Bible Commentaries
Numbers 34

Verses 1-29

Plans for the division of Canaan (33:50-34:29)

As Canaan was to become the land of Yahweh’s people, all the former inhabitants and all trace of their religion had to be removed. Failure to do this would bring trouble for Israel (50-56).
Moses then gave the boundaries of the land that Israel was to occupy. The southern boundary went from the Dead Sea through Kadesh-barnea to the Brook of Egypt, which it followed to the coast. The western boundary followed the coast along the Mediterranean Sea. The northern boundary went from the coast through Mount Hor (not the Mount Hor where Aaron died) to Hazarenan, a place somewhere near the source of the Jordan River. The eastern boundary went from there down through the Sea of Chinnereth (the Lake of Galilee) along the Jordan River to the Dead Sea (34:1-12).
Representatives were appointed to divide this area among nine and a half tribes. (The other two and a half tribes had already been allotted their territory east of Jordan.) Everything was to be under the direction of Joshua and Eleazar (13-29).
Israel under Joshua conquered Canaan, and some of Israel’s kings spread their power over neighbouring countries, but Israel never enjoyed sole possession of Canaan and never fully occupied the area marked out here.