Numbers 32
32
The Petition of the Reubenites and Gadites
1#sn While the tribes are on the other side of Jordan, the matter of which tribes would settle there has to be discussed. This chapter begins the settlement of Israel into the tribal territories, something to be continued in Joshua. The chapter has the petitions (vv. 1-5), the response by Moses (vv. 6-15), the proposal (vv. 16-27), and the conclusion of the matter (vv. 28-42). For literature on this subject, both critical and conservative, see S. E. Loewenstein, “The Relation of the Settlement of Gad and Reuben in Numbers 32:1-38, Its Background and Its Composition,” Tarbiz 42 (1972): 12-26; J. Mauchline, “Gilead and Gilgal, Some Reflections on the Israelite Occupation of Palestine,” VT 6 (1956): 19-33; and A. Bergmann, “The Israelite Tribe of Half-Manasseh,” JPOS 16 (1936): 224-54. Now the Reubenites and the Gadites possessed a very large number of cattle. When they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for cattle,#tn Heb “the place was a place of/for cattle.” 2 the Gadites and the Reubenites came and addressed Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community. They said, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam,#tc Smr and the LXX have Sibmah. Cf. v. 38. Nebo, and Beon,#tn Cf. Baal-meon in v. 38. 4 the land that the Lord subdued#tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect of נָכָה (nakhah), a term that can mean “smite, strike, attack, destroy.” before the community of Israel, is ideal for cattle, and your servants have cattle.” 5 So they said, “If we have found favor in your sight,#tn Heb “eyes.” let this land be given to your servants for our inheritance. Do not have us cross#tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive from עָבַר (’avar, “to cross over”). The idea of “cause to cross” or “make us cross” might be too harsh, but “take across” with the rest of the nation is what they are trying to avoid. the Jordan River.”#tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
Moses’ Response
6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Must your brothers go to war while you#tn The vav (ו) is a vav disjunctive prefixed to the pronoun; it fits best here as a circumstantial clause, “while you stay here.” remain here? 7 Why do you frustrate the intent#tn Heb “heart.” So also in v. 9. of the Israelites to cross over into the land which the Lord has given them? 8 Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 9 When#tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated to the parallel yet chronologically later verb in the next clause. they went up to the Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they frustrated the intent of the Israelites so that they did not enter#tn The infinitive construct here with lamed (ל) is functioning as a result clause. the land that the Lord had given#tn The Lord had not given it yet, but was going to give it. Hence, the perfect should be classified as a perfect of resolve. them. 10 So the anger of the Lord was kindled that day, and he swore, 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly,#tn The clause is difficult; it means essentially that “they have not made full [their coming] after” the Lord. not#tn The sentence begins with “if they see….” This is the normal way for Hebrew to express a negative oath – “they will by no means see….” The sentence is elliptical; it is saying something like “[May God do so to me] if they see,” meaning they won’t see. Of course here God is taking the oath, which is an anthropomorphic act. He does not need to take an oath, and certainly could not swear by anyone greater, but it communicates to people his resolve. one of the men twenty years old and upward#tc The LXX adds “those knowing bad and good.” who came from Egypt will see the land that I swore to give#tn The words “to give” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity. to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 13 So the Lord’s anger was kindled against the Israelites, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all that generation that had done wickedly before#tn Heb “in the eyes of.” the Lord was finished.#tn The verb is difficult to translate, since it has the idea of “complete, finish” (תָּמָם, tamam). It could be translated “consumed” in this passage (so KJV, ASV); NASB “was destroyed.” 14 Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites. 15 For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon#tn The construction uses a verbal hendiadys with the verb “to add” serving to modify the main verb. them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction.”#tn Heb “and you will destroy all this people.”
The Offer of the Reubenites and Gadites
16 Then they came very close to him and said, “We will build sheep folds here for our flocks and cities for our families,#tn Heb “our little ones.” 17 but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness#tn The MT has חֻשִׁים (khushim); the verbal root is חוּשׁ (khush, “to make haste” or “hurry”). But in light of the Greek and Latin Vulgate the Hebrew should probably be emended to חֲמֻשִׁים (hamushim), a qal passive participle meaning “in battle array.” See further BDB 301 s.v. I חוּשׁ, BDB 332 s.v. חֲמֻשִׁים; HALOT 300 s.v. I חושׁ, חישׁ; HALOT 331 s.v. I חמשׁ. and go before the Israelites until whenever we have brought them to their place. Our descendants will be living in fortified towns as a protection against#tn Heb “from before.” the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has his inheritance. 19 For we will not accept any inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River#tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity. and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”
20 Then Moses replied,#tn Heb “said to them.” “If you will do this thing, and if you will arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 21 and if all your armed men cross the Jordan before the Lord until he drives out his enemies from his presence 22 and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be free of your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. This land will then be your possession in the Lord’s sight.
23 “But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned#tn The nuance of the perfect tense here has to be the future perfect. against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out. 24 So build cities for your descendants and pens for your sheep, but do what you have said#tn Heb “that which goes out/has gone out of your mouth.” you would do.”
25 So the Gadites and the Reubenites replied to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, to do battle in the Lord’s presence, just as my lord says.”
