Numbers 36:13
These are the commandments and the rules that the LORD commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse isn't just a concluding statement; it signals a pivotal moment. The phrase "by the Jordan near Jericho" places Israel literally on the cusp of their promised inheritance, emphasizing that these final divine instructions were given just before they crossed over, making them immediately practical for life in the new land.
This verse serves as a concluding statement for the Book of Numbers, summarizing the commandments and laws given to the Israelites during their time on the plains of Moab, right on the edge of the Promised Land. It wraps up the account of their difficult journey and the regulations for their future inheritance, a fitting end as they prepare to cross the Jordan River.
This verse wraps up the book of Numbers, but it's more than just an ending. It's a powerful reminder of the authority behind every instruction given.
The phrase 'commandments and judgments' highlights two crucial aspects of God's Word.
This verse, appearing at the end of a book filled with Israel's wilderness journey, challenges and legal disputes, serves as a final seal. It assures us that every single law and ruling, from the grandest ordinance to the smallest detail, originated directly from the Lord. There's no ambiguity; these weren't mere suggestions, but divine directives meant to shape an entire nation.
The location where these laws were given is incredibly significant. It's the threshold of the Promised Land, a place of both finality and new beginnings.
The book of Numbers chronicles a forty-year journey through the wilderness, filled with rebellion, faith, and divine discipline. This final verse places the culmination of these laws precisely in the 'plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho.'
Think about it:
Understand the original words
mitsvah · Hebrew Noun
A formal charge, order, or instruction issued by a person of authority, often used in scripture to describe God’s revealed will for His people.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
Statutes, ordinances, or legal regulations established by God, often implying a binding requirement or a portion allotted by law.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the God of Israel, YHWH, who reveals Himself as the faithful, self-existent One who redeems His people.
This final verse serves as a capstone, bringing together all the laws and divine instructions given during Israel's lengthy wilderness journey, particularly those relevant to their upcoming settlement in the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC
Israel Departs Egypt
The exodus from Egypt marks the beginning of Israel's 40-year journey through the wilderness.
c. 1407 BC
Israel Enters Canaan's East Bank
After the death of Moses' generation, the new generation crosses the Jordan River, preparing to conquer the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Land Division Begins
The tribes of Israel begin receiving their allotted territories in Canaan, a process guided by divine law.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Zelophehad's Daughters' Inheritance Case
A legal case arises concerning inheritance rights for daughters when there are no male heirs, leading to new divine instructions.
c. 1406 BC
This passage also concludes a section of laws with a similar formula, highlighting the importance of God's commands and statutes for the people's relationship with Him.
Deuteronomy 1:1-5These verses set the stage for the laws that follow, mirroring the context of Numbers 36:13 by placing the Israelite encampment on the plains of Moab, ready to enter the promised land.
Joshua 1:1-2This passage shows the transition of leadership after Moses, emphasizing that the laws and commands given through him were still relevant as Israel prepared to take possession of the land.
Ezekiel 20:35-37This prophetic passage echoes the context of the wilderness and the plains of Moab, suggesting a time of judgment and a renewed covenant experience for God's people, much like the concluding experiences in Numbers.
gillNumbers 36:13: "These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho."
These are the commandments and the judgments,.... The judicial laws concerning the division of the land of Canaan, the case of inheritances in it, and the cities of refuge: which the Lord commanded by, the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel, in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho; where the Israelites…
clarkeNumbers 36:13: "These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho."
These are the commandments, etc. - See these different terms analyzed and explained, Leviticus 26:15 (note). Thus ends the book of Numbers, containing a series of astonishing providences and events. Scarcely any piece of history in the sacred writings is better calculated to impress the mind of a serious reader wit…
This verse isn't just a concluding statement; it signals a pivotal moment. The phrase "by the Jordan near Jericho" places Israel literally on the cusp of their promised inheritance, emphasizing that these final divine instructions were given just before they crossed over, making them immediately practical for life in the new land.
This verse serves as a concluding statement for the Book of Numbers, summarizing the commandments and laws given to the Israelites during their time on the plains of Moab, right on the edge of the Promised Land. It wraps up the account of their difficult journey and the regulations for their future inheritance, a fitting end as they prepare to cross the Jordan River.
This verse serves as a concluding statement for the Book of Numbers, summarizing the commandments and laws given to the Israelites during their time on the plains of Moab, right on the edge of the Promised Land. It wraps up the account of their difficult journey and the regulations for their future inheritance, a fitting end as they prepare to cross the Jordan River.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Numbers 36:13 is available in the Sola app.
Giving these 'commandments and judgments' here signifies that God's laws are not just for the journey, but are essential for entering and possessing His promises. The same God who guided them through the wilderness equips them for the challenges and responsibilities of the land of inheritance. These aren't relics of the past, but living principles for life in God's provision.
Law of Inheritance Clarified
God provides a specific ruling that daughters inheriting land must marry within their father's tribe to keep the inheritance within its ancestral line.
c. 1406 BC
Book of Numbers Concludes
The book ends with these final laws and commandments given in the plains of Moab, just before Israel's entry into the land.
"These are the commandments and the rules that the LORD commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho." — This verse isn't just a concluding statement; it signals a pivotal moment. The phrase "by the Jordan near Jericho" places Israel literally on the cusp of their promised inheritance, emphasizing that…
