New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Numbers 32
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The tribes of Reuben and Gad had very large herds and flocks. They looked at the lands of Jazer and Gilead. They saw that those lands were just right for livestock.
Reference
2
So they came to Moses and the priest Eleazar. They also came to the leaders of the community. They said,
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"We have seen the cities of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah and Heshbon. We've seen Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon.
Reference
📍 Locations
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All of them are in the land the Lord has brought under Israel's control. This land is just right for livestock. And we have livestock.
Reference
5
"We hope you are pleased with us," they continued. "If you are, please give us this land. Then it will belong to us. But don't make us go across the Jordan River."
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Moses spoke to the people of Gad and Reuben. He said, "Should the rest of us go to war while you stay here?
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 13:5
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The Lord has given the land of Canaan to the people of Israel. So why would you want to keep them from going over into it?
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"That's what your fathers did. I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to check out the land.
📍 Kadesh-barnea
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They went up to the Valley of Eshcol and looked at the land. Then they talked the people of Israel out of entering the land the Lord had given them.
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"The Lord's anger was stirred up that day. So he took an oath and made a promise. He said,
Reference
References Lord
Numbers 14:11
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"Not one of the men who is 20 years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land. They have not followed me with their whole heart. I took an oath and promised to give the land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Reference
12
" 'But not one of these men will see it except Caleb and Joshua. Caleb is the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite. And Joshua is the son of Nun. They will see the land. They followed me with their whole heart.'
Reference
13
"The Lord's anger burned against Israel. He made them wander around in the desert for 40 years. They wandered until all of the people who had done evil in his sight had died.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 10:5
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"Now here you are, you bunch of sinners! You have taken the place of your fathers. And you are making the Lord even more angry with Israel.
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What if you turn away from following him? Then he'll leave all of these people in the desert again. And it will be your fault when they are destroyed."
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Chronicles 15:2
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Then they came up to Moses. They said, "We would like to build pens here for our livestock. We would also like to build cities for our women and children.
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"But we're ready to prepare ourselves for battle. We're even ready to go ahead of the people of Israel. We'll go with them until we've brought them to their place. While we're gone, our women and children will live in cities that have high walls around them. That will keep them safe from the people who are living in this land.
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"We won't return to our homes until all of the people of Israel have received their share of the land.
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"We won't receive any share with them on the west side of the Jordan River. We've already received our share here on the east side."
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 13:8
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Then Moses said to them, "Do what you have promised to do. Prepare yourselves to fight for the Lord.
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Prepare yourselves and go across the Jordan River. Fight for the Lord until he has driven out his enemies in front of him.
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"When the land is under the Lord's control, you can come back here. Your duty to the Lord and Israel will be over. Then the Lord will give you this land as your own.
Reference
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"But what if you fail to do your duty? Then you will be sinning against the Lord. And you can be sure that your sin will be discovered. It will be brought out into the open.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 3:11
Romans 2:9
Psalm 140:11
Psalm 139:11
References Lord
1 Corinthians 4:5
Sin
Isaiah 59:12
Proverbs 13:21
Genesis 44:16
Psalm 90:8
Genesis 4:7
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"So build up cities for your women and children. Make sheep pens for your flocks. But do what you have promised to do."
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 32:16
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The people of Gad and Reuben spoke to Moses. They said, "We will do just as you command.
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Our children and wives will remain here in the cities of Gilead. So will our flocks and herds.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 1:14
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But we will prepare ourselves for battle. We'll go across the Jordan River and fight for the Lord. We will do just as you have said."
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 4:12
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Then Moses gave orders about them to the priest Eleazar. He gave the same orders to Joshua, the son of Nun. He also spoke to the family heads of the tribes of Israel.
Reference
References Moses
Joshua 1:13
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He said, "The men of Gad and Reuben must prepare themselves for battle. They must go across the Jordan River with you. They must help you fight for the Lord. They must stay with you until the land has been brought under your control. If they do, give them the land of Gilead as their own.
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"But what if they don't get ready for battle? What if they don't go across the Jordan with you? Then they must accept a share with you in Canaan."
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The people of Gad and Reuben gave their answer. They said, "We will do what the Lord has said.
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We'll get ready for battle. We'll go across the Jordan into Canaan. We'll fight for the Lord there. But the property we receive will be on this side of the Jordan River."
33
Then Moses gave their land to them. He gave it to the tribes of Gad and Reuben and half of the tribe of Manasseh. Manasseh was Joseph's son. One part of that land had belonged to the kingdom of Sihon, the king of the Amorites. The other part had belonged to the kingdom of Og, the king of Bashan. Moses gave that whole land to those two and a half tribes. It included its cities and the territory around them.
Reference
36
Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran. They built a high wall around each of those cities. They also built sheep pens for their flocks.
Reference
📍 Locations
Parallel theme
Numbers 32:3
38
They also built up Nebo, Baal Meon and Sibmah. They gave new names to the cities they had built up.
