God granted Israel a decisive victory over King Og and gave them full possession of his land.
In this passage, Moses leads the Israelites into conflict with Og, the king of Bashan, a territory located east of the Jordan River and north of Gilead, known for its fertile lands and strategic highlands. The verse describes how God gave His people victory beyond measure. In accomplishing this, Israel fought Og, defeating him, his entire family, and all his people. In the words of Scripture, “So they killed him and his sons and all his people, until there was no remnant left him; and they took possession of his land” (v.35). This event took place around the late fifteenth or early fourteenth century BC, as part of Israel’s progress toward the land of Canaan. Og’s defeat further established Israel’s claim on the lands east of the Jordan, which were later distributed among tribes such as Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh (Numbers 21:33-35; Deuteronomy 33:20-21).
The scope of their triumph is striking in its completeness: the Israelites not only overcame Og in battle but also subjugated his entire domain, leaving “no remnant” of opposition. Historically, King Og is remembered as a warlord with significant territory and resources, suggesting that his downfall was a mighty demonstration of God’s sustaining power. Bashan’s hills and prime farmland had likely given Og’s kingdom considerable wealth, which was then transferred to Israel as the newly conquered territory was apportioned among them, securing Israel’s foothold east of the Jordan. This victory, following just after their conquest of King Sihon, foreshadowed the successful campaigns that would bring the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Spiritually, this passage underscores the faithfulness of God’s promise to deliver His people and establish them in the place He had prepared. In the New Testament, believers are also taught that God provides the means to defeat obstacles that seem insurmountable (Romans 8:37). As the Israelites trusted God to empower them over Og, so Christians trust Christ’s victory over sin and death, knowing He can overcome every challenge they face in life. Just as the defeat of King Og opened the way for Israel’s growing inheritance, Christ’s resurrection established the foundation of the believer’s eternal inheritance in Him.
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Numbers 21:35 meaning
In this passage, Moses leads the Israelites into conflict with Og, the king of Bashan, a territory located east of the Jordan River and north of Gilead, known for its fertile lands and strategic highlands. The verse describes how God gave His people victory beyond measure. In accomplishing this, Israel fought Og, defeating him, his entire family, and all his people. In the words of Scripture, “So they killed him and his sons and all his people, until there was no remnant left him; and they took possession of his land” (v.35). This event took place around the late fifteenth or early fourteenth century BC, as part of Israel’s progress toward the land of Canaan. Og’s defeat further established Israel’s claim on the lands east of the Jordan, which were later distributed among tribes such as Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh (Numbers 21:33-35; Deuteronomy 33:20-21).
The scope of their triumph is striking in its completeness: the Israelites not only overcame Og in battle but also subjugated his entire domain, leaving “no remnant” of opposition. Historically, King Og is remembered as a warlord with significant territory and resources, suggesting that his downfall was a mighty demonstration of God’s sustaining power. Bashan’s hills and prime farmland had likely given Og’s kingdom considerable wealth, which was then transferred to Israel as the newly conquered territory was apportioned among them, securing Israel’s foothold east of the Jordan. This victory, following just after their conquest of King Sihon, foreshadowed the successful campaigns that would bring the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Spiritually, this passage underscores the faithfulness of God’s promise to deliver His people and establish them in the place He had prepared. In the New Testament, believers are also taught that God provides the means to defeat obstacles that seem insurmountable (Romans 8:37). As the Israelites trusted God to empower them over Og, so Christians trust Christ’s victory over sin and death, knowing He can overcome every challenge they face in life. Just as the defeat of King Og opened the way for Israel’s growing inheritance, Christ’s resurrection established the foundation of the believer’s eternal inheritance in Him.