TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 3
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1We made our way up the road toward Bashan, and King Og of Bashan with all his men took the field against us at Edrei.
אוַנֵּפֶן וַנַּעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן וַיֵּצֵא עוֹג מֶלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁן לִקְרָאתֵנוּ הוּא וְכָל־עַמּוֹ לַמִּלְחָמָה אֶדְרֶעִי׃
2But Hashem said to me: Do not fear him, for I am delivering him and all his men and his country into your power, and you will do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.
בוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי אַל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי אֹתוֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּוֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצוֹ וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ לְסִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר יוֹשֵׁב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן׃
3So Hashem our God also delivered into our power King Og of Bashan, with all his men, and we dealt them such a blow that no survivor was left.
גוַיִּתֵּן יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּיָדֵנוּ גַּם אֶת־עוֹג מֶלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁן וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּוֹ וַנַּכֵּהוּ עַד־בִּלְתִּי הִשְׁאִיר־לוֹ שָׂרִיד׃
4At that time we captured all his towns; there was not a town that we did not take from them: sixty towns, the whole district of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan
דוַנִּלְכֹּד אֶת־כָּל־עָרָיו בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֹא הָיְתָה קִרְיָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־לָקַחְנוּ מֵאִתָּם שִׁשִּׁים עִיר כָּל־חֶבֶל אַרְגֹּב מַמְלֶכֶת עוֹג בַּבָּשָׁן׃
5all those towns were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars—apart from a great number of unwalled towns.
הכָּל־אֵלֶּה עָרִים בְּצֻרוֹת חוֹמָה גְבֹהָה דְּלָתַיִם וּבְרִיחַ לְבַד מֵעָרֵי הַפְּרָזִי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד׃
6We doomed them as we had done in the case of King Sihon of Heshbon; we doomed every town—men, women, and children—
ווַנַּחֲרֵם אוֹתָם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂינוּ לְסִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַחֲרֵם כָּל־עִיר מְתִם הַנָּשִׁים וְהַטָּף׃
7and retained as booty all the cattle and the spoil of the towns.
זוְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה וּשְׁלַל הֶעָרִים בַּזּוֹנוּ לָנוּ׃
8Thus we seized, at that time, from the two Amorite kings, the country beyond the Yarden, from the wadi Arnon to Mount Chermon
חוַנִּקַּח בָּעֵת הַהִוא אֶת־הָאָרֶץ מִיַּד שְׁנֵי מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מִנַּחַל אַרְנֹן עַד־הַר חֶרְמוֹן׃
9Tzidonians called Chermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir
טצִידֹנִים יִקְרְאוּ לְחֶרְמוֹן שִׂרְיֹן וְהָאֱמֹרִי יִקְרְאוּ־לוֹ שְׂנִיר׃
10all the towns of the Tableland and the whole of Gilad and Bashan as far as Salcah and Edrei, the towns of Og's kingdom in Bashan.
יכֹּל עָרֵי הַמִּישֹׁר וְכָל־הַגִּלְעָד וְכָל־הַבָּשָׁן עַד־סַלְכָה וְאֶדְרֶעִי עָרֵי מַמְלֶכֶת עוֹג בַּבָּשָׁן׃
11Only King Og of Bashan was left of the remaining Rephaim. His bedstead, an iron bedstead, is now in Rabbah of the Ammonites; it is nine amot long and four amot wide, by the standard amah!
יאכִּי רַק־עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן נִשְׁאַר מִיֶּתֶר הָרְפָאִים הִנֵּה עַרְשׂוֹ עֶרֶשׂ בַּרְזֶל הֲלֹה הִוא בְּרַבַּת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן תֵּשַׁע אַמּוֹת אָרְכָּהּ וְאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת רָחְבָּהּ בְּאַמַּת־אִישׁ׃
12And this is the land which we apportioned at that time: The part from Aroer along the wadi Arnon, with part of the hill country of Gilad and its towns, I assigned to the Reubenites and the Gadites.
יבוְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת יָרַשְׁנוּ בָּעֵת הַהִוא מֵעֲרֹעֵר אֲשֶׁר־עַל־נַחַל אַרְנֹן וַחֲצִי הַר־הַגִּלְעָד וְעָרָיו נָתַתִּי לָרֻאוּבֵנִי וְלַגָּדִי׃
13The rest of Gilad, and all of Bashan under Og's rule—the whole Argob district, all that part of Bashan which is called Rephaim country—I assigned to the half-tribe of Menashe.
יגוְיֶתֶר הַגִּלְעָד וְכָל־הַבָּשָׁן מַמְלֶכֶת עוֹג נָתַתִּי לַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט הַמְנַשֶּׁה כֹּל חֶבֶל הָאַרְגֹּב לְכָל־הַבָּשָׁן הַהוּא יִקָּרֵא אֶרֶץ רְפָאִים׃
14Yair son of Menashe received the whole Argob district (that is, Bashan) as far as the boundary of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and named it after himself: Havvoth-jair—as is still the case.
ידיָאִיר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה לָקַח אֶת־כָּל־חֶבֶל אַרְגֹּב עַד־גְּבוּל הַגְּשׁוּרִי וְהַמַּעֲכָתִי וַיִּקְרָא אֹתָם עַל־שְׁמוֹ אֶת־הַבָּשָׁן חַוּׂת יָאִיר עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃
15To Machir I assigned Gilad.
טווּלְמָכִיר נָתַתִּי אֶת־הַגִּלְעָד׃
16And to the Reubenites and the Gadites I assigned the part from Gilad down to the wadi Arnon, the middle of the wadi being the boundary, and up to the wadi Jabbok, the boundary of the Ammonites.
טזוְלָרֻאוּבֵנִי וְלַגָּדִי נָתַתִּי מִן־הַגִּלְעָד וְעַד־נַחַל אַרְנֹן תּוֹךְ הַנַּחַל וּגְבֻל וְעַד יַבֹּק הַנַּחַל גְּבוּל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן׃
17[We also seized] the Arabah, from the foot of the slopes of Pisgah on the east, to the edge of the Yarden, and from Chinnereth down to the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea.
יזוְהָעֲרָבָה וְהַיַּרְדֵּן וּגְבֻל מִכִּנֶּרֶת וְעַד יָם הָעֲרָבָה יָם הַמֶּלַח תַּחַת אַשְׁדֹּת הַפִּסְגָּה מִזְרָחָה׃
18At that time I charged you, saying, “Hashem your God has given you this country to possess. You must go as shock-troops, warriors all, at the head of your Israelite kinsmen.
va-a-TZAV et-KHEM ba-AYT ha-HEE lay-MOR a-do-NAI e-lo-hay-KHEM na-TAN la-KHEM et ha-A-retz ha-ZOT l'-rish-TAH kha-lu-TZEEM ta-av-RU lif-NAY a-khay-KHEM b'-nay yis-ra-AYL kol b'-nay KHA-yil
יחוָאֲצַו אֶתְכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם נָתַן לָכֶם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לְרִשְׁתָּהּ חֲלוּצִים תַּעַבְרוּ לִפְנֵי אֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־בְּנֵי־חָיִל׃
3:18 You must go as shock-troops, warriors all
IDF raising a handmade flag in Eilat, 1949
The tribes of Reuven and Gad requested to settle on the eastern side of the Yarden in the lands conquered from Sihon and Og, rather than join their brethren on the western side. Moshe granted this request on condition that Reuven and Gad would fight alongside the other tribes in the conquest of the land. Here, Moshe reminds Reuven and Gad of their agreement. And, indeed, when Yehoshua succeeds Moshe and leads the nation into their land, he calls upon these tribes to fulfill their promise. The men of Reuven and Gad answer their call to duty and fight in the army until the battles are over. As in the days of Yehoshua, today the State of Israel calls upon all of its citizens to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Military service typically lasts for three years, between the ages of eighteen to twenty-one, followed by several weeks of reserve duty each year until the age of forty-five. Similarly, Israel turns to those living outside the State for different, but also important, contributions to its vitality, growth and security.
