INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 32 This chapter relates, how that the tribes of Gad and Reuben requested a settlement in the country of Jazer and Gilead, being fit for the pasturage of their cattle, Numbers 32:1 at which Moses at first was very much displeased, as being unreasonable, and tending to discour... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD HAD A VERY GREAT MULTITUDE OF CATTLE,.... By which it seems that they had more in proportion than any of the other tribes; by what means it is not easy to say; very probably they were more addicted to the pastoral life, and took more delight in bree... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN CAME AND SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... The children of Gad are mentioned first, though Reuben was the firstborn, and had a standard under which Gad pitched: it may be, as Aben Ezra thinks, the Gadites were the first authors of this counsel, the contrivers of th... [ Continue Reading ]
ATAROTH, DIBON, AND JAZER,.... These were places which belonged to the Amorites, and were taken from Sihon, their king: of Ataroth we read nowhere else but in this chapter; of Dibon see Isaiah 15:2, Jazer was a city, from whence the land about it had its name; it is the same with Jaazer, Numbers 21... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THE COUNTY WHICH THE LORD SMOTE BEFORE THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL,.... In which the above cities were, and perhaps some others not named: this was now in the hands of the people of Israel, being subdued by them, the conquest of which is ascribed unto the Lord, for the victory was of him; it was... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE, SAID THEY, IF WE HAVE FOUND GRACE IN THY SIGHT,.... Directing their speech to Moses, the ruler of the congregation, in a very modest, decent, and respectable manner: LET THIS LAND BE GIVEN UNTO THY SERVANTS FOR A POSSESSION; as their own portion and inheritance, to be enjoyed by them, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF GAD, AND TO THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN,.... Being displeased with their motion, as his following discourse shows, it having at first sight an appearance of covetousness and cowardice: SHALL YOUR BRETHREN GO TO WAR, AND SHALL YE SIT HERE? it is not reasonable that you... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE DISCOURAGE YE THE HEART OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.... Which he suggests it would, should they settle on that side Jordan, since they would lose the assistance of two of their tribes, even two thirds of one of their standards in fighting with their enemies and subduing their land; and besid... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS DID YOUR FATHERS,.... Meaning not particularly and only the fathers of these two tribes he was speaking to, but of them and the other tribes also, who acted much such a part; did not choose to go into the good land to possess it, when they were bid to do it, but were for sending spies first, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEN THEY WENT UP UNTO THE VALLEY OF ESHCOL,.... That is, when they went up the hill, for they were bid to go up into the mountain, and proceeded on into the country, until they came to the valley or brook, of Eshcol, so called from the cluster of grapes they there cut down, and brought along wi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD'S ANGER WAS KINDLED, THE SAME TIME,.... Against the spies that brought the ill report, and against all the people that were disheartened and murmured upon it, and which, above all things, was to be dreaded now: AND HE SWARE, SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY NONE OF THE MEN THAT CAME UP OUT OF EGYPT, FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARDS,.... See Numbers 14:28. SHALL SEE THE LAND WHICH I SWARE UNTO ABRAHAM, UNTO ISAAC, AND UNTO JACOB; the land of Canaan, which at various times he sware to give to them, and to their posterity: BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE CALEB THE SON OF JEPHUNNEH THE KENEZITE, AND JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN,.... See Numbers 14:30, whether Caleb or Jephunneh is called the Kenezite is not so easy to determine; the latter rather seems to be most correct, for that Caleb should be called so from Kenaz the father of Othniel, who is said... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD'S ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST ISRAEL,.... For murmuring against the report of the spies: AND HE MADE THEM WANDER IN THE WILDERNESS FORTY YEARS; for though it was but about thirty eight years from that time that they were in the wilderness, the round number of forty is given; and besides... