Numbers 32:8-18

8 This dyd youre fathers whe I sent them from Cades bernea to se the londe.
9 And they went vp euen vnto the ryuer of Escol and sawe the londe and discoraged the hertes of the childern of Israel that they shulde not goo in to the londe whiche the Lorde had geuen them.
10 And the Lorde was wroth the same tyme and sware sayenge:
11 None of the men that came out of Egipte fro twentye yere olde and aboue shall se the londe whiche I swore vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob because they haue not continually folowed me:
12 saue Caleb the sonne of Iephune the Kenesite and Iosua the sonne of Nun for they haue folowed me continually.
13 And the Lorde was angrie with Israel and made them wandre in the wildernesse .xl. yere vntill all the generacion that had done euell in the syghte of the Lorde were consumed.
14 And beholde ye are rysen vp in youre fathers stede the encrease of synfull men to augmente the ferse wrath of the Lorde to Israel warde.
15 For yf ye turne awaye from after him he wyll yet agayne leue the people in the wildernesse so shall ye destroy all this folke.
16 And they went nere him ad sayed: we will bylde shepefoldes here for oure shepe and for oure catell and cities for oure childern:
17 But we oure selues will go ready armed before ye childern of Israel vntill we haue broughte them vnto their place. And oure childre shall dwell in the stronge cities because of the inhabiters of the londe.
18 And we will not returne vnto oure housses vntill the childern off Israel haue enhereted: euery man his enheritaunce.

Numbers 32:8-18 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.

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