341 Then the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 2 "Command the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land of Canaan , this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance , even the land of Canaan according to its borders . 3 ' Your southern sector shall extend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom , and your southern border shall extend from the end of the Salt Sea eastward . 4 'Then your border shall turn direction from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim and continue to Zin , and its termination shall be to the south of Kadesh-barnea ; and it shall reach Hazaraddar and continue to Azmon . 5 'The border shall turn direction from Azmon to the brook of Egypt , and its termination shall be at the sea . 6 'As for the western border , you shall have the Great Sea , that is, its coastline ; this shall be your west border . 7 ' And this shall be your north border : you shall draw your border line from the Great Sea to Mount Hor . 8 'You shall draw a line from Mount Hor to the Lebo-hamath , and the termination of the border shall be at Zedad ; 9 and the border shall proceed to Ziphron , and its termination shall be at Hazar-enan . This shall be your north border . 10 'For your eastern border you shall also draw a line from Hazar-enan to Shepham , 11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain ; and the border shall go down and reach to the slope on the east side of the Sea of Chinnereth . 12 'And the border shall go down to the Jordan and its termination shall be at the Salt Sea . This shall be your land according to its borders all around .' " 13 So Moses commanded the sons of Israel , saying , " This is the land that you are to apportion by lot among you as a possession , which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes . 14 " For the tribe of the sons of Reuben have received theirs according to their fathers' households , and the tribe of the sons of Gad according to their fathers' households , and the half-tribe e of Manasseh have received their possession . 15 "The two and a half tribes have received their possession across e the Jordan opposite Jericho , eastward toward the sunrising ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 34:1-15
Commentary on Numbers 34:1-15
(Read Numbers 34:1-15)
Canaan was of small extent; as it is here bounded, it is but about 160 miles in length, and about 50 in breadth; yet this was the country promised to the father of the faithful, and the possession of the seed of Israel. This was that little spot of ground, in which alone, for many ages, God was known. This was the vineyard of the Lord, the garden enclosed; but as it is with gardens and vineyards, the narrowness of the space was made up by the fruitfulness of the soil. Though the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, yet few know him, and serve him; but those few are happy, because fruitful to God. Also, see how little a share of the world God gives to his own people. Those who have their portion in heaven, have reason to be content with a small pittance of this earth. Yet a little that a righteous man has, having it from the love of God, and with his blessing, is far better and more comfortable than the riches of many wicked.