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.