Numbers 32:8-28

8 Was it not thus your fathers did, when I sent from Cadesbarne to view the land?

9 And when they were come as far as the valley of the cluster, having viewed all the country, they overturned the hearts of the children of Israel, that they should not enter into the coasts, which the Lord gave them.

10 And he swore in his anger, saying:

11 If these men, that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land, which I promised with an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: because they would not follow me,

12 Except Caleb the son of Jephone the Cenezite, and Josue the son of Nun: these have fulfilled my will.

13 And the Lord being angry against Israel, led them about through the desert forty years, until the whole generation, that had done evil in his sight, was consumed.

14 And behold, said he, you are risen up instead of your fathers, the increase and offspring of sinful men, to augment the fury of the Lord against Israel.

15 For if you will not follow him, he will leave the people in the wilderness, and you shall be the cause of the destruction of all.

16 But they coming near, said: We will make sheepfolds, and stalls for our cattle, and strong cities for our children:

17 And we ourselves will go armed and ready for battle before the children of Israel, until we bring them in unto their places. Our little ones, and all we have, shall be in walled cities, for fear of the ambushes of the inhabitants.

18 We will not return into our houses until the children of Israel possess their inheritance:

19 Neither will we seek any thing beyond the Jordan, because we have already our possession on the east side thereof,

20 And Moses said to them: If you do what you promise, go on well appointed for war before the Lord:

21 And let every fighting man pass over the Jordan, until the Lord overthrow his enemies:

22 And all the land be brought under him, then shall you be blameless before the Lord and before Israel, and you shall obtain the countries that you desire, before the Lord.

23 But if you do not what you say, no man can doubt but you sin against God: and know ye, that your sin shall overtake you.

24 Build therefore cities for your children, and folds and stalls for your sheep and beasts, and accomplish what you have promised.

25 And the children of Gad and Ruben said to Moses: We are thy servants, we will do what my lord commandeth.

26 We will leave our children, and our wives and sheep and cattle, in the cities of Galaad:

27 And we thy servants all well appointed will march on to the war, as thou, my lord, speakest.

28 Moses therefore commanded Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun, and the princes of the families of all the tribes of Israel, and said to them:

Numbers 32:8-28 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.