Numbers 32:1

Reuben and Gad request land

1 The livestock owned by the Reubenites and the Gadites were unusually vast and numerous. They saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead were exactly the place for livestock.

Numbers 32:1 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 32:1

Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very
great multitude of cattle
By which it seems that they had more in proportion than any of the other tribes; by what means it is not easy to say; very probably they were more addicted to the pastoral life, and took more delight in breeding cattle, and were more diligent in taking care of them: however, the reason for this observation presently follows:

and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead;
Jazer was in the kingdom of Sihon, and Gilead in the kingdom of Og, which had been both conquered by the Israelites:

that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;
where much cattle was fed, there being a great deal of good pasturage for them: Jazer appears to be a well watered country, ( Jeremiah 48:32 ) , and Gilead and Bashan which joined and belonged to the same country of Og, who was king of Bashan, were famous for good feeding of cattle: hence we read of the bulls of Bashan, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats on Mount Gilead that looked plump and sleek; see ( Micah 7:14 ) ( Deuteronomy 32:14 ) ( Psalms 22:12 ) ( Song of Solomon 4:1 ) .

Numbers 32:1 In-Context

1 The livestock owned by the Reubenites and the Gadites were unusually vast and numerous. They saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead were exactly the place for livestock.

2 So the Gadites and the Reubenites came and said to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs of the community:

3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon is

4 the land that the LORD struck down before the Israelite community. It is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock."

5 They said, "If you approve our request, give this land to your servants as property. Don't make us cross the Jordan."