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Deuteronomy 3:16

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 3:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and the border [thereof], even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and the border [thereof], even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
Deuteronomy 3:16 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 3

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half-tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim.
14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called them, even Bashan, after his own name, Havvoth-jair, unto this day.)
15And I gave Gilead unto Machir.
16And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and the border [thereof], even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
17the Arabah also, and the Jordan and the border [thereof], from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah eastward.
18And I commanded you at that time, saying, Jehovah your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all the men of valor.
19But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (I know that ye have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you,
← Deuteronomy 3:15Deuteronomy 3:17 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And unto the Reubenites, and unto the Gadites, etc.] The tribes of Reuben and Gad: I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon: (see <050312>Deuteronomy 3:12) half the valley and the border; or rather half the river, the river Arnon; and so it is rendered “the middle of the river”, in (<061202>Joshua 12:2) and so here the middle of the torrent by the Vulgate Latin and Septuagint versions, and by Onkelos: even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; beyond which the land given to the tribes of Reuben and Gad reached not; (see <050237>Deuteronomy 2:37).”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“from Gilead--that is, not the mountainous region, but the town Ramoth-gilead, even unto the river Arnon half the valley--The word "valley" signifies a wady, either filled with water or dry, as the Arnon is in summer, and thus the proper rendering of the passage will be--"even to the half or middle of the river Arnon" (compare Jos 12:2). This prudent arrangement of the boundaries was evidently made to prevent all disputes between the adjacent tribes about the exclusive right to the water.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The sense is that the Reubenites and Gadites were to possess the district from the Jabbok on the north to the Arnon on the south, including the middle part of the valley of the Arnon, and the territory (“coast” or “border”) thereto pertaining. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Half the valley - Or rather to the middle of the river: for the word rendered half signifies commonly middle, and the same Hebrew word means both a valley and a brook or river. And this sense is agreeable to the truth, that their land extended from Gilead unto Arnon, and, to speak exactly, to the middle of that river; for as that river was the border between them and others, so one half of it belonged to them, as the other half did to others, Jos 12:2. The same thing is expressed in the same words in the Hebrew which are here, though our translators render the self - same words there, from the middle of the river, which here they render, half of the valley. There the bounds of Sihon's…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Reubenites: Num 32:33-38; Sa2 24:5 river Jabbok: Deu 2:37; Gen 32:22; Num 21:24; Jos 12:2, Jos 12:3 Deuteronomy 3:17”
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Sources and verification