Numbers 32:20-30

20 Then Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will prepare yourselves to go before the LORD to the war
21 and will all pass the Jordan armed before the LORD until he has driven out his enemies from before him
22 and the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward ye shall return and be guiltless before the LORD and before Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.
23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye shall have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will catch up with you.
24 Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth.
25 And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, Thy slaves will do as my lord commands.
26 Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our beasts, shall be there in the cities of Gilead;
27 but thy slaves, each one armed for war, will pass before the LORD to battle, as our lord saith.
28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua, the son of Nun, and the princes of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
29 And Moses said unto them, If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben will pass the Jordan with you, each one armed to battle, before the LORD, after the land shall be subdued before you, then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession.
30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

Numbers 32:20-30 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010