Catholic Commentary on Numbers 34

"Command the Israelites and say to them: when you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance will have these boundaries." (Numbers 34:2)

The Boundaries of Canaan

God specifies the boundaries of the land that Israel is to receive: Command the Israelites and say to them: when you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance will have these boundaries. The southern, western, northern, and eastern boundaries are described in detail, encompassing the territory from the wilderness of Zin to Mount Hor on the south, to the Great Sea on the west, to Mount Hor and Lebo Hamath in the north, to the Sea of Kinnereth and the Jordan and the Salt Sea on the east. God appoints a leader from each tribe to help assign the land, with Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun presiding over the distribution.

The specificity of the boundaries is theologically significant: the promised land is not a vague spiritual territory but a defined geographical inheritance. The promise made to Abraham, confirmed to Isaac and Jacob, is a concrete promise about a concrete place. The Catechism identifies the land of promise as the type of the eschatological inheritance: just as Israel received specific territory in the old covenant, the new covenant people await the new heavens and new earth, the concrete resurrection body and the renewed creation (CCC 693). The promise is always more physical than we make it.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the land was bounded and mapped and assigned to specific people. The inheritance God gives is not generic but particular: this is yours, this is your portion, this is the place and the purpose for which you have been formed. God has a specific inheritance for you, not a vague spiritual blessing but the concrete gift of the calling he has prepared.

Prayer

Lord God, you marked out the boundaries of the promised land before your people entered it. Mark out our inheritance. Show us the specific purpose and place you have prepared for us. And give us the courage to take possession of it. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

34
The Boundaries of Canaan
(Genesis 15:8–21)
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance with these boundaries:
 
3 Your southern border will extend from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom. On the east, your southern border will run from the end of the Salt Sea,* 34:3 That is, the Dead Sea; also in verse 12 4 cross south of the Ascent of Akrabbim,† 34:4 Or the Ascent of Scorpions or Scorpion Pass continue to Zin, and go south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it will go on to Hazar-addar and proceed to Azmon, 5 where it will turn from Azmon, join the Brook of Egypt, and end at the Sea.‡ 34:5 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea; also in verses 6 and 7
 
6 Your western border will be the coastline of the Great Sea; this will be your boundary on the west.
 
7 Your northern border will run from the Great Sea directly to Mount Hor, 8 and from Mount Hor to Lebo-hamath, then extend to Zedad, 9 continue to Ziphron, and end at Hazar-enan. This will be your boundary on the north.
 
10 And your eastern border will run straight from Hazar-enan to Shepham, 11 then go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Chinnereth.§ 34:11 That is, the Sea of Galilee 12 Then the border will go down along the Jordan and end at the Salt Sea.
 
This will be your land, defined by its borders on all sides.”
 
13 So Moses commanded the Israelites, “Apportion this land by lot as an inheritance. The LORD has commanded that it be given to the nine and a half tribes. 14 For the tribes of the Reubenites and Gadites, along with the half-tribe of Manasseh, have already received their inheritance. 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance across the Jordan from Jericho, toward the sunrise.”
Leaders to Divide the Land
 
16 Then the LORD said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land as an inheritance for you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 Appoint one leader from each tribe to distribute the land. 19 These are their names:
 
Caleb son of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah;
 
20 Shemuel son of Ammihud from the tribe of Simeon;
 
21 Elidad son of Chislon from the tribe of Benjamin;
 
22 Bukki son of Jogli, a leader from the tribe of Dan;
 
23 Hanniel son of Ephod, a leader from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph;
 
24 Kemuel son of Shiphtan, a leader from the tribe of Ephraim;
 
25 Eli-zaphan son of Parnach, a leader from the tribe of Zebulun;
 
26 Paltiel son of Azzan, a leader from the tribe of Issachar;
 
27 Ahihud son of Shelomi, a leader from the tribe of Asher;
 
28 and Pedahel son of Ammihud, a leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”
 
29 These are the ones whom the LORD commanded to apportion the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

*34:3 34:3 That is, the Dead Sea; also in verse 12

†34:4 34:4 Or the Ascent of Scorpions or Scorpion Pass

‡34:5 34:5 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea; also in verses 6 and 7

§34:11 34:11 That is, the Sea of Galilee

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