19Only your wives, children, and livestock—I know that you have much livestock—shall be left in the towns I have assigned to you,
יטרַק נְשֵׁיכֶם וְטַפְּכֶם וּמִקְנֵכֶם יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־מִקְנֶה רַב לָכֶם יֵשְׁבוּ בְּעָרֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם׃
20until Hashem has granted your kinsmen a haven such as you have, and they too have taken possession of the land that Hashem your God is assigning them, beyond the Yarden. Then you may return each to the homestead that I have assigned to him.”
כעַד אֲשֶׁר־יָנִיחַ יְהֹוָה לַאֲחֵיכֶם כָּכֶם וְיָרְשׁוּ גַם־הֵם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם נֹתֵן לָהֶם בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ לִירֻשָּׁתוֹ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם׃
21I also charged Yehoshua at that time, saying, “You have seen with your own eyes all that Hashem your God has done to these two kings; so shall Hashem do to all the kingdoms into which you shall cross over.
כאוְאֶת־יְהוֹשׁוּעַ צִוֵּיתִי בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר עֵינֶיךָ הָרֹאֹת אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לִשְׁנֵי הַמְּלָכִים הָאֵלֶּה כֵּן־יַעֲשֶׂה יְהֹוָה לְכָל־הַמַּמְלָכוֹת אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹבֵר שָׁמָּה׃
22Do not fear them, for it is Hashem your God who will battle for you.”
כבלֹא תְִּירָאוּם כִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הוּא הַנִּלְחָם לָכֶם׃
23I pleaded with Hashem at that time, saying,
כגוָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל־יְהֹוָה בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר׃
24“O Hashem, You who let Your servant see the first works of Your greatness and Your mighty hand, You whose powerful deeds no god in heaven or on earth can equal!
כדאֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ אֶת־גָּדְלְךָ וְאֶת־יָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה אֲשֶׁר מִי־אֵל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂה כְמַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְכִגְבוּרֹתֶךָ׃
25Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Yarden, that good hill country, and the Lebanon.”
e-b'-rah NA v'-er-EH et ha-A-retz ha-to-VAH a-SHER b'-AY-ver ha-yar-DAYN ha-HAR ha-TOV ha-ZEH v'-ha-l'-va-NON
כהאֶעְבְּרָה־נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנוֹן׃
3:25 Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land
Men, wrapped in traditional prayer shawls (tallitot), gather to pray on a mountain top in the Land of Israel.
In this verse, Moshe demonstrates his pure love for the Land of Israel. Though Hashem already forbade him from setting foot in the Promised Land, Moshe pleads with God to change His mind. The words “Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Yarden” highlight the motivation behind Moshe’s request. It is not arrogance nor a desire for power that leads to his request, as he did not ask to lead the people into Eretz Yisrael. He simply wants to see the land, to breathe its air, to experience its goodness. Though Moshe wanted desperately to enter Eretz Yisrael, he could not. A visit to the Land of Israel has never been as easy as it is today, and the love for the land espoused by Moshe inspires millions of tourists to visit Israel each year. Visitors to Israel must remember that by entering the land, they are experiencing a blessing that even Moshe was not able to achieve.
26But Hashem was wrathful with me on your account and would not listen to me. Hashem said to me, “Enough! Never speak to Me of this matter again!
כווַיִּתְעַבֵּר יְהֹוָה בִּי לְמַעַנְכֶם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלָי וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי רַב־לָךְ אַל־תּוֹסֶף דַּבֵּר אֵלַי עוֹד בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃
27Go up to the summit of Pisgah and gaze about, to the west, the north, the south, and the east. Look at it well, for you shall not go across yonder Yarden.
כזעֲלֵה רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה וְשָׂא עֵינֶיךָ יָמָּה וְצָפֹנָה וְתֵימָנָה וּמִזְרָחָה וּרְאֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ כִּי־לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה׃
28Give Yehoshua his instructions, and imbue him with strength and courage, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he shall allot to them the land that you may only see.”
כחוְצַו אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְחַזְּקֵהוּ וְאַמְּצֵהוּ כִּי־הוּא יַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהוּא יַנְחִיל אוֹתָם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶה׃
29Meanwhile we stayed on in the valley near Beth-peor.
כטוַנֵּשֶׁב בַּגָּיְא מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר׃
