1 The Reubenites and Gadites sue for their inheritance on the east side of Jordan
6 Moses reproves them
16 They offer him conditions with which he is content
33 Moses assigns them the land
39 They conquer it.

the children Nu 2:10-15 26:5-7,15-18 Ge 29:32 30:10,11

Jazer Nu 32:3,35 21:32 Jos 13:25 2Sa 24:5 Isa 16:8,9

the place Nu 32:26 Ge 13:2,5,10,11 47:4 Jer 50:19 Mic 7:14 1Jo 2:16

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,

Ataroth Nu 32:1,34-38 Jos 13:17 Isa 15:2-4 Jer 48:22,23

Nimrah Nu 32:36 Isa 15:6

Heshbon Nu 21:25,26,28 Jud 11:26 Ne 9:22 Isa 15:4 16:8,9 Jer 48:2,34,45

Shebam Nu 32:38

Shibmah Jos 13:19 Isa 16:8 Jer 48:32

Beon Nu 32:38

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

Nu 21:24,34 De 2:24-35

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.

if we have Ge 19:19 Ru 2:10 1Sa 20:3 2Sa 14:22 Es 5:2 Jer 31:2

bring us De 1:37 3:25,26 Jos 7:7

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?

shall ye sit here 2Sa 11:11 1Co 13:5 Php 2:4

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

wherefore Nu 32:9 21:4 De 1:28

discourage. Heb. break Ac 21:13

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

Nu 13:2-26 14:2 De 1:22,23 Jos 14:6,7

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.

Nu 13:23-33 14:1-10 De 1:24-28

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

Nu 14:11,21,23,29 De 1:34-40 Ps 95:11 Eze 20:15 Heb 3:8-19

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:

from twenty Nu 14:28,29 26:2,64,65 De 1:35 2:14,15

because Nu 14:24,30 Jos 14:8,9

wholly followed me. Heb. fulfilled after me

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

for Nu 14:24,30 26:65 De 1:36 Jos 14:8,9

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.

wander Nu 14:33-35 De 2:14 Ps 78:33

until all Nu 26:64 De 2:15 1Co 10:5 Heb 3:16-19

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.

an increase Ge 5:3 8:21 Ne 9:24-26 Job 14:4 Ps 78:57 Isa 1:4 57:4 Eze 20:21 Mt 23:31-33 Lu 11:48 Ac 7:51,52

to augment De 1:34,35 Ezr 9:13,14 10:10 Ne 13:18 Isa 65:6,7

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.

if ye turn Le 26:14-18 De 28:15 30:17-19 Jos 22:16-18 2Ch 7:19-22 15:2

he will yet Nu 14:35 14:30-35

ye shall Jer 38:23 Mt 18:7 Ro 14:15,20,21 1Co 8:11,12

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

This proposal was very equitable, and it was honestly made and faithfully executed; though it did not imply that all men capable of bearing arms should go, and so leave their families and possessions defenceless, but only a sufficient detachment of them. Among the inhabitants of the land were the Ammonites, Moabites, Idumeans, and the remains of the Midianites and Amorites; and as it was impossible for the women and children to keep the defenced cities, when placed in them, many of the men of war must of course stay behind. In the last census, the tribe of Reuben consisted of 43,730 men; the tribe of Gad 40,500; and the tribe of Manasseh 52,700; the half of which is 26,350; which together amount to 110,580. Now from Jos 4:13 we learn, that of these tribes only 40,000 armed men passed over Jordan to assist their brethren; consequently 70,580 men were left behind for the defence of the women, the children, and the flocks; which was amply sufficient for this purpose. Ge 34:22 33:17

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.

