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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 34

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:

אוַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃

2Instruct B'nei Yisrael and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as your portion, the land of Canaan with its various boundaries:

TZAV et b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL v'-a-mar-TA a-lay-HEM kee a-TEM ba-EEM el ha-A-retz k'-NA-an ZOT ha-A-retz a-SHER ti-POL la-KHEM b'-na-kha-LAH E-retz k'-NA-an lig-vu-lo-TE-ha

בצַו אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי־אַתֶּם בָּאִים אֶל־הָאָרֶץ כְּנָעַן זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּפֹּל לָכֶם בְּנַחֲלָה אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִגְבֻלֹתֶיהָ׃

 34:2   The land of Canaan with its various boundaries

Chapter 34 describes the biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel. These boundaries are important, since a number of mitzvot (מצוות), ‘commandments,’ apply only within these borders. Many of the biblical laws that apply specifically inside Eretz Yisrael are agricultural ones that are intrinsically connected to the land. Many of them mandate providing for those who cannot provide for themselves, either because they are poor or because they do not have their own portion of land. How special is the Land of Israel: Caring for others is inherent in living there.

3Your southern sector shall extend from the wilderness of Zin alongside Edom. Your southern boundary shall start on the east from the tip of the Dead Sea.

גוְהָיָה לָכֶם פְּאַת־נֶגֶב מִמִּדְבַּר־צִן עַל־יְדֵי אֱדוֹם וְהָיָה לָכֶם גְּבוּל נֶגֶב מִקְצֵה יָם־הַמֶּלַח קֵדְמָה׃

4Your boundary shall then turn to pass south of the ascent of Akrabbim and continue to Zin, and its limits shall be south of Kadesh-barnea, reaching Hazar-addar and continuing to Azmon.

דוְנָסַב לָכֶם הַגְּבוּל מִנֶּגֶב לְמַעֲלֵה עַקְרַבִּים וְעָבַר צִנָה והיה [וְהָיוּ] תּוֹצְאֹתָיו מִנֶּגֶב לְקָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ וְיָצָא חֲצַר־אַדָּר וְעָבַר עַצְמֹנָה׃

5From Azmon the boundary shall turn toward the Wadi of Egypt and terminate at the Sea.

הוְנָסַב הַגְּבוּל מֵעַצְמוֹן נַחְלָה מִצְרָיִם וְהָיוּ תוֹצְאֹתָיו הַיָּמָּה׃

6For the western boundary you shall have the coast of the Great Sea; that shall serve as your western boundary.

ווּגְבוּל יָם וְהָיָה לָכֶם הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל וּגְבוּל זֶה־יִהְיֶה לָכֶם גְּבוּל יָם׃

7This shall be your northern boundary: Draw a line from the Great Sea to Mount Hor;

זוְזֶה־יִהְיֶה לָכֶם גְּבוּל צָפוֹן מִן־הַיָּם הַגָּדֹל תְּתָאוּ לָכֶם הֹר הָהָר׃

8from Mount Hor draw a line to Lebo-hamath, and let the boundary reach Zedad.

חמֵהֹר הָהָר תְּתָאוּ לְבֹא חֲמָת וְהָיוּ תּוֹצְאֹת הַגְּבֻל צְדָדָה׃

9The boundary shall then run to Ziphron and terminate at Hazar-enan. That shall be your northern boundary.

טוְיָצָא הַגְּבֻל זִפְרֹנָה וְהָיוּ תוֹצְאֹתָיו חֲצַר עֵינָן זֶה־יִהְיֶה לָכֶם גְּבוּל צָפוֹן׃

10For your eastern boundary you shall draw a line from Hazar-enan to Shepham.

יוְהִתְאַוִּיתֶם לָכֶם לִגְבוּל קֵדְמָה מֵחֲצַר עֵינָן שְׁפָמָה׃

11From Shepham the boundary shall descend to Riblah on the east side of Ain; from there the boundary shall continue downward and abut on the eastern slopes of the Sea of Chinnereth.

יאוְיָרַד הַגְּבֻל מִשְּׁפָם הָרִבְלָה מִקֶּדֶם לָעָיִן וְיָרַד הַגְּבוּל וּמָחָה עַל־כֶּתֶף יָם־כִּנֶּרֶת קֵדְמָה׃

12The boundary shall then descend along the Yarden and terminate at the Dead Sea. That shall be your land as defined by its boundaries on all sides.

