Keraia
Deuteronomy 3

Deuteronomy 3:11

The Defeat of Og · Deuteronomy 3:1–11
Read Deuteronomy 3

Translations

Modern
(For only Og king of Bashan had remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed of iron, nine cubits long and four cubits wide, is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
Traditional
For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.
Literal
(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim; behold, his bed was an iron bed. Is it not in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon? Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width by the standard cubit.)
Latin
Solus quippe Og rex Basan restiterat de stirpe gigantum. Monstratur lectus ejus ferreus, qui est in Rabbath filiorum Ammon, novem cubitos habens longitudinis, et quatuor latitudinis ad mensuram cubiti virilis manus.

Original

Hebrew
English
(For only Og king of Bashan had remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed of iron, nine cubits long and four cubits wide, is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)

Notes

Deuteronomy 3:11

  • His bed was probably wooden and decorated with iron. Another possibility is that the Hebrew word refers to a sarcophagus (a stone coffin). In that case, the object may have been a burial container rather than an ordinary bed.

  • Rabbah is the same city as Rabbath Ammon (see study note on Deuteronomy 2:19). The text suggests that this object could still be seen there when Deuteronomy was written.

    This may mean that some kind of public display existed in Rabbah. People could look at this artifact as a reminder of the past.

Deuteronomy 1:6–4:40

Secular treaties (formal agreements between nations) often included a section about the past relationship between the two partners. This section reviewed what had happened before the agreement.

In this case, the purpose was to review Israel’s successes and failures since the exodus from Egypt. It reminded the people that God had kept his word, even when they did not obey him.

To prepare the Israelites for life in Canaan, Moses reminded them about life in Egypt, their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and their past mistakes. He warned them to obey God's covenant. He assured them that God's grace would follow them as they learned to trust and obey the Lord.

Measurements

  • four cubits wide: About 14 ft x 6 ft (4.3 m x 1.8 m)

Parallels

Numbers 21:31–35

People

Og: King of Bashan, defeated by Israel Rephaim: A race of giants who inhabited Canaan

Places

Ammon: An ancient nation and its capital city, enemies of Israel Bashan: Region east of the Jordan, known for its fertility

Glossary

Ammon, Ammonites Archaeology and the Bible Ashtaroth, Ashterathite Ashteroth-Karnaim Deuteronomy, Book of Giants Ironsmith Manasseh, Tribe of Numbers, Book of Og Palestine Rabbah of the Ammonites Rephaim Tribe of Dan

Topics

Bashan: Allotted to the Two and One Half Tribes, Which had Their Possession East of the Jordan River Bed: Made of Iron Beds: Made of Iron Cubit: A Measure of Distance Iron: First Recorded Use of Bedstead Iron: Made Into: Bedsteads Israel: Defeat the King of Baasha Journey of Israel Through The Desert: To the Mountains of Abarim: Og Conquered Measures of Length: Cubit Nephilim Og: A Man of Gigantic Stature Og: Land of, Given to the Tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh Rabbah: Also Called Rabbath: Bedstead of the Giant Named Og, Kept At Rephaim: An Ancient People of Palestine, of Great Stature Reubenites: Have Their Inheritance East of the Jordan River