Numbers 32:2-12

2 the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,
3 "1Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon,
4 the land 2which the LORD conquered before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock."
5 They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession; do not take us across the Jordan."
6 But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, "Shall your brothers go to war while you yourselves sit here?
7 "3Now why are you discouraging * the sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the LORD has given them?
8 "This is what your fathers did when I sent them from 4Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
9 "For when they went up to 5the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged * the sons of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
10 "So 6the LORD'S anger burned in that day, and He swore, saying,
11 '7None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob; for they did not follow Me fully,
12 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, 8for they have followed the LORD fully.'

Numbers 32:2-12 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 8

  • 1. Numbers 32:34-38
  • 2. Numbers 21:34
  • 3. Num 13:27-14:4
  • 4. Numbers 13:3, 26; Deuteronomy 1:19-25
  • 5. Numbers 13:24; Deuteronomy 1:24
  • 6. Numbers 14:11; Deuteronomy 1:34
  • 7. Numbers 14:28-30
  • 8. Deuteronomy 1:36; Joshua 14:8

Footnotes 5

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