Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 2

31And the Lord said to me, "Behold I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land before you; begin to drive him out, that you may inherit his land."   לאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י רְאֵ֗ה הַֽחִלֹּ֨תִי֙ תֵּ֣ת לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֶת־סִיחֹ֖ן וְאֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ הָחֵ֣ל רָ֔שׁ לָרֶ֖שֶׁת אֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ:
I have begun to deliver… before you: God forced down the guardian angel of the Amorites from above, beneath Moses’ feet and made him tread upon his neck.   הַֽחִלֹּתִי תֵּת לְפָנֶיךָ: כָּפָה שַׂר שֶׁל אֱמוֹרִיִּים שֶׁל מַעְלָה תַּחַת רַגְלָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה וְהִדְרִיכוֹ עַל צַוָּארוֹ:
32Then Sihon went forth towards us, he and all his people, to war at Jahzah.   לבוַיֵּצֵא֩ סִיחֹ֨ן לִקְרָאתֵ֜נוּ ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה יָֽהְצָה:
Then Sihon went forth: He did not send for Og to assist him. This teaches us that they did not require each other’s assistance [so powerful was each one of them.]   וַיֵּצֵא סִיחֹן: לֹא שָׁלַח בִּשְׁבִיל עוֹג לַעֲזֹר לוֹ, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ צְרִיכִים זֶה לָזֶה:
33And the Lord our God delivered him to us; and we smote him and his sons and all his people.   לגוַיִּתְּנֵ֛הוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ וַנַּ֥ךְ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו (כתיב ואת־בנו) וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּֽוֹ:
and his sons: It is written בנו [which can also be read as בְּנוֹ] “his son” [although traditionally it is read בָּנָיו “his sons”], for Sihon had a son who was as mighty as he (Midrash Tanchuma, Chukath 28; Num. Rabbah 32; Midrash Chaseroth Vietheroth, p. 279).   וְאֶת־בניו: בנו כְתִיב, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֵן גִּבּוֹר כְּמוֹתוֹ (תנחומא חקת):
34And we conquered all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every city, the men, women, and the young children; we left over no survivor.   לדוַנִּלְכֹּ֤ד אֶת־כָּל־עָרָיו֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַנַּֽחֲרֵם֙ אֶת־כָּל־עִ֣יר מְתִ֔ם וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַטָּ֑ף לֹ֥א הִשְׁאַ֖רְנוּ שָׂרִֽיד:
the men: Heb. מְתִם, which means “men.” Referring to the spoil taken from Sihon it is stated (verse 35), בָּזַזְנוּ לָנוּ, an expression denoting plunder בִּזָה, because it was precious to them, and every man plundered for himself. When they came to the spoils of Og, however, they were already satisfied and full, and it was contemptible in their eyes. They tore into pieces and threw away cattle and garments, and took only the silver and gold. Therefore, it states (3:7), בָּזוֹנוּ לָנוּ, which is an expression of “contempt.” It is also expounded in Sifrei, in the chapter beginning, “And Israel dwelt in Shittim” (Num. 25).   מְתִם: אֲנָשִׁים, בְּבִזַּת סִיחוֹן נֶאֱמַר בָּזַזְנוּ לָנוּ, לְשׁוֹן בִּזָּה, שֶׁהָיְתָה חֲבִיבָה עֲלֵיהֶם וּבוֹזְזִים אִישׁ לוֹ, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ לְבִזַּת עוֹג, כְּבָר הָיוּ שְׂבֵעִים וּמְלֵאִים, וְהָיְתָה בְּזוּיָה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם, וּמְקָרְעִין וּמַשְׁלִיכִין בְּהֵמָה וּבְגָדִים, וְלֹא נָטְלוּ כִּי אִם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בַּזּוֹנוּ לָנוּ, לְשׁוֹן בִּזָּיוֹן, כָּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי בְּפַ' וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים:
35Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves with the spoil of the cities which we had taken.   להרַ֥ק הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה בָּזַ֣זְנוּ לָ֑נוּ וּשְׁלַ֥ל הֶֽעָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָכָֽדְנוּ:
