Numbers 32:1

1 Soothly the sons of Reuben and of Gad had many beasts, and cattle without number was to them, in work beasts. And when they had seen Jazer and Gilead, to be covenable lands to beasts to be fed, (Now the sons of Reuben and of Gad had many beasts, and of work beasts, they had cattle without number. And so when they had seen that Jazer and Gilead had suitable lands, where beasts could be pastured,)

Numbers 32:1 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 32:1

Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very
great multitude of cattle
By which it seems that they had more in proportion than any of the other tribes; by what means it is not easy to say; very probably they were more addicted to the pastoral life, and took more delight in breeding cattle, and were more diligent in taking care of them: however, the reason for this observation presently follows:

and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead;
Jazer was in the kingdom of Sihon, and Gilead in the kingdom of Og, which had been both conquered by the Israelites:

that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;
where much cattle was fed, there being a great deal of good pasturage for them: Jazer appears to be a well watered country, ( Jeremiah 48:32 ) , and Gilead and Bashan which joined and belonged to the same country of Og, who was king of Bashan, were famous for good feeding of cattle: hence we read of the bulls of Bashan, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats on Mount Gilead that looked plump and sleek; see ( Micah 7:14 ) ( Deuteronomy 32:14 ) ( Psalms 22:12 ) ( Song of Solomon 4:1 ) .

Numbers 32:1 In-Context

1 Soothly the sons of Reuben and of Gad had many beasts, and cattle without number was to them, in work beasts. And when they had seen Jazer and Gilead, to be covenable lands to beasts to be fed, (Now the sons of Reuben and of Gad had many beasts, and of work beasts, they had cattle without number. And so when they had seen that Jazer and Gilead had suitable lands, where beasts could be pastured,)

2 they came to Moses, and to Eleazar, the priest, and to the princes of the multitude (and to the leaders of the multitude), and said,

3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

4 (that is,) the land which the Lord smote in the sight of the sons of Israel, is of most plenteous country to the pasture of beasts (is very fine land for pasturing beasts); and we thy servants have full many beasts;

5 and we pray thee, if we have found grace before thee, that thou give to us thy servants that country into possession, and make not us to pass [over] Jordan. (and we pray thee, that if we have found grace before thee, that thou give to us thy servants this land for our possession, and do not make us cross over the Jordan River to live.)