Reference
📍 Locations
39
The people of Makir, the son of Manasseh, went to the land of Gilead. They captured it. They drove out the Amorites who were living there.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 50:23
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So Moses gave Gilead to the people of Makir, the son of Manasseh. And they settled there.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 17:1
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Jair was a man in the family line of Manasseh. Jair captured Gilead's settlements. He called them Havvoth Jair.
Reference
📍 Havvoth-jair
People
42
Nobah captured Kenath and the settlements that were around it. He named it after himself.
📍 Locations
Chapter Summary
Numbers 32 contains a request by the tribes of Reuben and Gad to settle on the east side of Jordan instead of receiving an inheritance in Canaan. They brought to Moses' notice that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were appropriate for their great numbers of livestock. Moses was concerned since he remembered the refusal of the nation to enter Canaan after the report of the spies.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad presented their case to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation. They brought to Moses' notice the lands fit for their livestock, which were in great plenty in their territory.
They requested Moses not to require them to cross Jordan, for they had received the east of Jordan as their inheritance. Reuben and Gad's request initially seemed to Moses to be like the rebellion of Israel which led to their wandering in the wilderness for forty years.
Moses hotly contested their request. He asked if the rest of Israel would have to fight while Reuben and Gad kept their cattle without risking their lives. Moses reminded them of the rebellion of the people when he sent the spies to Canaan.
The ten spies had vilified Canaan's people, causing the people to murmur against Moses and refuse to enter the land. God had been displeased at their unbelief and rebellion and had decreed that none of the adults who had left Egypt would enter His promised land.
Moses warned that their rebellion was a snare that could lead to the whole nation's undoing. If Reuben and Gad could live securely on the east of Jordan while the rest of Israel fought, the Israelites would lose heart at the sight of their prosperity and follow them into rebellion. Moses' words were that the same disobedience which had caused the nation to wander was about to repeat itself if Reuben and Gad were not corrected.
Moses reminded Reuben and Gad that the whole nation had wandered for thirty-nine years until those rebels (who had complained about Moses' leadership) had died. Moses would not allow Reuben and Gad to cause another nation-wide rebellion.
The representatives of Reuben and Gad spoke up for their tribes to clarify their request. They assured Moses that they would build sheepfolds for their livestock and cities for their households and then go out with the rest of Israel and fight. They promised Moses not to turn back until all Israel had obtained their inheritance. They assured Moses that their warriors would cross the Jordan with the rest of the nation and that they would not lay claim to a better lot while the rest of the tribes still fought for theirs.
They proposed that their wives, children, flocks, and cattle could remain in the walled cities on the east of the Jordan while their warriors went forth with the rest of the nation. Moses responded that if they would cross over the Jordan and fight with the rest of the nation until they had all obtained their inheritance and then take possession of the lands east of Jordan, he would make them responsible for any failure to comply.
Moses warned them that their sin would be visited upon them if they failed to carry out their promise to him. Moses gave them this principle as a saying: If they knew what they were about and did not do it, their failure would be their sin. The representatives of Reuben and Gad assured Moses that they were willing to keep their covenant. Moses laid this charge upon Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the tribes in regard to the covenant.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad then added the half tribe of Manasseh to their request for the lands on the east of Jordan. Thus, Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh received the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, which Israel had conquered. Moses gave the territory to the three tribes, saying that the cities and their suburbs belonged to the tribe which rebuilt them. Reuben rebuilt several cities and called them by new names, while Gad built cities and sheepfolds for their flocks and herds. The half tribe of Manasseh took possession of the Gilead with its cities and slew the remnant of the nation which dwelt there.
Thus, the request of the tribes of Reuben and Gad was a matter of living in the lands which they preferred with their great numbers of cattle. Even when obtaining this concession, they had to make good their promise to the nation, for they had a national obligation to help the rest of their people inherit their lot.
Numbers 32 teaches the reader the importance of fulfilling one's promises. Reuben and Gad had the option to keep their cattle without sharing in the perils of conquering the land of Canaan. However, their adherence to the covenant which they had made showed that they were truly devoted to Israel's cause.
The chapter also shows the reason for Moses' initial objection to the request of Reuben and Gad. He had seen how Israel had suffered at the time of the rebellion of the spies. Moses did not want such an occurrence to take place again, so he warned Reuben and Gad that their rebellion would bring the same punishment upon them as had befallen the nation during the time of the spies.
The chapter shows the importance of an inheritance, for Reuben and Gad had seen fit to take possession of the land which was appropriate to their needs. Yet, even the taking of this land did not release them from their responsibilities to the rest of Israel. They had to pay their share in enabling their fellow Israelites to inherit their lot before they could live in peace with their cattle. This lesson has application today, for the reader may see that the fulfillment of his covenant obligations should not be put off for the comfort of personal pursuits.
The reader can also learn from the manner of the agreement between Moses and the representatives of Reuben and Gad. When they laid their request before Moses, they clearly stated what it was they desired. Moses had warned them of the danger of their rebellion, for he saw that it was a snare. They had made sure that the conditions of their promise were fully understood before it was made. Their promise had been made known before the leaders of the nation, all of whom knew what had been said.
