Numbers 32
32
Reuben and Gad request land
1The livestock owned by the Reubenites and the Gadites were unusually vast and numerous. They saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead were exactly the place for livestock. 2So the Gadites and the Reubenites came and said to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs of the community: 3“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon is 4the land that the LORD struck down before the Israelite community. It is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5They said, “If you approve our request, give this land to your servants as property. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
6Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war, while you stay here? 7Why would you destroy the Israelites’ resolve to cross into the land that the LORD gave them? 8Your ancestors did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land. 9They went up to the Cluster ravine, saw the land, and destroyed the Israelites’ resolve to enter the land that the LORD had given them. 10The LORD became angry on that day and promised, 11‘None of the persons that went up from Egypt, those 20 years old and above, will see the fertile ground that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they didn’t remain true to me, 12except Caleb, Jephunneh the Kenizzite’s son, and Joshua, Nun’s son, because they remained true to the LORD.’ 13The LORD became angry with the Israelites and made them wander in the desert for forty years until the entire generation had died, which had done evil in the LORD’s eyes. 14Now you’ve taken the place of your ancestors, a group of sinful men, to intensify the LORD’s anger against Israel. 15If you turn away from him, he will turn away again to abandon Israel in the desert. Then you will destroy this entire people.”
Conditions for possession of the land
16So they approached him and said, “We will build walled enclosures here for our livestock and towns for our children. 17Then we will eagerly fight in front of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Our children will live in the fortified cities because of the land’s inhabitants. 18And we won’t return to our homes until each one of the Israelites takes possession of his property. 19We won’t inherit land with them there across the Jordan, because we’ve received our property on the east side of the Jordan.”
20Moses said to them, “Do this and fight before the LORD in war. 21All of you who are equipped for war, cross the Jordan before the LORD until he has driven his enemies out before him 22and the land is subdued in the LORD’s presence. Then you may return innocently before the LORD and Israel, and this land will be your property before the LORD. 23But if you don’t do this, you’ve sinned against the LORD. Know that your sin will find you. 24So build towns for your children and walled enclosures for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”
25The Gadites and the Reubenites said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my master has commanded. 26Our children, wives, livestock, and all of our animals will remain in the cities of Gilead. 27But your servants, everyone equipped for war before the LORD, will go over to do battle as my master said.”
28Moses made demands for them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua, Nun’s son, and to the leaders of the households of the Israelite tribes. 29Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and the Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, each equipped for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you will give them the land of Gilead as a possession. 30If, however, they don’t cross with you, equipped for war, they will take possession of property with you in the land of Canaan.”
31The Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “We’ll do just as the LORD has spoken to your servants. 32We’ll cross into the land of Canaan before the LORD, equipped for war. But the property we inherit will be across the Jordan.”
Territory of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh
33So Moses gave to them—to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s son—the kingdom of Sihon the king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og the king of Bashan, including the land, its cities, and the territory surrounding the land’s cities. 34The Gadites built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fortified cities and walled enclosures for flocks. 37The Reubenites built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38Nebo, and Baal-meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. They named the cities that they built. 39The descendants of Machir, Manasseh’s son, went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, Manasseh’s son, and he lived there. 41Manasseh’s son Jair went and captured their villages and named them Havvoth-jair.#32.41 Or the villages of Jair 42Nobah went and captured Kenath and its surrounding villages. He renamed it Nobah after himself.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.