^32:1¹ Now the Reubenites and the Gadites possessed a very large number of cattle. When they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for cattle,²^32:2the Gadites and the Reubenites came and addressed Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community. They said, ^32:3“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam,³ Nebo, and Beon,⁴^32:4the land that the Lord subdued⁵ before the community of Israel, is ideal for cattle, and your servants have cattle.” ^32:5So they said, “If we have found favor in your sight,⁶ let this land be given to your servants for our inheritance. Do not have us cross⁷ the Jordan River.”⁸

Moses’ Response

^32:6Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Must your brothers go to war while you⁹ remain here? ^32:7Why do you frustrate the intent¹⁰ of the Israelites to cross over into the land which the Lord has given them? ^32:8Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. ^32:9When¹¹ they went up to the Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they frustrated the intent of the Israelites so that they did not enter¹² the land that the Lord had given¹³ them. ^32:10So the anger of the Lord was kindled that day, and he swore, ^32:11‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly,¹⁴ not¹⁵ one of the men twenty years old and upward¹⁶ who came from Egypt will see the land that I swore to give¹⁷ to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ^32:12except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ ^32:13So the Lord’s anger was kindled against the Israelites, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all that generation that had done wickedly before¹⁸ the Lord was finished.¹⁹^32:14Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites. ^32:15For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon²⁰ them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction.”²¹

The Offer of the Reubenites and Gadites

^32:16Then they came very close to him and said, “We will build sheep folds here for our flocks and cities for our families,²²^32:17but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness²³ and go before the Israelites until whenever we have brought them to their place. Our descendants will be living in fortified towns as a protection against²⁴ the inhabitants of the land. ^32:18We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has his inheritance. ^32:19For we will not accept any inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River²⁵ and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”

^32:20Then Moses replied,²⁶ “If you will do this thing, and if you will arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, ^32:21and if all your armed men cross the Jordan before the Lord until he drives out his enemies from his presence ^32:22and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be free of your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. This land will then be your possession in the Lord’s sight.

^32:23“But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned²⁷ against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out. ^32:24So build cities for your descendants and pens for your sheep, but do what you have said²⁸ you would do.”

^32:25So the Gadites and the Reubenites replied to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. ^32:26Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead, ^32:27but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, to do battle in the Lord’s presence, just as my lord says.”

^32:28So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes. ^32:29Moses said to them: “If the Gadites and the Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, each one equipped for battle in the Lord’s presence, and you conquer the land,²⁹ then you must allot them the territory of Gilead as their possession. ^32:30But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must receive possessions among you in Canaan.” ^32:31Then the Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has spoken.³⁰^32:32We will cross armed in the Lord’s presence into the land of Canaan, and then the possession of our inheritance that we inherit will be ours on this side of the Jordan River.”³¹

Land Assignment

^32:33So Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the realm of King Sihon of the Amorites, and the realm of King Og of Bashan, the entire land with its cities and the territory surrounding them.³²^32:34The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, ^32:35Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, ^32:36Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and constructed pens for their flocks. ^32:37The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, ^32:38Nebo, Baal Meon (with a change of name), and Sibmah. They renamed³³ the cities they built.

^32:39The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. ^32:40So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, son of Manasseh, and he lived there.³⁴^32:41Now Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their small towns and named them Havvoth Jair. ^32:42Then Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah after his own name.

Wanderings from Egypt to Sinai

^33:1¹ These are the journeys of the Israelites, who went out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the authority² of Moses and Aaron. ^33:2Moses recorded their departures³ according to their journeys, by the commandment⁴ of the Lord; now these are their journeys according to their departures. ^33:3They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day⁵ after the Passover the Israelites went out defiantly⁶ in plain sight⁷ of all the Egyptians. ^33:4Now the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them; the Lord also executed judgments on their gods.

^33:5The Israelites traveled from Rameses and camped in Succoth.

^33:6They traveled from Succoth, and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. ^33:7They traveled from Etham, and turned again to Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-Zephon; and they camped before Migdal. ^33:8They traveled from Pi-hahiroth,⁸ and passed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and camped in Marah. ^33:9They traveled from Marah and came to Elim; in Elim there are twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees, so they camped there.

^33:10They traveled from Elim, and camped by the Red Sea. ^33:11They traveled from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Zin. ^33:12They traveled from the wilderness of Zin and camped in Dophkah. ^33:13And they traveled from Dophkah, and camped in Alush.

^33:14They traveled from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. ^33:15They traveled from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.

Wanderings in the Wilderness

^33:16They traveled from the desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah. ^33:17They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. ^33:18They traveled from Hazeroth and camped in Rithmah. ^33:19They traveled from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. ^33:20They traveled from Rimmon-perez and camped in Libnah. ^33:21They traveled from Libnah and camped at Rissah. ^33:22They traveled from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah. ^33:23They traveled from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. ^33:24They traveled from Mount Shepher and camped in Haradah. ^33:25They traveled from Haradah and camped in Makheloth. ^33:26They traveled from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. ^33:27They traveled from Tahath and camped at Terah. ^33:28They traveled from Terah and camped in Mithcah. ^33:29They traveled from Mithcah and camped in Hashmonah. ^33:30They traveled from Hashmonah and camped in Moseroth. ^33:31They traveled from Moseroth and camped in Bene-jaakan. ^33:32They traveled from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. ^33:33They traveled from Hor-haggidgad and camped in Jotbathah. ^33:34They traveled from Jotbathah and camped in Abronah. ^33:35They traveled from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. ^33:36They traveled from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.

