Numbers 32:1-15

Reuben and Gad request land

1 The livestock owned by the Reubenites and the Gadites were unusually vast and numerous. They saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead were exactly the place for livestock.

2 So the Gadites and the Reubenites came and said to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs of the community:

3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon is

4 the land that the LORD struck down before the Israelite community. It is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock."

5 They said, "If you approve our request, give this land to your servants as property. Don't make us cross the Jordan."

6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, "Should your brothers go to war, while you stay here?

7 Why would you destroy the Israelites' resolve to cross into the land that the LORD gave them?

8 Your ancestors did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land.

9 They went up to the Cluster ravine, saw the land, and destroyed the Israelites' resolve to enter the land that the LORD had given them.

10 The LORD became angry on that day and promised,

11 ‘None of the persons that went up from Egypt, those 20 years old and above, will see the fertile ground that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they didn't remain true to me,

12 except Caleb, Jephunneh the Kennizite's son, and Joshua, Nun's son, because they remained true to the LORD.'

13 The LORD became angry with the Israelites and made them wander in the desert for forty years until the entire generation had died, which had done evil in the LORD's eyes.

14 Now you've taken the place of your ancestors, a group of sinful men, to intensify the LORD's anger against Israel.

15 If you turn away from him, he will turn away again to abandon Israel in the desert. Then you will destroy this entire people."

Numbers 32:1-15 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.