And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.

DEUTERONOMY 2:31KJV
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Deuteronomy 2:31 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 2:31 mean?

Deuteronomy 2:31 records God telling Moses that He has started to hand over Sihon, king of the Amorites, and his land to Israel, and instructs Moses to begin taking possession of it. The verse emphasizes that God is actively giving Israel the land and that they are now to move forward and claim it as their inheritance.

In this verse, Moses is recounting what God said to him as the Israelites prepared to enter the territory east of the Jordan River. Sihon ruled a region Israel needed to pass through, and God’s command marks a turning point where Israel moves from wandering to taking hold of the land promised to them. The language highlights both God’s initiative and Israel’s responsibility to act on His promise.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 2:31

  • LORD (יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing a direct and covenantal relationship.
  • begun (הֵחֵל, hechel): This word means “to start” or “to initiate.” Here, it shows that God has already set the process in motion before Israel acts.
  • give (נָתַן, natan): Often translated as “to give” or “to hand over,” this word stresses that the land and victory are gifts from God, not just military achievements.
  • possess / inherit (יָרַשׁ, yarash): This word means both “to possess” and “to inherit,” highlighting that Israel’s taking of the land is both an act of conquest and a fulfillment of a promised inheritance.

Why Deuteronomy 2:31 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Israel’s conquest of the land is not by their own power alone but because God has already begun to give it to them.
  • The command to “begin to possess” shows that God’s promises often require human action in response; Israel must step forward in faith.
  • Deuteronomy 2:31 connects to the broader story of Israel’s journey, marking a shift from wandering to entering and inheriting the land, and sets the stage for the battles and victories that follow.

Where else these words appear

“Sihon” Hebrew H5511 · used in 34 verses

  • Numbers 21:21 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
  • Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.
  • Joshua 13:10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;

“begun” Hebrew H2490 · used in 131 verses

  • Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
  • Judges 20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
  • Jeremiah 16:18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.