Nehemiah 9:22

The Conquest of Palestine: Victory

22. The Conquest of the Transjordanic territory.

nations R.V. peoples.

and didst divide them into corners R.V. which thou didst allot after their portions. Marg. -Or, And didst distribute them into every corner". The difficulty of rendering arises from the word -pêah" = -a corner," or -edge," which the LXX. and Vulg. do not attempt to translate. Used of -a corner" in such passages as Leviticus 19:9; Leviticus 19:27; Amos 3:12; it is found with a territorial signification, in Numbers 24:17 -the corners of Moab," Joshua 15:5; Joshua 18:14-15, -the north quarter," -the west quarter," -the south quarter," Jeremiah 48:45 -the corner of Moab." It does not seem to occur anywhere in a technical sense for -a lot" or -an appointed portion." -To allot according to corner," in the sense of -after their portions" (as the R.V.), may give the meaning of the obscure phrase; but no satisfactory parallel to this use of - pêah" occurs in the O. T. This being the case, it is probable that preference should be given to the R.V. marg. -into every corner," a translation which renders -pêah" literally, and explains the Hebrew idiom by the insertion of the word -every."

Sihon … Og The victory over these kings at the battles of Jahaz and Edrei is described in Numbers 21:21-35. It made the children of Israel masters of the E. bank of the Jordan. Reference to the conquest of these two kings is frequent, e.g. Numbers 32:33; Deuteronomy 1:4; Deuteronomy 3:1, &c.; Joshua 2:10; Psalms 135:11; Psalms 136:19-20. The territory of the two Amorite kings stretched from the river Jabbok in the S. to the Hauran Mts. in the N., and included the district of Argob. In later days it was divided into Iturea, Gaulanitis, Batanea, Trachonitis and Auranitis.

and the land of the king of Heshbon R.V. even the land, &c. The -copula" is used to define the previous words, cf. Nehemiah 9:16 -they and our fathers." Nehemiah 8:7. The LXX. omit -and the land" (Σηὼν βασιλέως Ἐσεβών).