Numbers 32 is a chapter which demonstrates the need to fulfill one's obligations in regard to one's inheritance. Two and a half tribes received the territory east of Jordan, but this did not exempt them from helping the rest of the nation acquire its share of the land of Canaan. Their actions showed clearly that they were willing to pay their share in obtaining what they desired, for they had made a binding promise which they were bound to fulfill.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad presented their case to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation. They brought to Moses' notice the lands fit for their livestock, which were in great plenty in their territory.
They requested Moses not to require them to cross Jordan, for they had received the east of Jordan as their inheritance. Reuben and Gad's request initially seemed to Moses to be like the rebellion of Israel which led to their wandering in the wilderness for forty years.
Moses hotly contested their request. He asked if the rest of Israel would have to fight while Reuben and Gad kept their cattle without risking their lives. Moses reminded them of the rebellion of the people when he sent the spies to Canaan.
The ten spies had vilified Canaan's people, causing the people to murmur against Moses and refuse to enter the land. God had been displeased at their unbelief and rebellion and had decreed that none of the adults who had left Egypt would enter His promised land.
Moses warned that their rebellion was a snare that could lead to the whole nation's undoing. If Reuben and Gad could live securely on the east of Jordan while the rest of Israel fought, the Israelites would lose heart at the sight of their prosperity and follow them into rebellion. Moses' words were that the same disobedience which had caused the nation to wander was about to repeat itself if Reuben and Gad were not corrected.
Moses reminded Reuben and Gad that the whole nation had wandered for thirty-nine years until those rebels (who had complained about Moses' leadership) had died. Moses would not allow Reuben and Gad to cause another nation-wide rebellion.
The representatives of Reuben and Gad spoke up for their tribes to clarify their request. They assured Moses that they would build sheepfolds for their livestock and cities for their households and then go out with the rest of Israel and fight. They promised Moses not to turn back until all Israel had obtained their inheritance. They assured Moses that their warriors would cross the Jordan with the rest of the nation and that they would not lay claim to a better lot while the rest of the tribes still fought for theirs.
They proposed that their wives, children, flocks, and cattle could remain in the walled cities on the east of the Jordan while their warriors went forth with the rest of the nation. Moses responded that if they would cross over the Jordan and fight with the rest of the nation until they had all obtained their inheritance and then take possession of the lands east of Jordan, he would make them responsible for any failure to comply.
Moses warned them that their sin would be visited upon them if they failed to carry out their promise to him. Moses gave them this principle as a saying: If they knew what they were about and did not do it, their failure would be their sin. The representatives of Reuben and Gad assured Moses that they were willing to keep their covenant. Moses laid this charge upon Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the tribes in regard to the covenant.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad then added the half tribe of Manasseh to their request for the lands on the east of Jordan. Thus, Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh received the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, which Israel had conquered. Moses gave the territory to the three tribes, saying that the cities and their suburbs belonged to the tribe which rebuilt them. Reuben rebuilt several cities and called them by new names, while Gad built cities and sheepfolds for their flocks and herds. The half tribe of Manasseh took possession of the Gilead with its cities and slew the remnant of the nation which dwelt there.
Thus, the request of the tribes of Reuben and Gad was a matter of living in the lands which they preferred with their great numbers of cattle. Even when obtaining this concession, they had to make good their promise to the nation, for they had a national obligation to help the rest of their people inherit their lot.
Numbers 32 teaches the reader the importance of fulfilling one's promises. Reuben and Gad had the option to keep their cattle without sharing in the perils of conquering the land of Canaan. However, their adherence to the covenant which they had made showed that they were truly devoted to Israel's cause.
The chapter also shows the reason for Moses' initial objection to the request of Reuben and Gad. He had seen how Israel had suffered at the time of the rebellion of the spies. Moses did not want such an occurrence to take place again, so he warned Reuben and Gad that their rebellion would bring the same punishment upon them as had befallen the nation during the time of the spies.
The chapter shows the importance of an inheritance, for Reuben and Gad had seen fit to take possession of the land which was appropriate to their needs. Yet, even the taking of this land did not release them from their responsibilities to the rest of Israel. They had to pay their share in enabling their fellow Israelites to inherit their lot before they could live in peace with their cattle. This lesson has application today, for the reader may see that the fulfillment of his covenant obligations should not be put off for the comfort of personal pursuits.
The reader can also learn from the manner of the agreement between Moses and the representatives of Reuben and Gad. When they laid their request before Moses, they clearly stated what it was they desired. Moses had warned them of the danger of their rebellion, for he saw that it was a snare. They had made sure that the conditions of their promise were fully understood before it was made. Their promise had been made known before the leaders of the nation, all of whom knew what had been said.
Numbers 32 is a chapter which demonstrates the need to fulfill one's obligations in regard to one's inheritance. Two and a half tribes received the territory east of Jordan, but this did not exempt them from helping the rest of the nation acquire its share of the land of Canaan. Their actions showed clearly that they were willing to pay their share in obtaining what they desired, for they had made a binding promise which they were bound to fulfill.