36From Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, even unto Gilead, there was not a city too high for us: the Lord our God delivered up all before us.   לומֵֽעֲרֹעֵ֡ר אֲשֶׁר֩ עַל־שְׂפַת־נַ֨חַל אַרְנֹ֜ן וְהָעִ֨יר אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּנַּ֨חַל֙ וְעַד־הַגִּלְעָ֔ד לֹ֤א הָֽיְתָה֙ קִרְיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָֽׂגְבָ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֶת־הַכֹּ֕ל נָתַ֛ן יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ לְפָנֵֽינוּ:
37Only to the land of the children of Ammon you came not near; all the side of the river Yabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the Lord our God commanded us.   לזרַ֛ק אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן לֹ֣א קָרָ֑בְתָּ כָּל־יַ֞ד נַ֤חַל יַבֹּק֙ וְעָרֵ֣י הָהָ֔ר וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ:
all the side of the river Yabok: [means,] all the area beside the brook of Yabok.   כָּל־יַד נַחַל יַבֹּק: כָּל אֵצֶל נַחַל יַבֹּק:
and wherever the Lord our God commanded us: not to conquer, we left alone.   וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ: שֶׁלֹּא לִכְבֹּשׁ, הִנַּחְנוּ:

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 3

1Then we turned and went up the way of Bashan, and Og, the king of Bashan, came forth toward us, he and all his people, to war at Edrei.   אוַנֵּ֣פֶן וַנַּ֔עַל דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וַיֵּצֵ֣א עוֹג֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֨ן לִקְרָאתֵ֜נוּ ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אֶדְרֶֽעִי:
Then we turned and went up: The whole northern direction [from the wilderness toward Canaan] is an ascent.   וַנֵּפֶן וַנַּעַל: כָּל צַד צָפוֹן הוּא עֲלִיָּה:
2And the Lord said to me, "Do not fear him, for I have given him, all his people, and his land into your hand, and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon."   בוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ אַל־תִּירָ֣א אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֣י בְיָֽדְךָ֞ נָתַ֧תִּי אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֗יתָ לְסִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּֽוֹן:
Do not fear him: In the case of Sihon [however] it was not necessary to state, “Do not fear him.” But [in the case of Og,] Moses feared lest the merit that he [Og] had rendered service to Abraham might stand by him, as it says, “And the fugitive came” (Gen. 14:13), and this was Og.   אַל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ: וּבְסִיחוֹן לֹא הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר אַל תִּירָא אֹתוֹ אֶלָּא מִתְיָרֵא הָיָה מֹשֶׁה שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲמֹד לוֹ זְכוּת שֶׁשִּׁמֵּשׁ לְאַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית י"ד) "וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט", וְהוּא עוֹג:
3So the Lord, our God, delivered into our hands also Og, the king of Bashan and all his people, and we smote him until no remnant remained of him.   גוַיִּתֵּן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֜ינוּ בְּיָדֵ֗נוּ גַּ֛ם אֶת־ע֥וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֖ן וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֑וֹ וַנַּכֵּ֕הוּ עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ שָׂרִֽיד:
4And we conquered all his cities at that time; there was not a town that we did not take from them sixty cities, all the territory of Argob the kingdom of Og in Bashan.   דוַנִּלְכֹּ֤ד אֶת־כָּל־עָרָיו֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא לֹ֤א הָֽיְתָה֙ קִרְיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־לָקַ֖חְנוּ מֵֽאִתָּ֑ם שִׁשִּׁ֥ים עִיר֙ כָּל־חֶ֣בֶל אַרְגֹּ֔ב מַמְלֶ֥כֶת ע֖וֹג בַּבָּשָֽׁן:
