Bible Strands

Deuteronomy 3:18

At that time I commanded you: “The LORD your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor are to cross over, armed for battle, ahead of your brothers, the Israelites.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Transjordan tribes at the plains of Moab, concluding his review of the conquered territory east of the Jordan. He issues a binding directive regarding their military obligation before the western conquest begins.

The words — The Hebrew verb אֲצַו (’a.Tzav) means “I commanded,” and נָתַן (na.Tan) translates “he has given.” These terms anchor the directive as a transmission of divine land grant and military order.

The thread — This command echoes in Numbers 32:20 and Joshua 1:12, where the same tribes are instructed to arm themselves and lead the conquest. Joshua 4:12 records their fulfillment as they cross the Jordan ahead of the rest of Israel.

Why it lands — The text demands immediate obedience and military priority from those who received land east of the Jordan. It establishes that divine possession requires shared combat responsibility before personal settlement.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וָאֲצַ֣וva./'a.Tzavand/ I commandedאֶתְכֶ֔ם'et./Khem<obj.>/ youבָּעֵ֥תba./'Etat the/ timeהַהִ֖ואha./Hiv'<the>/ thatלֵאמֹ֑רle./Mor<to>/ sayingיְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehאֱלֹהֵיכֶ֗ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ yourנָתַ֨ןna.Tanhe has givenלָכֶ֜םla./Khemto/ youאֶת־'et-<obj.>הָאָ֤רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ landהַזֹּאת֙ha./zoT<the>/ thisלְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּle./rish.Ta/hto/ take possession of/ itחֲלוּצִ֣יםcha.lu.Tzimequippedתַּֽעַבְר֗וּta.'av.Ruyou will pass overלִפְנֵ֛יli/f.Nei<to>/ beforeאֲחֵיכֶ֥ם'a.chei./Khemcountrymen/ yourבְּנֵֽי־be.nei-[the] people ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelכָּל־kol-O allבְּנֵי־be.nei-[the] sons ofחָֽיִל׃Cha.yilstrength

King James Version

And I commanded you at that time, saying, The Lord your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.

Cross-references