יבוְיָרַד הַגְּבוּל הַיַּרְדֵּנָה וְהָיוּ תוֹצְאֹתָיו יָם הַמֶּלַח זֹאת תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם הָאָרֶץ לִגְבֻלֹתֶיהָ סָבִיב׃

13Moshe instructed the Israelites, saying: This is the land you are to receive by lot as your hereditary portion, which Hashem has commanded to be given to the nine and a half tribes.

יגוַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּתְנַחֲלוּ אֹתָהּ בְּגוֹרָל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה לָתֵת לְתִשְׁעַת הַמַּטּוֹת וַחֲצִי הַמַּטֶּה׃

14For the Reubenite tribe by its ancestral houses, the Gadite tribe by its ancestral houses, and the half-tribe of Menashe have already received their portions:

ידכִּי לָקְחוּ מַטֵּה בְנֵי הָראוּבֵנִי לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם וּמַטֵּה בְנֵי־הַגָּדִי לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם וַחֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה לָקְחוּ נַחֲלָתָם׃

15those two and a half tribes have received their portions across the Yarden, opposite Yericho, on the east, the orient side.

טושְׁנֵי הַמַּטּוֹת וַחֲצִי הַמַּטֶּה לָקְחוּ נַחֲלָתָם מֵעֵבֶר לְיַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה׃

16Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:

טזוַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃

17These are the names of the men through whom the land shall be apportioned for you: Elazar the Kohen and Yehoshua son of Nun.

יזאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־יִנְחֲלוּ לָכֶם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן׃

18And you shall also take a chieftain from each tribe through whom the land shall be apportioned.

יחוְנָשִׂיא אֶחָד נָשִׂיא אֶחָד מִמַּטֶּה תִּקְחוּ לִנְחֹל אֶת־הָאָרֶץ׃

19These are the names of the men: from the tribe of Yehuda: Kalev son of Jephunneh.

יטוְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה כָּלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה׃

20From the Simeonite tribe: Shmuel son of Ammihud.

כוּלְמַטֵּה בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן שְׁמוּאֵל בֶּן־עַמִּיהוּד׃

21From the tribe of Binyamin: Elidad son of Chislon.

כאלְמַטֵּה בִנְיָמִן אֱלִידָד בֶּן־כִּסְלוֹן׃

22From the Danite tribe: a chieftain, Buki son of Jogli.

כבוּלְמַטֵּה בְנֵי־דָן נָשִׂיא בֻּקִּי בֶּן־יָגְלִי׃

23For the descendants of Yosef: from the Manassite tribe: a chieftain, Chaniel son of Ephod;

כגלִבְנֵי יוֹסֵף לְמַטֵּה בְנֵי־מְנַשֶּׁה נָשִׂיא חַנִּיאֵל בֶּן־אֵפֹד׃

24and from the Ephraimite tribe: a chieftain, Kemuel son of Shiphtan.

כדוּלְמַטֵּה בְנֵי־אֶפְרַיִם נָשִׂיא קְמוּאֵל בֶּן־שִׁפְטָן׃

25From the Zebulunite tribe: a chieftain, Elitzafan son of Parnach.

כהוּלְמַטֵּה בְנֵי־זְבוּלֻן נָשִׂיא אֱלִיצָפָן בֶּן־פַּרְנָךְ׃

26From the Issacharite tribe: a chieftain, Paltiel son of Azzan.

כווּלְמַטֵּה בְנֵי־יִשָׂשכָר נָשִׂיא פַּלְטִיאֵל בֶּן־עַזָּן׃

27From the Asherite tribe: a chieftain, Achihud son of Shelomi.

כזוּלְמַטֵּה בְנֵי־אָשֵׁר נָשִׂיא אֲחִיהוּד בֶּן־שְׁלֹמִי׃

28From the Naphtalite tribe: a chieftain, Pedahel son of Ammihud.

כחוּלְמַטֵּה בְנֵי־נַפְתָּלִי נָשִׂיא פְּדַהְאֵל בֶּן־עַמִּיהוּד׃

29It was these whom Hashem designated to allot portions to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

כטאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה לְנַחֵל אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן׃