28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes. 29 Moses said to them: “If the Gadites and the Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, each one equipped for battle in the Lord’s presence, and you conquer the land,#tn Heb “and the land is subdued before you.” then you must allot them the territory of Gilead as their possession. 30 But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must receive possessions among you in Canaan.” 31 Then the Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has spoken.#tn Heb “that which the Lord has spoken to your servants, thus we will do.” 32 We will cross armed in the Lord’s presence into the land of Canaan, and then the possession of our inheritance that we inherit will be ours on this side of the Jordan River.”#tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
Land Assignment
33 So Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the realm of King Sihon of the Amorites, and the realm of King Og of Bashan, the entire land with its cities and the territory surrounding them.#tn Heb “the land with its cities in the borders of the cities of the land all around.” 34 The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and constructed pens for their flocks. 37 The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon (with a change of name), and Sibmah. They renamed#tn Heb “called names.” the cities they built.
39 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, son of Manasseh, and he lived there.#tn Heb “in it.” 41 Now Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their small towns and named them Havvoth Jair. 42 Then Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah after his own name.
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Numbers 32
32
1Nowe the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad had an exceeding great multitude of cattell: and they sawe the lande of Iazer, and the lande of Gilead, that it was an apt place for cattel. 2Then the children of Gad, and the childre of Reuben came, and spake vnto Moses and to Eleazar the Priest, and vnto the princes of the Congregation, saying, 3The land of Ataroth, and Dibon, and Iazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4Which countrey the Lord smote before the Congregation of Israel, is a lande meete for cattell, and thy seruants haue cattell: 5Wherefore, said they, if we haue foud grace in thy sight, let this lande be giuen vnto thy seruants for a possession, and bring vs not ouer Iorde. 6And Moses said vnto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren goe to warre, and ye tary heere? 7Wherefore now discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel, to goe ouer into the lande, which the Lord hath giuen them? 8Thus did your fathers when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the lande. 9For when they went vp euen vnto the riuer of Eshcol, and sawe the land: they discouraged the heart of the childre of Israel, that they woulde not goe into the lande, which the Lord had giuen them. 10And the Lordes wrath was kindled the same day, and he did sweare, saying, 11None of the men that came out of Egypt from twentie yeere olde and aboue, shall see the land for the which I sware vnto Abraham, to Izhak, and to Iaakob, because they haue not wholly followed me: 12Except Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenesite, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun: for they haue constantly followed the Lord. 13And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and made them wander in the wildernesse fourty yeeres, vntill all the generation that had done euill in the sight of the Lord were consumed. 14And behold, ye are risen vp in your fathers steade as an encrease of sinfull men, still to augment the fierce wrath of the Lord, toward Israel. 15For if ye turne away from following him, he will yet againe leaue the people in the wildernesse, and ye shall destroy all this folke. 16And they went neere to him, and said, We will builde sheepe foldes here for our sheepe, and for our cattell, and cities for our children. 17But we our selues will be readie armed to go before the children of Israel, vntill we haue brought them vnto their place: but our childre shall dwell in the defenced cities, because of the inhabitants of the lande. 18We will not returne vnto our houses, vntil the children of Israel haue inherited, euery man his inheritance. 19Neither wil we inherite with them beyond Iorden and on that side, because our inheritance is fallen to vs on this side Iorden Eastwarde. 20And Moses saide vnto them, If ye will doe this thing, and goe armed before the Lord to warre: 21And will goe euery one of you in harnesse ouer Iorden before the Lord, vntill he hath cast out his enemies from his sight: 22And vntill the land be subdued before the Lord, then ye shall returne and be innocent toward the Lord, and toward Israel: and this land shalbe your possession before the Lord. 23But if ye will not doe so, beholde, ye haue sinned against the Lord, and be sure, that your sinne will finde you out. 24Builde you then cities for your children and folds for your sheepe, and do that ye haue spoke. 25Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake vnto Moses, saying, Thy seruats will doe as my lorde commandeth: 26Our childre, our wiues, our sheepe, and al our cattell shall remaine there in the cities of Gilead, 27But thy seruants will goe euery one armed to warre before the Lord for to fight, as my lorde saith. 28So concerning them, Moses commanded Eleazar the Priest, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and the chiefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: 29And Moses said vnto them, If the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben, will go with you ouer Iorden, all armed to fight before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you, ye shall giue the the lad of Gilead for a possessio: 30But if they will not goe ouer with you armed, then they shall haue their possessions amog you in the land of Canaan. 31And the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said vnto thy seruants, so will we doe. 32We will goe armed before the Lord into the lande of Canaan: that the possession of our inheritance may be to vs on this side Iorden. 33So Moses gaue vnto them, euen to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to halfe the tribe of Manasseh the sonne of Ioseph, the kingdome of Sihon King of the Amorites, and the kingdome of Og King of Bashan, the lande with the cities thereof and coastes, euen the cities of the countrey round about. 34Then the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35And Atroth, Shophan, and Iazer, and Iogbehah, 36And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, defenced cities: also sheepe foldes. 37And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, 38And Nebo, and Baal-meon, and turned their names, and Shibmah: and gaue other names vnto the cities which they built. 39And the children of Machir the sonne of Manasseh went to Gilead, and tooke it, and put out the Amorites that dwelt therein. 40Then Moses gaue Gilead vnto Machir the sonne of Manasseh, and he dwelt therein. 41And Iair the sonne of Manasseh went and tooke the small townes thereof, and called them Hauoth Iair. 42Also Nobah went and tooke Kenath, with the villages thereof and called it Nobah, after his owne name.
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