Numbers 32
32
Land East of the Jordan River Is Settled
(Deuteronomy 3.12-22)
1The tribes of Reuben and Gad owned a lot of cattle and sheep, and they saw that the regions of Jazer and Gilead had good pastureland. 2So they went to Moses, Eleazar, and the other leaders of Israel and said, 3-4“The Lord has helped us capture the land around the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon. That's good pastureland, and since we own cattle and sheep, 5would you let us stay here east of the Jordan River and have this land as our own?”
6Moses answered:
You mean you'd stay here while the rest of the Israelites go into battle? 7If you did that, it would discourage the others from crossing over into the land the Lord promised them. 8#Nu 13.17-33. This is exactly what happened when I sent your ancestors from Kadesh-Barnea to explore the land. 9They went as far as Eshcol Valley, then returned and told the people that we should not enter it. 10#Nu 14.26-35. The Lord became very angry. 11And he said that no one who was 20 years or older when they left Egypt would enter the land he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Not one of those people believed in the Lord's power, 12except Caleb and Joshua.#32.12 Caleb and Joshua: See the note at 14.30. They remained faithful to the Lord, 13but he was so angry with the others that he forced them to wander around in the desert for 40 years. By that time everyone who had sinned against him had died.
14Now you people of Reuben and Gad are doing the same thing and making the Lord even angrier. 15If you reject the Lord, he will once again abandon his people and leave them here in the desert. And you will be to blame!
16The men from Reuben and Gad replied:
Let us build places to keep our sheep and goats, and towns for our wives and children, 17where they can stay and be safe. Then we'll prepare to fight and lead the other tribes into battle. 18We will stay with them until they have settled in their own tribal lands. 19The land on this side of the Jordan River will be ours, so we won't expect to receive any on the other side.
20Moses said:
You promised that you would be ready to fight for the Lord. 21You also agreed to cross the Jordan and stay with the rest of the Israelites, until the Lord forces our enemies out of the land. If you do these things, 22then after the Lord helps Israel capture the land, you can return to your own land. You will no longer have to stay with the others. 23But if you don't keep your promise, you will sin against the Lord and be punished.
24Go ahead and build towns for your wives and children, and places for your sheep and goats. Just be sure to do what you have promised.
25The men from Reuben and Gad answered:
Sir, we will do just what you have said. 26Our wives and children and sheep and cattle will stay here in the towns in Gilead. 27But those of us who are prepared for battle will cross the Jordan and fight for the Lord.
28 #
Js 1.12-15. Then Moses said to Eleazar, Joshua, and the family leaders, 29“Make sure that the tribes of Gad and Reuben prepare for battle and cross the Jordan River with you. If they do, then after the land is in your control, give them the region of Gilead as their tribal land. 30But if they break their promise, they will receive land on the other side of the Jordan, like the rest of the tribes.”
31The tribes of Gad and Reuben replied, “We are your servants and will do whatever the Lord has commanded. 32We will cross the Jordan River, ready to fight for the Lord in Canaan. But the land we will inherit as our own will be on this side of the river.”
33So Moses gave the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh#32.33 half of Manasseh: Or “East Manasseh.” the territory and towns that King Sihon the Amorite had ruled, as well as the territory and towns that King Og of Bashan had ruled.#32.33 ruled: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 33.
34The tribe of Gad rebuilt the towns of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35Atroth-Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36Beth-Nimrah, and Beth-Haran. They built walls around them and also built places to keep their sheep and goats.
37The tribe of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38Sibmah, as well as the towns that used to be known as Nebo and Baal-Meon. They renamed all those places.
39The clan of Machir from the tribe of East Manasseh went to the region of Gilead, captured its towns, and forced out the Amorites. 40So Moses gave the Machirites the region of Gilead, and they settled there.
41Jair from the Manasseh tribe captured villages and renamed them “Villages of Jair.”#32.41 Villages of Jair: Or “Havvoth-Jair.”
