Numbers 21:31
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
Original Language Analysis
וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙
dwelt
H3427
וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙
dwelt
Strong's:
H3427
Word #:
1 of 4
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
Thus Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
Thus Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
2 of 4
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
Historical Context
The Transjordan territory became the inheritance of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh (Numbers 32, Joshua 13). Though east of the Jordan, it was legally and theologically part of the Promised Land. These tribes built cities, established families, and remained Israelite despite geographical separation from Canaan proper.
Questions for Reflection
- What quiet occupations of promises in your life went unnoticed because they lacked dramatic fulfillment?
- How does God's faithfulness often arrive through ordinary settlement rather than spectacular events?
- Where might you already be 'dwelling' in God's promises without recognizing the significance of simple obedience?
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Analysis & Commentary
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites (וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל, va-yeshev Yisrael)—The verb yashav means "to dwell, settle, inhabit"—not temporary camping but possession. This simple statement marks epochal transition: from wanderers to landowners, from nomads to settlers. Israel's 40-year wilderness sojourn ended not in Canaan proper but in Transjordan conquest.
The understated announcement carries theological weight. God's promises begin fulfillment, not in spectacular Jordan-crossing, but in quiet occupation of conquered territory. Faithfulness often arrives without fanfare—obedience simply finds itself home.