J.
The prearrangement of the distribution of the good land
32:1-42
1.
Concerning the land east of the Jordan
32:1-42
a.
The request of the two tribes, Reuben and Gad
vv. 1-5
Num. 32
:1
32:1
1Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great abundance of livestock. And when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that the place was indeed a place for livestock,
Num. 32
:2
32:2
The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the assembly, saying,
Num. 32
:3
32:3
Ataroth and Dibon and Jazer and Nimrah and Heshbon and Elealeh and Sebam and Nebo and Beon,
Num. 32
:4
32:4
The aland which Jehovah struck before the assembly of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.
Num. 32
:5
32:5
And they said, If we have found favor in your sight, let this
1land be given to your servants for a possession; do not make us
2cross over the Jordan.
b.
The rebuking and warning of Moses
vv. 6-15
Num. 32
:6
32:6
And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brothers go to war, while you stay here?
Num. 32
:7
32:7
Now why would you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from crossing over into the land which Jehovah has given them?
Num. 32
:8
32:8
aYour fathers did this when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
Num. 32
:9
32:9
When they went up to the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel from going into the land which Jehovah had given them.
Num. 32
:10
32:10
aAnd Jehovah’s anger was kindled in that day, and He swore, saying,
Num. 32
:11
32:11
Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore
to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not fully followed Me;
Num. 32
:12
32:12
Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, because they have
afully followed Jehovah.
Num. 32
:13
32:13
And Jehovah’s anger was kindled against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness
aforty years, until the whole generation which had done evil in the sight of Jehovah was consumed.
Num. 32
:14
32:14
And now you have risen up in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to further increase the burning anger of Jehovah toward Israel.
Num. 32
:15
32:15
For if you turn away from following Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy this entire people.
с.
The promise of the two tribes
vv. 16-19
Num. 32
:16
32:16
And they came near to him and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones;
Num. 32
:17
32:17
But we ourselves will be
aarmed and ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place, while our little ones dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
Num. 32
:18
32:18
We will not return to our houses until each one of the children of Israel has inherited his inheritance.
Num. 32
:19
32:19
For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and further on, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan
aeastward.
d.
The permission of Moses
vv. 20-42
Num. 32
:20
32:20
And Moses said to them, If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves before Jehovah for battle,
Num. 32
:21
32:21
And all of your armed men will cross over the Jordan before Jehovah until He has
adriven out His enemies from before Him,
Num. 32
:22
32:22
And the land is subdued before Jehovah, then afterward you shall return and be free of
1obligation toward Jehovah and toward Israel; and this land shall be yours for a possession before Jehovah.
Num. 32
:23
32:23
But if you will not do so, then you have sinned against Jehovah; and know that your
asin will find you out.
Num. 32
:24
32:24
Build for yourselves cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what has proceeded out of your mouth.
Num. 32
:25
32:25
And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, Your servants will do as my lord commands.
Num. 32
:26
32:26
Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle will be there in the cities of Gilead;
Num. 32
:27
32:27
But your servants will cross over, everyone who is armed for war before Jehovah for battle, as my lord says.
Num. 32
:28
32:28
So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers’
houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.
Num. 32
:29
32:29
And Moses said to them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, everyone who is armed for battle before Jehovah, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession.
Num. 32
:30
32:30
But if they do not cross over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.
Num. 32
:31
32:31
And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As Jehovah has said to your servants, so will we do.
Num. 32
:32
32:32
We will cross over armed before Jehovah into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance
will remain with us beyond the Jordan.
Num. 32
:33
32:33
And Moses gave to them, to the children of Gad and to the children of
aReuben and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon the king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og the king of Bashan, the land according to its cities with
their territories, the cities of the surrounding land.
Num. 32
:34
32:34
And the children of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer
Num. 32
:35
32:35
And Atroth-shophan and Jazer and Jogbehah
Num. 32
:36
32:36
And Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and folds for sheep.
Num. 32
:37
32:37
And the children of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh and Kiriathaim
Num. 32
:38
32:38
And Nebo and Baal-meon —
their names being changed — and Sibmah, and they gave
other names to the cities which they built.
Num. 32
:39
32:39
And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it.
Num. 32
:40
32:40
And Moses gave
aGilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt in it.
Num. 32
:41
32:41
And aJair the son of Manasseh went and took its villages and called them
1Havvoth-jair.
Num. 32
:42
32:42
And Nobah went and took Kenath and its towns, and called it Nobah after his own name.