[All] the territory of Argob: This is rendered in the Targum as כָּל בֵּית פֶּלֶךְ טְרָכוֹנָא, “the province of Trachona,” and I saw the Targum Yerushalmi of Megillath Esther, which calls a palace טְרָכוֹנִין. Hence, I derive from this that חֶבֶל אַרְגֹּב means “the province of the royal palace,” denoting that the province is called after its name. [Consequently] I learned that the province אַרְגּוֹב is the province of the king’s palace, i.e. [the province] after which the kingdom was named. Similarly, the אֶת אַרְגּוֹב found in (II) Kings (15:25) means that near the king’s palace, Pekah the son of Remaliah killed Pekahiah the son of Menahem, I learn that thus (after the palace) was the province named.   חֶבֶל אַרְגֹּב: מְתַרְגְּמִינַן בֵּית פֶּלֶךְ טְרָכוֹנָא, וְרָאִיתִי תַּרְגּוּם יְרוּשַׁלְמִי בִּמְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר קוֹרֵא פָּלָטִין טְרָכוֹנִין, לָמַדְתִּי חֶבֶל אַרְגּוֹב הִפַּרְכִיָּא – הֵיכַל מֶלֶךְ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת נִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמָהּ; וְכֵן אֶת הָאַרְגּוֹב דִּמְלָכִים (מלכים ב ט״ו:כ״ה), אֵצֶל הֵיכַל מֶלֶךְ הֲרָגוֹ פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ לִפְקַחְיָה בֶן מְנַחֵם, לָמַדְתִּי שֶׁכָּךְ נִקְרָא שֵׁם הִפַּרְכִיָּא:
5All these cities were fortified with high walls, double doors, and bolts, in addition to a great many unwalled cities.   הכָּל־אֵ֜לֶּה עָרִ֧ים בְּצֻרֹ֛ת חוֹמָ֥ה גְבֹהָ֖ה דְּלָתַ֣יִם וּבְרִ֑יחַ לְבַ֛ד מֵֽעָרֵ֥י הַפְּרָזִ֖י הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד:
[in addition to…] unwalled cities: Heb. הַפְּרָזִי, unconfined and open, i.e., without a wall. Similarly, “Jerusalem will be inhabited like unwalled towns” (Zech. 2:8).   מֵֽעָרֵי הַפְּרָזִי: פְּרוּזוֹת וּפְתוּחוֹת בְּלֹא חוֹמָה, וְכֵן (זכריה ב') "פְּרָזוֹת תֵּשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם":
6And we utterly destroyed them as we did to Sihon, king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every city, the men, the women, and the young children.   ווַנַּֽחֲרֵ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔ינוּ לְסִיחֹ֖ן מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן הַֽחֲרֵם֙ כָּל־עִ֣יר מְתִ֔ם הַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַטָּֽף:
utterly destroy: Heb. הַחִרֵם. This is the present tense: [i.e.,] continuously destroying.   הַֽחֲרֵם: לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה – הָלוֹךְ וְכַלּוֹת:
7But all the beasts and the spoils of the cities, we took as spoil for ourselves.   זוְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָ֛ה וּשְׁלַ֥ל הֶֽעָרִ֖ים בַּזּ֥וֹנוּ לָֽנוּ:
8At that time we took the land out of the hands of the two kings of the Amorites who were on that side of the Jordan, from the brook of Arnon to Mount Hermon.   חוַנִּקַּ֞ח בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִוא֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ מִיַּ֗ד שְׁנֵי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן מִנַּ֥חַל אַרְנֹ֖ן עַד־הַ֥ר חֶרְמֽוֹן:
out of the hand: [I.e.,] from the possession.   מִיַּד: מֵרְשׁוּת:
9The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion; and the Amorites call it Senir.   טצִֽידֹנִ֛ים יִקְרְא֥וּ לְחֶרְמ֖וֹן שִׂרְיֹ֑ן וְהָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י יִקְרְאוּ־ל֖וֹ שְׂנִֽיר:
The Sidonians call Hermon, etc.: But in another passage, it states, “Until Mount Sion, which is Hermon” (Deut. 4:48). So we see that it had four names [Hermon, Sirion, Senir, and Sion]. Why was it necessary for all of them to be written [in the Scriptures]? To extol the praise of the land of Israel, that there were four kingdoms priding themselves in it-one saying, “It shall be called by my name,” and another saying, “It shall be called by my name.”   צִֽידֹנִים יִקְרְאוּ לְחֶרְמוֹן וגו': וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים ד') "וְעַד הַר שִׂיאֹן הוּא חֶרְמוֹן", הֲרֵי לוֹ אַרְבָּעָה שֵׁמוֹת, לָמָּה הֻצְרְכוּ לִכָּתֵב? לְהַגִּיד שֶׁבַח אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל – שֶׁהָיוּ אַרְבַּע מַלְכֻיּוֹת מִתְפָּאֲרוֹת בְּכָךְ, זוֹ אוֹמֶרֶת עַל שְׁמִי יִקָּרֵא, וְזוֹ אוֹמֶרֶת עַל שְׁמִי יִקָּרֵא:
