Numbers 32:21

21 and if every one of your soldiers will cross the Yarden before ADONAI, until he has driven out his enemies ahead of him,

Numbers 32:21 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 32:21

And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord
Moses tries them thoroughly, and is very express in his words, requiring them not only to go armed, or march from the place where they were, towards the land of Canaan, but to go over Jordan, and not some of them only, but all, and that before the Lord; though indeed, when the tribes came to the river Jordan, the ark, which was the symbol of the divine Presence, went before all the tribes into it, and there stayed till they passed over, and then these two tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh passed before the children of Israel, and before the Lord, unto battle, ( Joshua 3:11 Joshua 3:17 ) ( Joshua 4:12 Joshua 4:13 )

until he hath driven out his enemies before him:
the Canaanites, who were the enemies of the Lord, as well as of his people; and because of their sins, in which they showed their enmity to God, the land spewed them out, and he drove them out to make way for his people Israel, and till this was done the tribes of Reuben and Gad were to continue with them.

Numbers 32:21 In-Context

19 We will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Yarden, westward; because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Yarden, eastward."

20 Moshe said to them, "If you will do this - if you will arm yourselves to go before ADONAI to the war,

21 and if every one of your soldiers will cross the Yarden before ADONAI, until he has driven out his enemies ahead of him,

22 and if the land has been conquered before ADONAI, and only after that do you return - then you will be clear before ADONAI and before Isra'el, and this land here will be yours to possess before ADONAI.

23 But if you will not do this, then you have sinned against ADONAI, and you must understand that your sin will find you out.