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Numbers 32

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Numbers 32 Overview

Numbers 32 records the request of Reuben and Gad to receive pastureland east of Jordan because of their large herds. Moses initially fears a repeat of the unbelief of Numbers 13–14: if these tribes stay behind, they may discourage the rest from entering Canaan. The tribes promise to build secure places for their families and then cross armed before Israel until the conquest is complete. Moses accepts the arrangement on that condition and warns that failure to keep the commitment will not remain hidden or escape judgment. Half of Manasseh also receives territory east of Jordan.

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Before you read Numbers 32

Coming from

Numbers 31 ended with Midian defeated and valuable livestock and territory now before Israel east of Jordan.

In this chapter

Reuben and Gad request eastern land, Moses warns against discouraging Israel, and an agreement requires them to fight alongside their brethren.

Leads into

Numbers 33 reviews Israel’s entire journey from Egypt to the plains of Moab and commands removal of Canaanite idolatry.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Reuben and Gad ask for the conquered pasturelands east of Jordan because their livestock is abundant. Moses initially hears the request as a possible repetition of Kadesh: if two tribes refuse to cross, they could discourage the whole nation. The tribes therefore bind themselves to cross armed and fight until the western tribes receive their inheritance, while their families and herds remain in fortified settlements. Once that shared obligation is secured, the arrangement is accepted. Half of Manasseh also receives eastern territory as the settlement develops.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Personal prosperity must not become an excuse to abandon responsibility to the larger covenant community.

Truth 2

Moses correctly remembers how discouragement destroyed the previous generation.

Truth 3

A negotiated arrangement can be righteous when it preserves shared responsibility.

Truth 4

Promises create accountability: failure to fulfill the military commitment would be sin.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Numbers 13-14 provides the historical failure Moses explicitly fears repeating.

Connection 2

Deuteronomy 3:18-20 restates the eastern tribes' duty to cross armed until their brethren have rest.

Connection 3

Joshua 1 reminds the eastern tribes of this commitment before the conquest begins.

Connection 4

Joshua 22 later records their return east and the altar controversy that tests unity across the Jordan.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Moses' warning that their sin will find them out is tied first to breaking this explicit military commitment, though the principle has wider moral force.

Keep this clear 2

Settling east of Jordan is not condemned once the tribes agree to fulfill their obligation.

Keep this clear 3

Material abundance itself is not treated as sin.

Read Numbers 32 watching for…

The livestock motive.

Moses’ immediate comparison with the spies.

The tribes’ promise to cross armed.

The conditional nature of Moses’ approval.

Half-Manasseh joining the settlement.

Chapter outline6 sections

1-5Reuben and Gad ask for land east of Jordan 6-15Moses warns them not to discourage Israel as their fathers did 16-24Reuben and Gad promise to fight until Canaan is possessed 25-27Reuben and Gad confirm their promise before Moses 28-33Moses assigns the land if they keep their promise 34-42Reuben, Gad, and Machir build and possess cities

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;

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

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

Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?

Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.

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.

And the LORD's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

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:

Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

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.

And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

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.

We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.

And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war,

And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

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.

But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.

So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

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:

But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.

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 the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.

And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.

And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Numbers 32:34

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