Wanderings from Kadesh to Moab

^33:37They traveled from Kadesh and camped in Mount Hor at the edge of the land of Edom. ^33:38Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at the command⁹ of the Lord, and he died there in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt on the first day of the fifth month. ^33:39Now Aaron was 123 years old when he died in Mount Hor. ^33:40The king of Arad, the Canaanite king who lived in the south of the land of Canaan, heard about the approach of the Israelites.

^33:41They traveled from Mount Hor and camped in Zalmonah. ^33:42They traveled from Zalmonah and camped in Punon. ^33:43They traveled from Punon and camped in Oboth. ^33:44They traveled from Oboth and camped in Iye-abarim, on the border of Moab. ^33:45They traveled from Iim¹⁰ and camped in Dibon-gad. ^33:46They traveled from Dibon-gad and camped in Almon-diblathaim. ^33:47They traveled from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo. ^33:48They traveled from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River¹¹ across from Jericho.¹²^33:49They camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

At the Border of Canaan

^33:50The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. He said: ^33:51“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ^33:52you must drive out…

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Footnotes

1 While the tribes are on the other side of Jordan, the matter of which tribes would settle there has to be discussed. This chapter begins the settlement of Israel into the tribal territories, something to be continued in Joshua. The chapter has the petitions (vv. 1–5), the response by Moses (vv. 6–15), the proposal (vv. 16–27), and the conclusion of the matter (vv. 28–42). For literature on this subject, both critical and conservative, see S. E. Loewenstein, “The Relation of the Settlement of Gad and Reuben in Numbers 32:1–38, Its Background and Its Composition,” 42 (1972): 12–26; J. Mauchline, “Gilead and Gilgal, Some Reflections on the Israelite Occupation of Palestine,” 6 (1956): 19–33; and A. Bergmann, “The Israelite Tribe of Half-Manassehd,” 16 (1936): 224–54.
2 Heb “the place was a place of/for cattle.”
3 and the have Sibmah. Cf. v. 38.
4 Cf. Baal-meon in v. 38.
5 The verb is the Hiphil perfect of נָכָה (nakhah), a term that can mean “smite, strike, attack, destroy.”
6 Heb “eyes.”
7 The verb is the Hiphil jussive from עָבַר (’avar, “to cross over”). The idea of “cause to cross” or “make us cross” might be too harsh, but “take across” with the rest of the nation is what they are trying to avoid.
8 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
9 The vav (ו) is a vav disjunctive prefixed to the pronoun; it fits best here as a circumstantial clause, “while you stay here.”
10 Heb “heart.” So also in v. 9.
11 The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated to the parallel yet chronologically later verb in the next clause.
12 The infinitive construct here with lamed (ל) is functioning as a result clause.
13 The Lord had not given it yet, but was going to give it. Hence, the perfect should be classified as a perfect of resolve.
14 The clause is difficult; it means essentially that “they have not made full [their coming] after” the Lord.
15 The sentence begins with “if they see.…” This is the normal way for Hebrew to express a negative oath—“they will by no means see.…” The sentence is elliptical; it is saying something like “[May God do so to me] if they see,” meaning they won’t see. Of course here God is taking the oath, which is an anthropomorphic act. He does not need to take an oath, and certainly could not swear by anyone greater, but it communicates to people his resolve.
16 The adds “those knowing bad and good.”
17 The words “to give” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
18 Heb “in the eyes of.”
19 The verb is difficult to translate, since it has the idea of “complete, finish” (תָּמָם, tamam). It could be translated “consumed” in this passage (so , ); “was destroyed.”
20 The construction uses a verbal hendiadys with the verb “to add” serving to modify the main verb.
21 Heb “and you will destroy all this people.”
22 Heb “our little ones.”
23 The has חֻשִׁים (khushim); the verbal root is חוּשׁ (khush, “to make haste” or “hurry”). But in light of the Greek and Latin the Hebrew should probably be emended to חֲמֻשִׁים (hamushim), a qal passive participle meaning “in battle array.” See further 301 I חוּשׁ, 332 חֲמֻשִׁים; I חושׁ, חישׁ; I חמשׁ.
24 Heb “from before.”
25 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
26 Heb “said to them.”
27 The nuance of the perfect tense here has to be the future perfect.
28 Heb “that which goes out/has gone out of your mouth.”
29 Heb “and the land is subdued before you.”
30 Heb “that which the Lord has spoken to your servants, thus we will do.”
31 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
32 Heb “the land with its cities in the borders of the cities of the land all around.”
33 Heb “called names.”
34 Heb “in it.”
1 This material can be arranged into four sections: from Egypt to Sinai (vv. 1–15), the wilderness wanderings (vv. 16–36), from Kadesh to Moab (vv. 37–49), and final orders for Canaan (vv. 50–56).
2 Heb “hand.”
3 Heb “their goings out.”
4 Heb “mouth.”
5 Heb “morrow.”
6 Heb “with a high hand”; the expression means “defiantly; boldly” or “with confidence.” The phrase is usually used for arrogant sin and pride, the defiant fist, as it were. The image of the high hand can also mean the hand raised to deliver the blow (Job 38:15).
7 Heb “in the eyes.”
8 So many medieval Hebrew manuscripts, , , and Latin . Other witnesses have “from before Hahiroth.”
9 Heb “mouth.”
10 Iim is a shortened form of the name Iye-abarim mentioned in v. 44.
11 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
12 For the location of Jericho see ; ; ; ; ; .