Deuteronomy 2

Here in this chapter we read of God forbidding Israel from attacking the Edomites, the Moabites and the Ammonites. But the Amorites were not spared. Israel destroyed their cities but took their livestock and the spoil of the cities which they captured.

Deuteronomy 1

Here in this chapter we read of Moses speech which took place forty years after they left Mount Horeb.

Here he reminded them how God told Israel to possess the land which the Lord promised to their fathers. He further recounted how he appointed leaders from the tribes of Israel to help him as judges over the people.

He furthermore described how Israel requested for spies to spy out the land of promise when they were at its borders. Moses thought that it was a good idea and so they were sent. But they gave an exaggerated and unbelieving report about the inhabitants of the land which totally frightened and discouraged Israel. In unbelief, Israel forgot about the care and protection which the Lord did for them in their journey. They murmured and complained against the Lord.

Moses then told about how God responded by saying that only Caleb and Joshua of the unbelieving generation will enter the land. Not even Moses, for some wrong he did, would be able to enter. The land would be given to the children of the unbelieving older generation of Israelites.

Then Moses rehashed how God, in anger, told Israel to retreat from the land of promise. But the Israelites after realizing their sin disobeyed God's directive. They went and attempted to possess the land. But they were soundly repulsed and defeated.

Numbers 36

Here in this chapter we read of a concern of the leaders of Manasseh concerning the daughters of Zelophehad. Zelphehad had no sons and so his inheritance was passed on to his daughters. But the concern of the leaders was that the inheritance or the territory which they had just gained might be passed on to other tribes if these women marry men from other tribes.

And so, to address this, God through Moses decreed that the women should only marry within their tribe.