Numbers 32:21

21 and together go across the Jordan ready, before God, to fight until God has cleaned his enemies out of the land,

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 We won't expect any inheritance west of the Jordan; we are claiming all our inheritance east of the Jordan."
20 Moses said, "If you do what you say, take up arms before God for battle
21 and together go across the Jordan ready, before God, to fight until God has cleaned his enemies out of the land,
22 then when the land is secure you will have fulfilled your duty to God and Israel. Then this land will be yours to keep before God.
23 "But if you don't do what you say, you will be sinning against God; you can be sure that your sin will track you down.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.