Bible Commentaries
Numbers 34

Verse 2

Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)

Coasts - Or limits or bounds, to wit, of the land beyond Jordan. Which are here particularly described, 1. to direct and bound them in their wars and conquests, that they might not seek the enlargement of their empire, after the manner of other nations, but be contented with their own portion — 2. To encourage them in their attempt upon Canaan, and assure them of their success. There was a much larger possession promised them, if they were obedient, even to the river Euphrates. But this, which is properly Canaan, lay in a very little compass. ’Tis but about an hundred and fifty miles in length, and about fifty in breadth. This was that little spot of ground, in which alone for many ages God was known! But its littleness was abundantly compensated by its fruitfulness: otherwise it could not have sustained so numerous a nation. See, how little a share of the world God often gives to his own people! But they that have their portion in heaven, can be content with a small pittance of this earth.

Verse 3

Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward:

Your fourth quarter — Which is here described from east to west by divers windings and turnings, by reason of the mountains and rivers.

The salt sea — So called from the salt and sulphurous taste of its waters.

Eastward — That is, at the eastern part of that sea, where the eastern and southern borders meet.

Verse 4

And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon:

From the south — Or, on the south, that is, proceeding onward towards the south.

Azmon — Which is at the west-end of the mount of Edom.

Verse 5

And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

The river of Egypt — Called Sihor, Joshua 13:3, which divided Egypt from Canaan.

The sea — The midland sea, called the sea emphatically, whereas the other seas, as they are called, are indeed but lakes.

Verse 6

And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.

The great sea — This midland sea from the south to the north, so far as it runs parallel with mount Libanus.

Verse 7

And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:

Hor — Not that Hor where Aaron died, which was southward, and bordering upon Edom, but another mountain, and, as it is conceived, the mountain of Libanus, which is elsewhere mentioned as the northern border of the land, and which, in regard of divers parts, or by divers people, is called by divers names, and here Hor, which signifies a mountain, by way of eminency.

Verse 17

These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Eleazar — Who was to act in God’s name, to cast lots, to prevent contentions, to consult with God in cases of difficulty, to transact the whole business in a solemn and religious manner.

Verse 19

And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

Judah — The order of the tribes is here different from that, Numbers 1:7; Numbers 1:26, and in other places, being conformed to the order of their several inheritances, which afterwards fell to them by lots. Which is an evident demonstration of the infinite wisdom of God’s providence, and of his peculiar care over his people.