Numbers 32:21

21 and everyone of you armed cross the Jordan {before} Yahweh until he has driven out his enemies from before 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 For we will not take possession with them from across the Jordan and beyond because our inheritance has come to us from across the Jordan to the east."
20 So Moses said to them, "If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves {before} Yahweh for the war,
21 and everyone of you armed cross the Jordan {before} Yahweh until he has driven out his enemies from before him,
22 and the land is subdued {before} Yahweh, then afterward you will return and be free of obligation from Yahweh and from Israel, and this land will be your property {before} Yahweh.
23 But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and know that your sin will find you.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "in the presence of"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.