John Calvin Commentary Numbers 34:13

"And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which Jehovah hath commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;" — Numbers 34:13 (ASV)

And Moses commanded the children of Israel. Though this is a repetition, it is not a superfluous one, for he contrasts the new allotment of the nine and a half tribes with the former grant.²²⁹

For the exception, which is immediately added regarding the lands beyond the Jordan (given to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh), does not exclude them from their part of the promised inheritance as if they were disinherited and therefore banished beyond the boundaries prescribed by God. Instead, it only exempts them from being subject to the casting of lots. This is because they had, by special privilege, obtained from their brethren what would otherwise have been included in the common inheritance.

This had not been revealed from the beginning; rather, God, in His indulgence, had complied with their request, by which they enlarged the boundaries of the land.

And certainly, it would have been absurd for no place to be given to them among their brethren in the promised land, as if they were cast off from the family of Abraham.

We have recently seen that this part, which seemed to be separated from the others, was included in the limits laid down by God. Moses, therefore, merely wished to declare that what remained was to be divided by lot.

²²⁹ “La donation qui avoit este desia faite de la region de Basan;” the grant which had been already made of the district of Bashan. — Fr..