Numbers 32:1-11

Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead

1 Now the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very great number of livestock. And they saw the land of 1Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock.
2 So the people of Gad and the people of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the chiefs of the congregation,
3 2"Ataroth, 3Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, 4Nebo, and Beon,
4 the land 5that the LORD struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock."
5 And they said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan."
6 But Moses said to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben, "Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here?
7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the LORD has given them?
8 Your fathers did this, 6when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the LORD had given them.
10 7And the LORD's anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying,
11 'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, 8from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give 9to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me,

Numbers 32:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 32

This chapter relates, how that the tribes of Gad and Reuben requested a settlement in the country of Jazer and Gilead, being fit for the pasturage of their cattle, Nu 32:1-5 at which Moses at first was very much displeased, as being unreasonable, and tending to discourage the rest of the people; and as acting a part like that their fathers had done before them, which brought the wrath of God upon them, so that they all but two perished in the wilderness; and this he suggests would be the case again, if such measures were taken, Nu 32:6-15 upon which they explain themselves, and declare they had no intention of forsaking their brethren, but were willing to leave their children and cattle to the care of divine Providence, and go armed before Israel, until they were brought into, and settled in the land of Canaan; nor did they desire any part or inheritance in it, Nu 32:16-19, this satisfied Moses, and he agreed to it, that the land they requested should be their possession, provided the conditions were fulfilled by them, which they proposed, Nu 20:20-24, and which they again agreed unto, and promised to perform, Nu 32:25-27, wherefore Moses gave orders to Eleazar, Joshua, and the chief fathers of the tribes, to put them in possession of the land of Gilead on those conditions, Nu 32:28-30 and which were again promised that they would observe, Nu 32:31,32, and at the same time Moses made a grant of the kingdoms of Sihon and of Og to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, Nu 32:33 and the chapter is closed with an account of the cities built or repaired by the children of Gad and Reuben, Nu 32:34-38 and of the cities in Gilead taken and possessed by the children of Machir, and by Jair, who were of the tribe of Manasseh, Nu 32:39-42.

Cross References 9

  • 1. ver. 3, 35; See Numbers 21:32
  • 2. ver. 34
  • 3. ver. 34; See Numbers 21:30
  • 4. ver. 38; Numbers 33:47; Deuteronomy 32:49; 1 Chronicles 5:8; Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 46:1; Jeremiah 48:1, 22
  • 5. Numbers 21:24, 34; [ver. 33]
  • 6. See Numbers 13:3, 21-33; Deuteronomy 1:22-28
  • 7. For ver. 10-12, see Deuteronomy 1:34-36
  • 8. Numbers 14:29
  • 9. See Genesis 50:24
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.