparing them for the faithful occupancy of their inheritance. This final command underscores God's deep concern for the just ordering of society and the preservation of identity even in the complex matters of property and lineage, guiding His people into a blessed life in the land promised by covenant.