What is the meaning of Numbers 35:10? Speak to the Israelites • Moses, standing on the east side of the Jordan, is commanded to address the covenant people directly, underscoring their corporate identity (Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6). • God speaks through His chosen mediator, affirming the reliability of prophetic revelation (Deuteronomy 18:18; Hebrews 1:1-2). • The phrase reminds us that every Israelite—leader and layperson alike—must heed divine instruction (Joshua 8:34-35). and tell them • The instruction is not optional counsel but binding law; Moses must “tell,” not merely suggest (Exodus 24:3; Deuteronomy 4:1-2). • Passing on God’s word verbatim protects the message from dilution, echoing the pattern later seen in Jeremiah 1:7 and Matthew 28:20. • This sets the stage for personal and national accountability (Deuteronomy 30:15-19). When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan • The wording looks ahead with certainty—crossing the Jordan is treated as a settled fact because God’s promise of the land is irrevocable (Genesis 15:18-21; Joshua 21:43-45). • The Jordan River marks the boundary between wilderness wandering and covenant fulfillment, illustrating salvation’s passage from death to life (Joshua 3:14-17; Romans 6:4). • “The land of Canaan” is not merely geography; it is the stage upon which Israel will live out God’s statutes, including the soon-to-be-explained cities of refuge (Numbers 35:11-15). • Obedience on the far side of the Jordan will validate Israel’s trust in God’s faithfulness (Deuteronomy 11:31-32; Hebrews 4:8-11). summary Numbers 35:10 captures a pivotal moment: God charges Moses to relay an authoritative directive to His covenant people on the brink of promise-fulfillment. The verse emphasizes (1) the necessity of hearing God’s exact words, (2) the certainty of entering the land, and (3) the expectation of covenant obedience once settled there. In this single sentence, the Lord anchors Israel’s future actions to His unerring word and His unbreakable promise. |
    |