Nu 32:29-32 De 3:18-20 Jos 4:12,13

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

Jos 22:4,5

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.

we will Ge 13:10-12 14:12 2Ki 10:32,33 15:29 1Ch 5:25,26 Pr 20:21

because Nu 32:33 Jos 12:1-6 13:8

on this side Nu 32:32 34:15 Jos 1:14,15

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

De 3:18-20 Jos 1:13-15 4:12,13 22:2-4

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.

land De 3:20 Jos 10:30,42 11:23 18:1 Ps 44:1-4 78:55

ye shall Jos 22:4,9

be guiltless Jos 2:19 2Sa 3:28

this land De 3:12-18 Jos 1:15 13:8,29-32 22:9

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

if ye will Le 26:14 De 28:15

be sure your sin. If the persons concerning prevaricated, and so imposed on men, or if they afterwards refused to fulfil their engagement, God would most certainly detect and expose their wickedness, and inflict condign punishment upon them. Of all the ways, says Dr. South, to be taken for the prevention of that great plague of mankind, Sin, there is none so rational and efficacious as to confute and baffle those motives by which men are induced to embrace it; and among all such motives, the heart of man seems to be chiefly overpowered and prevailed upon by two, viz. secrecy in committing sin, and impunity with respect to its consequences. Accordingly, Moses, in this chapter, having to deal with a company of men suspected of a base and fraudulent design, though couched under a very fair pretence, as most such designs are, endeavours to quash it in its very conception, by secretly applying himself to encounter those secret motives and arguments, which he knew were the most likely to encourage them in it. And this he does very briefly, but effectually, by assuring them, that how covertly and artificially soever they might carry on their dark project, yet their sin would infallibly find them out. Though the subject and occasion of these words are indeed particular, yet the design of them is manifestly of an universal import, as reaching the case of all transgressors, in their first entrance on any sinful act or course. Ge 4:7 44:16 Ps 90:8 139:11 140:11 Pr 13:21 Isa 3:11 59:1,2,12 ro 2:9 1co 4:5

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

Nu 32:16,34

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

Jos 1:13,14

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.

thy servants Jos 4:12

armed Nu 32:17 2Co 10:4,5 Eph 6:10-18 2Ti 4:7,8

as my lord Nu 11:28 12:11 36:2

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:

Jos 1:13

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:

Nu 32:20-23

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

Jos 22:19

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.

Moses Nu 32:1 De 3:12-17 29:8 Jos 12:6 13:8 22:4

half the Nu 34:14 1Ch 5:18 12:31 26:32

the kingdom Nu 21:23-35 De 2:30-33 3:1-8 Ps 135:10,11 136:18-21

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

Dibon. Eusebius says that Dibon was a large town, near the river Arnon. Burckhardt says, that when he was about an hour's distance north of the Modjeb or Arnon, he was shown to the N.E. the ruins of Diban, the ancient Dibon, situated in the low ground of the Koura, or plains of Moab. Nu 32:3 21:20 33:45,46

Aroer. Aroer was situated, according to Eusebius, on a mountain on the north bank of the river Arnon. This is confirmed by Burckhardt, who says it is called Araayr, and is seated on the edge of the precipice, at the foot of which the river flows. De 2:36 Isa 17:2

35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

Jaazer Nu 32:1,3

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

Beth-nimrah. Probably the same as Nimrim in Jer 48:34, and the Bethnabris mentioned by Eusebius, five miles north from Livias. Burckhardt says, that 'in the valley of the Jordan, south of Abou Obeida, are the ruins of Nemrim, probably the Beth-nimrah of the Scriptures.' Nu 32:3

Nimrah. Fenced cities Nu 32:24

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

Heshbon Nu 32:3 21:27 Isa 15:4

Eleahleh. Elealeh is placed, by Eusebius, a mile from Heshbon. It is now called El Aal, 'the high,' and is situated on a hill.

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

Nebo Isa 46:1

Baal-meon. This town is placed, by Eusebius and Jerome, nine miles from Heshbon, at the foot of mount Abarim. Nu 22:41

gave other names of the cities. Heb. they called by names the names of the cities. Nu 32:3 Ge 26:18 Ex 23:13 Jos 23:7 Ps 16:4 Isa 46:1

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

Nu 26:29 Ge 50:23 Jos 17:1

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

De 3:13-15 Jos 13:29-31 17:1

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

Jair De 3:14 Jos 13:30 1Ch 2:21-23

Havoth-jair Jud 10:4 1Ki 4:13

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