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, YE ARE RISEN UP IN YOUR FATHERS' STEAD,.... Succeeded them in their families, of which they were now the heads; and in their substance, their flocks, and herds; and he suggests also, in their manners amid evil dispositions: AN INCREASE OF SINFUL MEN; this new generation was greatly inc... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF YE TURN AWAY FROM AFTER HIM,.... From following him in the way of his commandments, from attending his word, worship, and ordinances, and from walking after him, who went before them in a pillar of cloud and fire, as it is suggested they would, should they stop short here and not go over Jord... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY CAME NEAR UNTO HIM,.... The heads of the tribes of Gad and Reuben came a little nearer to Moses, having something more to say unto him, in order to explain their meaning, and in doing which they used some degree of freedom and boldness with him, see Genesis 44:18 AND SAID, WE WILL BUILD SH... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WE OURSELVES WILL GO READY ARMED BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... This they said to free themselves from the charge of cowardice, and that they did not mean to sit still while their brethren went to war; they were willing to put on their armour, and be ready to meet the enemy upon the borders... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WILL NOT RETURN UNTO OUR HOUSES,.... In the cities built or repaired by them, or to their families, and their substance, their flocks and their herds; all which they should leave behind them, and never think of returning to them: UNTIL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAVE INHERITED EVERY MAN HIS INHERITA... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE WILL NOT INHERIT WITH THEM ON YONDER SIDE JORDAN, OR FORWARD,.... This they said, not as being determined whether Moses and the princes were willing or not to stay where they were, and not pass over Jordan to inherit any part there, and much less as despising the good land, but as giving up a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES SAID UNTO THEM,.... Being better disposed towards them, and more satisfied with the reasonableness of their request, it being explained unto him: IF YE WILL DO THIS THING; which they had promised: IF YE WILL GO ARMED BEFORE THE LORD TO WAR; they had said they would go ready armed before... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WILL GO ALL OF YOU ARMED OVER JORDAN BEFORE THE LORD,.... Moses tries them thoroughly, and is very express in his words, requiring them not only to go armed, or march from the place where they were, towards the land of Canaan, but to go over Jordan, and not some of them only, but all, and that b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LAND BE SUBDUED BEFORE THE LORD,.... For the inhabitants fleeing before his people, and being conquered by them, might be said to be subdued before the Lord, this being done in his presence, by his power, and for his people: THEN AFTERWARD YE SHALL RETURN: to this side of Jordan, the land o... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF YE WILL NOT DO SO,.... As they promised they would, and Moses insisted on it that they should: BEHOLD, YE HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD making such a request, and not fulfilling the conditions on which it was granted: AND BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT; fly in their faces, accuse them in... [ Continue Reading ]
BUILD YE CITIES FOR YOUR LITTLE ONES, AND FOLDS FOR YOUR SHEEP,.... For their safety and security, as they proposed to do: AND DO THAT WHICH PROCEEDETH OUT OF YOUR MOUTH; all that they had promised.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN SPAKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING,.... In answer to his speech: THY SERVANTS WILL DO AS MY LORD COMMANDETH; both with respect to their march before the Lord to battle, and with respect to their provision for their children and flocks.... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR LITTLE ONES, OUR WIVES, OUR FLOCKS, AND ALL OUR CATTLE,.... Their families, and their substance: SHALL BE THERE IN THE CITIES OF GILEAD; such as are before mentioned, Numbers 32:3 and which they proposed to repair and fortify, to preserve their families and possessions from the Amorites about... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THY SERVANTS WILL PASS OVER,.... The river Jordan, and go into the land of Canaan: EVERY MAN ARMED FOR WAR; Moses had required that all should go over, and they consent to it, and promise that everyone should, though this was not insisted on when they came to it, for only about 40,000 went over... [ Continue Reading ]
