Deuteronomy 4:47
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 4:47
47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising;
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 4 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of righteousness, worship, judgment. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-49: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it illustrates divine judgment and mercy in response to human actions. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 4:47
47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising;
Analysis
And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
Moses summarizes trans-Jordan conquest: Israel possessed (vayyireshu, וַיִּירְשׁוּ) the territories of both Sihon and Og, shenei malkhei ha'Emori (שְׁנֵי מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי, 'two kings of the Amorites'). The verb yarash implies not merely military victory but actual dispossession and inheritance—the conquered land became Israel's permanent possession.
These were not minor tribal chieftains. Sihon controlled the southern trans-Jordan from the Arnon to the Jabbok; Og ruled Bashan in the north, a giant of a man (Deuteronomy 3:11) whose kingdom included sixty fortified cities. Their combined territories covered substantial agricultural and pastoral land. Their defeat eliminated any rival power east of the Jordan.
The phrase mizrach hashemesh (מִזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, 'toward the rising of the sun') again specifies eastern orientation. From Israel's perspective on Moab's plains, the sun rose over the conquered territories. This directional marker creates geographical precision while subtly suggesting new beginnings—where the sun rises, Israel's inheritance dawns. What God began with Sihon and Og He will complete across the Jordan.
Historical Context
Moses recalls the conquest of both Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings ruling east of the Jordan. These victories (Numbers 21:21-35; Deuteronomy 2-3), occurring just weeks or months before this speech around 1406 BC, provided tangible proof that God would fulfill His promise to give Israel the land despite enemy military superiority.
Reflection
- How do past victories over seemingly impossible obstacles serve as evidence that God will complete His work in your life?
- What does Israel's possession of conquered territory teach about the relationship between God's sovereign gift and human responsibility to receive it?