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Numbers 32


 Some of the Israelites ask for land outside of Canaan


The people who were in the tribes of Reuben and Gad (the descendants of Jacob’s sons Reuben and Gad) owned a lot of cattle. They knew that all of the Israelites would soon be moving west and crossing over the Jordan River into Canaan. But they preferred to stay on the east side of the river. That land was called Gilead. They thought Gilead was a good place for cattle. God had helped the Israelites fight the people in Gilead and win the land. Reuben’s and Gad’s tribes asked Moses if they could stay there. They wanted that land to be their land from God.
[1] 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;
[2] 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,
[3] Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,
[4] Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:
[5] 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.

Moses asked them if they planned to sit there and let all of the other Israelite tribes go to war in Canaan. If they did that, the other tribes would want to stay there, too. They wouldn’t cross over the river to enter Canaan, the land that God promised them.
[6] 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?
[7] And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?


Moses reminded them that their ancestors did something similar in the past. Moses sent some of the ancestors to spy on Canaan. They explored Canaan for 40 days. Then they came back to the Israelite camp. They told the Israelites that the people living in Canaan were too strong. They thought the Israelites couldn’t defeat them. The Israelites did not trust God enough, and they believed the spies. They were afraid to enter into Canaan. This made God mad. He said that none of the Israelites who were age 20 or older (except for Joshua and Caleb) would be able to enter Canaan. The Israelites would travel around in the wilderness for 40 years until all of the adults died. To read that part of the Bible again, please
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[8] Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
[9] 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.
[10] And the LORD's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,
[11] 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:
[12] Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.
[13] 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.

 

Moses said that Reuben and Gad’s tribes would make God mad like before. He would make the Israelites continue to wander in the wilderness.
[14] 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.
[15] For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.


The two tribes told Moses that they would build their cities, homes, and places for the cattle. Then the men would leave their new homes and go into Canaan with the other Israelites. They would help the other Israelites fight the people who live in Canaan now.
They would not inherit any land in Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River. Their land would be on the east side of the river.
[16] And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:
[17] 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.
[18] We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.
[19] 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.

 

Moses agreed to this. The men of the Reuben and Gad tribes would fight in the war with the other Israelites. Then after everyone had their land in Canaan, they would go back to their homes in Gilead. Moses told them that if they did not do what they promised, they would be sinning against God.
[20] And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war,
[21] And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,
[22] 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.
[23] But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
[24] Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.


The men of Gad and Reuben promised. They would go build their cities and places for their animals. Then they would help the other Israelites fight in Canaan.
[25] And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.
[26] Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:
[27] But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.


Moses told Eleazar the priest, Joshua, and the other leaders about the promise of the Reuben and Gad tribes. He told them that if the tribes keep their promises and help the others, they can have the land they want on the east side of the Jordan River.  
[28] 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:
[29] 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 do not keep their promises and they do not help fight in Canaan, they will not get land on the east side of the Jordan River. Instead, they will get part of the land on the west side of the Jordan River. 
[30] But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

 

The Reuben and Gad tribes promised that they would help fight. Moses agreed and gave them their land in Gilead on the east side of the Jordan River. Moses also gave land there to the half-tribe of Manasseh (the descendants of Joseph’s son Manasseh). Moses gave the tribes these areas: the land of the Amorites (Sihon was their king) and the land of Bashan (Og was their king).
[31] And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.
[32] 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.
[33] 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.


The tribe of Gad built new cities. The city names were: Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth, Shophan, Jaazer, Jogbehah, Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran. They built walls around the cities and made places for their sheep.
[34] And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
[35] And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,
[36] And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

 

The tribe of Reuben built the cities named Heshbon, Elealeh, Kirjathaim, Nebo, Baal-meon, and Shibmah.
[37] And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
[38] And Nebo, and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

 

Part of Manasseh’s tribe (the descendants of Joseph’s grandson, Machir) fought some of the people living in Gilead. These people were the Amorites. Machir’s group won, and the Amorites were gone. Moses gave that part of Gilead to Machir’s group.
[39] And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.
[40] And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.


Another part of Manasseh’s tribe (the descendants of Joseph’s grandson, Jair) moved into some small towns and renamed them Havoth-jair. This means "the towns of Jair
.
[41] And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-jair.


Nobah moved into the towns of Kenath. He renamed them Nobah for himself.
[42] And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

 

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