Moses's recall of their journey since Kadesh Barnea continues with a retrospective on the division of the land they have dispossessed from Sihon and Og. This recounting may be divided into two sub-units, each of which harks back to the gift of "this land" "at that time" (v12 & 18):
a. Division of the Land among the Trans-Jordan Tribes, vv12-17.
b. Reminder of Trans-Jordan Tribes' Responsibility to the Rest of Israel, vv18-20.
The theme of this unit is clearly expressed in the verb "give" (natan, 18x in these 9 verses). In fact, the first paragraph in this unit consists essentially of two sets of twin "I give" statements sandwiching a narrator's remark at the center:
Aa. The Land "I Gave" to Reuben and Gad, v12
Ab. The Land "I Gave" to Manasseh, v13a
Editorial Remark about Havvoth Jair, vv13b-14
Ab'. The Land "I Gave" to Makir of Manasseh, v15
Aa'. The Land "I Gave" to Reuben and Gad, vv16-17.
Low Chai Hok
©Alberith, rev., 2021