Senir: This means “snow” in German and Slavish. (See Berliner, p. 427.)   שְׂנִֽיר: הוּא שֶׁלֶג בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז וּבִלְשׁוֹן כְּנַעַן:
10All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.   יכֹּ֣ל | עָרֵ֣י הַמִּישֹׁ֗ר וְכָל־הַגִּלְעָד֙ וְכָל־הַבָּשָׁ֔ן עַד־סַֽלְכָ֖ה וְאֶדְרֶ֑עִי עָרֵ֛י מַמְלֶ֥כֶת ע֖וֹג בַּבָּשָֽׁן:
11For only Og, king of Bashan, was left from the remnant of the Rephaim. His bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its breadth, according to the cubit of a man.   יאכִּ֣י רַק־ע֞וֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֗ן נִשְׁאַר֘ מִיֶּ֣תֶר הָֽרְפָאִים֒ הִנֵּ֤ה עַרְשׂוֹ֙ עֶ֣רֶשׂ בַּרְזֶ֔ל הֲלֹ֣ה הִ֔וא בְּרַבַּ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן תֵּ֧שַׁע אַמּ֣וֹת אָרְכָּ֗הּ וְאַרְבַּ֥ע אַמּ֛וֹת רָחְבָּ֖הּ בְּאַמַּת־אִֽישׁ:
[Only Og… was left] from the remnant of the Rephaim: whom Amraphel and his allies killed in Ashteroth-Karnaim [see Gen. 14:5], and he [Og] escaped from the battle, as it is said, “And the fugitive came” (Gen. 14:13), and this is Og. — [Niddah 61a]   מִיֶּתֶר הָֽרְפָאִים: שֶׁהָרְגוּ אַמְרָפֶל וַחֲבֵרָיו בְּעַשְׁתְּרוֹת קַרְנַיִם, וְהוּא פָּלַט מִן הַמִּלְחָמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית י"ד) "וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט" – זֶהוּ עוֹג:
according to the cubit of a man: I.e., according to the cubit of Og [from the elbow to the end of the middle finger].   בְּאַמַּת־אִֽישׁ: בְּאַמַּת עוֹג:
12And this land, which we possessed at that time; from Aro'er, which is by the brook of Arnon, and half of Mount Gilead and its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites.   יבוְאֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את יָרַ֖שְׁנוּ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑וא מֵֽעֲרֹעֵ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־עַל־נַ֣חַל אַרְנֹ֗ן וַֽחֲצִ֤י הַר־הַגִּלְעָד֙ וְעָרָ֔יו נָתַ֕תִּי לָרֽאוּבֵנִ֖י וְלַגָּדִֽי:
And this land, which we possessed at that time: The one mentioned above, “from the brook of Arnon to Mount Hermon” (verse 8).   וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת: הָאֲמוּרָה לְמַעְלָה, מִנַּחַל אַרְנוֹן וְעַד הַר חֶרְמוֹן, ירשנו בעת ההיא:
from Aro’er, which is by the brook Arnon: This is not to be connected with the beginning of the verse [defining “this land”], but with its conclusion, [namely,] “I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites.” Regarding the possession, however, that was “[from the brook of Arnon] to Mount Hermon” (verse 8).   מֵֽעֲרֹעֵר אֲשֶׁר־עַל־נַחַל אַרְנֹן: אֵינוֹ מְחֻבָּר לְרֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא אֶלָּא לְסוֹפוֹ – עַל נָתַתִּי לָראוּבֵנִי וְלַגָּדִי, אֲבָל לְעִנְיַן יְרֻשָּׁה עַד הַר חֶרְמוֹן הָיָה:
13And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh; all the territory of Argob, all of Bashan; that is called the land of Rephaim.   יגוְיֶ֨תֶר הַגִּלְעָ֤ד וְכָל־הַבָּשָׁן֙ מַמְלֶ֣כֶת ע֔וֹג נָתַ֕תִּי לַֽחֲצִ֖י שֵׁ֣בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כֹּ֣ל חֶ֤בֶל הָֽאַרְגֹּב֙ לְכָל־הַבָּשָׁ֔ן הַה֥וּא יִקָּרֵ֖א אֶ֥רֶץ רְפָאִֽים:
that is called the land of Rephaim: That is what I gave to Abraham.   הַהוּא יִקָּרֵא אֶרֶץ רְפָאִֽים: הִיא אוֹתָהּ שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם:
14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the territory of Argob to the boundaries of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and he called them, even Bashan, after his own name, villages of Jair, to this day.   ידיָאִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה לָקַח֙ אֶת־כָּל־חֶ֣בֶל אַרְגֹּ֔ב עַד־גְּב֥וּל הַגְּשׁוּרִ֖י וְהַמַּֽעֲכָתִ֑י וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֹתָ֨ם עַל־שְׁמ֤וֹ אֶת־הַבָּשָׁן֙ חַוֹּ֣ת יָאִ֔יר עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: