Numbers 27:12

12 One day the LORD said to Moses, “Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel.

Numbers 27:12 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 27:12

And the Lord said unto Moses
After the covenant made with Israel in the plains of Moab, and the song delivered to them, ( Deuteronomy 29:1 ) ( Deuteronomy 32:1-49 )

get thee up to this Mount Abarim;
which was a range of mountains, so called from the passages by them over Jordan into the land of Canaan; one part of which was Nebo, and the top of that Pisgah, from whence Moses had the view of the good land here directed to; see ( Numbers 33:47 ) ( Deuteronomy 32:49 ) ( 34:1 ) .

and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel;
for though he was now one hundred and twenty years old, his eyes were not dim, he could see at a great distance; and the height of this hill gave him an advantage of taking a prospect of the land, a great way into it; and very probably his sight might be greatly strengthened and increased at this time by the Lord, for the purpose; this may be an emblem of that sight by faith, which believers have at times of the heavenly Canaan, and sometimes are favoured with an enlarged one of it before their death.

Numbers 27:12 In-Context

10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

11 But if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan. This is a legal requirement for the people of Israel, just as the LORD commanded Moses.”

12 One day the LORD said to Moses, “Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel.

13 After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron,

14 for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

Footnotes

• [a]. Or the mountains of Abarim.