42Nobah captured the town of Kenath with its villages and renamed it Nobah.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Numbers 32
32
Transjordan Settlements
1The Reubenites and Gadites had a very large number of livestock. When they surveyed the lands of Jazer # Nm 21:32; Jos 13:25; 21:39; 2Sm 24:5 and Gilead, they saw that the region was a good one for livestock. 2So the Gadites and Reubenites came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community and said: 3“The territory of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, # Sam, LXX read Sibmah (v. 38); Syr reads Sebah Nebo, and Beon, # Nm 21:30; 33:47; Dt 32:49; 1Ch 5:8; Is 15:2; 46:1; Jr 48:1,22 4which the Lord struck down # Nm 21:24 before the community of Israel, # Nm 21:24,34 is good land for livestock, and your servants own livestock.” 5They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
6But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war while you stay here? 7Why are you discouraging # Lit discouraging the hearts of the Israelites from crossing into the land the Lord has given them? 8That’s what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. # Nm 13:1-3,32-33; Dt 1:22-28 9After they went up as far as Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10So the Lord’s anger burned that day, and He swore an oath: # Dt 1:34-36 11‘Because they did not follow Me completely, # Nm 14:22-24,29-30 none of the men 20 years old or more who came up from Egypt will see the land I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob # Nm 14:29 — 12none except Caleb # Nm 14:6,24,30,38; 26:65; Dt 1:36; Jos 14:6,8-9; 15:7 son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua # Ex 33:11; Nm 27:18-23 son of Nun, because they did follow the Lord completely.’ 13The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness 40 years until the whole generation that had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight was gone. # Nm 14:33-35; 26:64-65 14And here you, a brood of sinners, stand in your fathers’ place adding even more to the Lord’s burning anger against Israel. 15If you turn back from following Him, # Jos 22:16-18; 2Ch 7:19-20 He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them.”
16Then they approached him and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our dependents. 17But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. # Dt 3:18; Jos 1:13-15; 4:12-13 Meanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has taken possession of his inheritance. # Jos 22:4,9 19Yet we will not have an inheritance with them across the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance will be across the Jordan to the east.” # Jos 13:8
20Moses replied to them, “If you do this — if you arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 21and every one of your armed men crosses the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven His enemies from His presence, 22and the land is subdued before the Lord — afterward you may return and be free from obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will belong to you as a possession before the Lord. 23But if you don’t do this, you will certainly sin against the Lord; be sure your sin will catch up with you. 24Build cities for your dependents and folds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.” # Nm 30:2; Jos 1:12-18; 4:12
25The Gadites and Reubenites answered Moses, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands. 26Our little children, wives, livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead, 27but your servants are equipped for war before the Lord and will go across to the battle as my lord orders.”
28So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the family leaders of the Israelite tribes. 29Moses told them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, every man in battle formation before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession. # Jos 22:9 30But if they don’t go across with you in battle formation, they must accept land in Canaan with you.”
31The Gadites and Reubenites replied, “What the Lord has spoken to your servants is what we will do. 32We will cross over in battle formation before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but we will keep our hereditary possession across the Jordan.”
33So Moses gave them — the Gadites, Reubenites, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph — the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land including its cities with the territories surrounding them. # Dt 3:12-17; 29:8; Jos 12:6; 13:8; 22:4 34The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran # Jos 13:27 as fortified cities, and built sheepfolds. 37The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38as well as Nebo and Baal-meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.
39The descendants of Machir # Gn 50:23; Nm 26:29; Jos 17:1,3 son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40So Moses gave Gilead to the clan of Machir son of Manasseh, and they settled in it. # Jos 13:31 41Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured their villages, which he renamed Jair’s Villages. # Or renamed Havvoth-jair # Dt 3:14; Jos 13:30; 1Kg 4:13; 1Ch 2:23 42Nobah went and captured Kenath with its villages and called it Nobah after his own name.
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