SO CONCERNING THEM MOSES COMMANDED,.... That they should have a grant of the land they requested: this looks as if Moses determined the case himself, though perhaps it was by the vote, and with the consent of the whole court; only Moses strictly enjoined them to observe it, namely, ELEAZAR THE PRIE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES SAID UNTO THEM,.... To Eleazar, Joshua, and the princes of the congregation: IF THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN WILL PASS WITH YOU OVER JORDAN, EVERY MAN ARMED TO BATTLE BEFORE THE LORD; as they have promised they will: AND THE LAND SHALL BE SUBDUED BEFORE YOU; which must... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THEY WILL NOT PASS OVER WITH YOU ARMED,.... Shall change their minds, and break their promise, and refuse to go over the river Jordan with the other tribes, and armed ready to engage in battle with the enemy: THEY SHALL HAVE POSSESSIONS AMONG YOU IN THE LAND OF CANAAN; take their lot there,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN ANSWERED,...., The word is in the singular number, and shows their unanimity, that they agreed to what Moses said, and replied all of them as one man, as Jarchi expresses it; and it may be there was one that was the mouth of them all, and answered f... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WILL PASS OVER ARMED BEFORE THE LORD INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN,.... This is repeated again and again, for the confirmation of it, assuring that it should be strictly performed according to the true intent of it: THAT THE POSSESSION OF OUR INHERITANCE ON THIS SIDE JORDAN MAY BE OURS; that is, that... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES GAVE UNTO THEM,.... By word of mouth, in the presence of the court, or rather by some instrument drawn up and signed by him and the sanhedrim, or witnessed by them: [EVEN] TO THE CHILDREN OF GAD, AND TO THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN, AND UNTO HALF THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH THE SON OF JOSEPH; no ment... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD BUILT,.... Or rather repaired the walls and fortifications, and rebuilt houses which had been demolished in the wars with Sihon and Og; when the following places were taken by the Israelites: DIBON, AND ATAROTH, AND AROER; the two first are mentioned in Numbers 32:3. Aroer... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ATROTH, SHOPHAN, AND JAAZER, AND JOGBEHAH. Of these no mention is made elsewhere, except Jaazer, which is the same with Jazer, Numbers 32:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BETHNIMRAH, AND BETHHARAN, FENCED CITIES,.... The first of these is the same with Nimrah, Numbers 32:3, and the other is the same with Betharam, Joshua 13:27, it is called in the Jerusalem Talmud r, Bethramtha, and so by the Syrians, Bethramphta; and to the same place Herod gave the name of Livi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN BUILT HESHBON, AND ELEALEH, AND KIRJATHAIM. Heshbon was the royal city of Sihon king of the Amorites, and Elealeh was within a mile of it, see Numbers 32:3, this shows that those cities were not built anew properly, only repaired, for they were cities in being long before;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NEBO, AND BAALMEON, (THEIR NAMES BEING CHANGED,).... For Nebo was the name of an idol, after which perhaps the city was called: Baalmeon signifies "Baal's habitation", and where it is highly probable was a temple of his; and the children of Reuben, not liking to retain such idolatrous names, gav... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF MACHIR THE SON OF MANASSEH WENT TO GILEAD, AND TOOK IT,.... That part of it which Moses gave unto the half tribe of Manasseh, which till now was in the hand of the Amorites; for half Mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, were given to the Reubenites and Gadites, which is the land... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES GAVE GILEAD UNTO MACHIR THE SON OF MANASSEH,.... That is, to the children of Machir, who went and took it; though some say, as Aben Ezra observes, that Machir himself was now alive, and that it was given to him, but that is not probable; for, supposing him to be living when the children of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JAIR THE SON OF MANASSEH,.... By his mother's side, otherwise he was of the family of Judah; for Hezron, of the family of Judah, married a daughter of Machir, the son of Manasseh, by whom he had a son called Segub, who was the father of Jair, 1 Chronicles 2:21, the same WENT AND TOOK THE SMALL... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOBAH WENT AND TOOK KENATH, AND THE VILLAGES THEREOF,.... Who this Nobah was is not certain, very probably a descendant of Manasseh; it is said u he was among those that were born in Egypt, and died after the death of Moses, and was buried beyond Jordan, as it is said, also did Machir and Jair,... [ Continue Reading ]