The tribes of Reuben and Gad, possessing vast herds, requested to settle in the fertile lands east of the Jordan River, suitable for their cattle. Moses initially rebuked them, fearing they would discourage the other Israelites from entering Canaan, reminiscent of the past rebellion at Kadeshbarnea. However, the tribes proposed a compromise: they would build cities for their families and folds for their cattle, but then arm themselves and fight alongside the other tribes until all of Canaan was subdued. Moses agreed to this condition, warning that if they failed to fulfill their promise, their sin would find them out, and subsequently allotted the land to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh.
¶ Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;
For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.
But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
And the land be 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.
And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:
And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.
And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Study Notes for Numbers 32
Verse 1
The tribes of Reuben and Gad were primarily pastoralists, and the fertile plains of Gilead and Jazer, recently conquered from the Amorites, were ideal grazing land, driving their request to settle immediately.
Verse 5
Their request to settle 'this side Jordan' (the eastern bank) was highly unusual, as the covenant promise focused entirely on the land of Canaan (the western bank), raising concerns about their commitment to the national mission.
Verse 6
Moses immediately suspects their motivation is selfish and fears their desire to settle early will undermine the morale and unity of the rest of the tribes preparing for the main conquest.
Verse 8
Moses draws a direct parallel between their reluctance and the catastrophic failure of the twelve spies at Kadesh-barnea forty years earlier, highlighting the danger of disobedience and lack of faith.
Verse 14
Moses declares this generation is repeating the sin of their fathers, implying that if they fail to uphold the covenant mission, they will augment God’s wrath and potentially lead to the destruction of the whole nation.
Verse 17
This commitment details their compromise: they will leave their families secure but send their fighting men fully armed across the Jordan to participate in the conquest until it is finished.
Verse 22
Moses defines the terms of their release from duty. If they fight until the land is subdued, they will be considered 'guiltless' of any obligation to the western conquest, both before God and Israel.
Verse 23
This is an important theological dictum. Moses warns that if they fail to fulfill their vow, their transgression will inevitably be revealed and punished by God; sin finds its perpetrator.
Verse 33
This verse confirms the tribal distribution, permanently establishing the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh east of the Jordan, incorporating the territory of the defeated kings Sihon and Og.
Verse 38
The renaming of cities, particularly those associated with pagan deities like Baalmeon, was a symbolic act asserting Israelite control and purifying the place names.
Verse 40
The inclusion of the half-tribe of Manasseh (specifically the clan of Machir) was based on their proactive role in conquering the northern region of Gilead and Bashan (cf. Num 21:33-35).
Use ←→ arrow keys to navigate
Settings
Reading Style
Typeface
Font Size px
The Calling of Disciples
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Options
Choose a Book
Study Note
Bible Version
Recent History
Get the App
Add TrulyRandomVerse to your home screen for instant access
TRV