Deuteronomy 3:18, commentary and pictures

Moses commanded Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, whose land east of the Jordan was already given, to send all their men fit for war armed ahead of their fellow Israelites to fight with them until the other tribes also possessed the land beyond the Jordan. Their families and livestock were to remain behind, and only after their brethren had received their inheritance and rest could each eastern warrior return to his own possession. Having already received their own settled inheritance did not excuse them, but made it their duty to help their brethren obtain the promised land until they too had rest. The rest promised was the peaceable possession of Canaan and dwelling safely and securely in it after enemies were subdued, distinct from the seventh-day Sabbath. That earthly rest and inheritance given through Moses and Joshua is the figure of the true rest and inheritance in the heavenly Canaan that remains to God's people through Christ.

Setting and Command

The verse belongs to Moses' rehearsal of God's dealings, goodness and laws with Israel in the first of his addresses just before his death and before Israel crossed the Jordan into the promised land. That opening portion, Deuteronomy 1 to 4:40, looks backward along the way God has led Israel and forward along the way He is yet to lead them, serving at once as admonition and as farewell.

The command is spoken to the two and a half tribes of Reuben, Gad and half Manasseh, whose possession east of the Jordan has already been given to them. All their men fit for war are required to pass over armed ahead of their fellow Israelites and to fight with them until the other tribes also possess the land beyond the Jordan. The eastern gift of land is to be possessed, while the armed men go before their brethren until all the tribes have received their inheritance and rest.

Their families and livestock may remain behind east of the Jordan while the warriors go forward. Only after the brethren have received their inheritance and rest westward beyond the Jordan may each eastern warrior return to his own possession.

Having already received their own settled inheritance does not excuse the eastern tribes from helping the other tribes obtain the promised land. Their gift makes it their duty to support their brethren in battle until they too have rest and possession of their land.

Israel's destruction of hostile peoples in this setting is judgment on peoples wholly given over to evil, whose survival would bring corruption and further harm. Their destruction stands as an instance of God's judgments on nations that reject Him.

Possession means an allotted portion of land assigned by lot, as the Septuagint word kleros shows. To be made an heritage therefore means to be made a people of inheritance with a real allotted portion of land, not pilgrims and wanderers forever.

Deliverance from Egypt is the motive for obedience, and obedience is the condition for obtaining the land set before them. Israel is therefore urged to remember, to take heed, and not to forget what God has done.

Promised Land Rest

The rest promised is the possession of the land the Lord gave Israel, and it is distinct from the seventh-day Sabbath, for the promised rest from Egypt was the peaceable possession of Canaan, not the Sabbath rest day. Moses commands the tribes whose possession east of Jordan is already given to pass over armed before their brethren until the Lord has given rest to their brethren as well as to them by giving them possession of the land beyond Jordan, after which each man shall return to his own possession. Their duty was to help the other tribes until they too received rest and possessed their land, with their able men crossing over armed ahead of the other Israelites.

Rest means receiving the inherited land and dwelling safely and securely in it after enemies are subdued, being established securely in the inheritance. God's gift of the land east of the Jordan was to be possessed, while the armed men of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh were to go before their fellow Israelites until all the tribes had received their inheritance and rest. It is the same rest Joshua later gave, the peaceable possession of the land after enemies are subdued. Rest from enemies and safe dwelling was as much a part of God's promise as the inheritance of the land itself, just as the promise that Abraham's seed would possess the gate of his enemies included rest from oppression.

The Lord had already given the two and a half tribes their possession east of Jordan and given them rest, yet commanded all their men fit for war to pass over armed before their brethren to help them fight until the Lord had given rest to their brethren as well as to them and until they also possessed the land beyond Jordan westward, when the eastern warriors could return to their own possession. That earthly rest and inheritance given through Moses and Joshua is the figure or type of the true rest and inheritance in the heavenly Canaan that remains to God's people and Abraham's faithful descendants through Christ. The rebels in the wilderness were shut out from that rest by oath.