Numbers 32:20

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

Numbers 32:20 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 32:20

And Moses said unto them
Being better disposed towards them, and more satisfied with the reasonableness of their request, it being explained unto him:

if ye will do this thing;
which they had promised:

if ye will go armed before the Lord to war;
they had said they would go ready armed before the children of Israel, but Moses expresses it "before the Lord"; which is more agreeable to their encampment and order in marching, for not the standard of Reuben but that of Judah went foremost, yet the standard of Reuben marched directly before the sanctuary bore by the Kohathites, ( Numbers 10:18 Numbers 10:21 ) , and so might be properly said to go before the Lord, who dwelt there.

Numbers 32:20 In-Context

18 However, we will not return to our own homes until every man in Isra'el has taken possession of his land for inheritance.

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.