New American Standard Bible 1995

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Deuteronomy

3

:

8

"Thus we took the land at that time from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of Arnon to Mount Hermon

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"Thus we took to take Verb H3947 וַנִּקַּ֞ח van·nik·kach
the land earth, land Noun H776 הָאָ֔רֶץ ha·'a·retz,
at that time time Noun H6256 בָּעֵ֤ת ba·'et
from the hand hand Noun H3027 מִיַּ֗ד mi·yad
of the two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁנֵי֙ she·nei
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

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kings king Noun H4428 מַלְכֵ֣י mal·chei
of the Amorites perhaps "mountain dwellers," a Canaanite tribe Noun H567 הָאֱמֹרִ֔י ha·'e·mo·ri,
who who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֖ר a·sher
were beyond region across or beyond, side Noun H5676 בְּעֵ֣בֶר be·'e·ver
the Jordan, the principal river of Pal. Noun H3383 הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן hai·yar·den;
from the valley torrent, torrent-valley, wadi Noun H5158 מִנַּ֥חַל min·na·chal
of Arnon "a roaring stream," a wadi and stream in Moab Noun H769 אַרְנֹ֖ן ar·non
to Mount mountain, hill, hill country Noun H2022 הַ֥ר har
Hermon "sacred (mountain)," a mountain in S. Aram (Syria) and N. Isr. Noun H2768 חֶרְמֹֽון׃ cher·mo·vn.

Locations

Arnon (Arnon River)

ARNONar'-non ('arnon; Arnon): Is first mentioned in Numbers 21:24 as the border between Moab and the Amorites. "The valleys of Arnon" in the next verse undoubtedly indicate the numerous wadies contributary to the main stream. It formed the southern boundary of the land assigned to Reuben (Deuteronomy 3:12). The city of Aroer stood on the northern edge of the... View Details

Hermon (Mount Hermon)

HERMONhur'-mon (chermon; Codex Vaticanus, Haermon):1. Description:The name of the majestic mountain in which the Anti-Lebanon range terminates to the South (Deuteronomy 3:8, etc.). It reaches a height of 9,200 ft. above the sea, and extends some 16 to 20 miles from North to South. It was called Sirion by the Sidonians (Deuteronomy 3:9; compare Psalm 29:6), a... View Details

Jordan River

JORDANjor'-dan (yarden, "flowing downward"; 'Iordanes):1. Source:The Jordan river proper begins at the junction of four streams (the Bareighit, the Hasbany, the Leddan, and the Banias), in the upper part of the plain of Lake Huleh. The Bareighit receives its supply of water from the hills on the West, which separate the valley from the river Litany, and is t... View Details

Mount Hermon

HERMONhur'-mon (chermon; Codex Vaticanus, Haermon):1. Description:The name of the majestic mountain in which the Anti-Lebanon range terminates to the South (Deuteronomy 3:8, etc.). It reaches a height of 9,200 ft. above the sea, and extends some 16 to 20 miles from North to South. It was called Sirion by the Sidonians (Deuteronomy 3:9; compare Psalm 29:6), a... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "Thus we took the land at that time from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of Arnon to Mount Hermon
King James Bible "Thus And we took the land at that time from out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the land that was on this side Jordan, from the valley river of Arnon to Mount Hermonunto mount Hermon;
Hebrew Greek English "Thus we took the land at that time from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of Arnon to Mount Hermon