Numbers 32
New English Translation
The Petition of the Reubenites and Gadites
32 [a] 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,[b] 2 the Gadites and the Reubenites came and addressed Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community. They said, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam,[c] Nebo, and Beon,[d] 4 the land that the Lord subdued[e] before the community of Israel, is ideal for cattle, and your servants have cattle.” 5 So they said, “If we have found favor in your sight,[f] let this land be given to your servants for our inheritance. Do not have us cross[g] the Jordan River.”[h]
Moses’ Response
6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Must your brothers go to war while you[i] remain here? 7 Why do you frustrate the intent[j] of the Israelites to cross over into the land that the Lord has given them? 8 Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 9 When[k] they went up to the Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they frustrated the intent of the Israelites so that they did not enter[l] the land that the Lord had given[m] them. 10 So the anger of the Lord was kindled that day, and he swore, 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly,[n] not[o] one of the men twenty years old and upward[p] who came from Egypt will see the land that I swore to give[q] to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 13 So 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 before[r] the Lord was finished.[s] 14 Now 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. 15 For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon[t] them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction.”[u]
The Offer of the Reubenites and Gadites
16 Then they came very close to him and said, “We will build sheep folds here for our flocks and cities for our families,[v] 17 but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness[w] 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 against[x] the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has his inheritance. 19 For we will not accept any inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River[y] and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”
20 Then Moses replied,[z] “If you will do this thing, and if you will arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 21 and if all your armed men cross the Jordan before the Lord until he drives out his enemies from his presence 22 and 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.
23 “But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned[aa] against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out. 24 So build cities for your descendants and pens for your sheep, but do what you have said[ab] you would do.”
25 So the Gadites and the Reubenites replied to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, to do battle in the Lord’s presence, just as my lord says.”
28 So 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. 29 Moses 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,[ac] then you must allot them the territory of Gilead as their possession. 30 But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must receive possessions among you in Canaan.” 31 Then the Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has spoken.[ad] 32 We 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.”[ae]
Land Assignment
33 So 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.[af] 34 The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and constructed pens for their flocks. 37 The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon (with a change of name), and Sibmah. They renamed[ag] the cities they built.
39 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, son of Manasseh, and he lived there.[ah] 41 Now Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their small towns and named them Havvoth Jair.[ai] 42 Then Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah after his own name.
Footnotes
- Numbers 32:1 sn 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,” Tarbiz 42 (1972): 12-26; J. Mauchline, “Gilead and Gilgal, Some Reflections on the Israelite Occupation of Palestine,” VT 6 (1956): 19-33; and A. Bergmann, “The Israelite Tribe of Half-Manasseh,” JPOS 16 (1936): 224-54.
- Numbers 32:1 tn Heb “the place was a place of/for cattle.”
- Numbers 32:3 tc Smr and the LXX have Sibmah. Cf. v. 38.
- Numbers 32:3 tn Cf. Baal Meon in v. 38.
- Numbers 32:4 tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect of נָכָה (nakhah), a term that can mean “smite, strike, attack, destroy.”
- Numbers 32:5 tn Heb “eyes.”
- Numbers 32:5 tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive from עָבַר (ʿavar, “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.
- Numbers 32:5 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 32:6 tn The vav (ו) is a vav disjunctive prefixed to the pronoun; it fits best here as a circumstantial clause, “while you stay here.”
- Numbers 32:7 tn Heb “heart.” So also in v. 9.
- Numbers 32:9 tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated to the parallel yet chronologically later verb in the next clause.
- Numbers 32:9 tn The infinitive construct here with ל (lamed) is functioning as a result clause.
- Numbers 32:9 tn The Lord had not given it yet, but was going to give it. Hence, the perfect should be classified as a perfect of resolve.
- Numbers 32:11 tn The clause is difficult; it means essentially that “they have not made full [their coming] after” the Lord.
- Numbers 32:11 tn 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.
- Numbers 32:11 tc The LXX adds “those knowing bad and good.”
- Numbers 32:11 tn The words “to give” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 32:13 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
- Numbers 32:13 tn 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 KJV, ASV); NASB “was destroyed.”
- Numbers 32:15 tn The construction uses a verbal hendiadys with the verb “to add” serving to modify the main verb.
- Numbers 32:15 tn Heb “and you will destroy all this people.”
- Numbers 32:16 tn Heb “our little ones.”
- Numbers 32:17 tn The MT has חֻשִׁים (khushim); the verbal root is חוּשׁ (khush, “to make haste” or “hurry”). But in light of the Greek and Latin Vulgate the Hebrew should probably be emended to חֲמֻשִׁים (hamushim), a qal passive participle meaning “in battle array.” See further BDB 301 s.v. I חוּשׁ, BDB 332 s.v. חֲמֻשִׁים; HALOT 300 s.v. I חושׁ, חישׁ; HALOT 331 s.v. I חמשׁ.
- Numbers 32:17 tn Heb “from before.”
- Numbers 32:19 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 32:20 tn Heb “said to them.”
- Numbers 32:23 tn The nuance of the perfect tense here has to be the future perfect.
- Numbers 32:24 tn Heb “that which goes out/has gone out of your mouth.”
- Numbers 32:29 tn Heb “and the land is subdued before you.”
- Numbers 32:31 tn Heb “that which the Lord has spoken to your servants, thus we will do.”
- Numbers 32:32 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 32:33 tn Heb “the land with its cities in the borders of the cities of the land all around.”
- Numbers 32:38 tn Heb “called names.”
- Numbers 32:40 tn Heb “in it.”
- Numbers 32:41 sn Havvoth Jair. The Hebrew name means “villages of Jair.”
民数记 32
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
河東的支派求地業(A)
32 流本子孫和迦得子孫的牲畜極其眾多；他們看見雅謝地和基列地都是可牧放牲畜的地方， 2 就來對摩西和以利亞撒祭司，以及會眾的首領說： 3 “亞大錄、底本、雅謝、寧拉、希實本、以利亞利、示班、尼波、比穩， 4 就是耶和華在以色列會眾面前攻取的地，是可牧放牲畜的地，你僕人也有牲畜。” 5 他們又說：“如果我們在你眼前蒙恩，求你把這地給你的僕人作產業，不要叫我們過約旦河。”
6 摩西對迦得子孫和流本子孫說：“難道你們的兄弟去打仗，你們卻坐在這裡嗎？ 7 你們為甚麼使以色列人灰心，不過河到耶和華賜給他們的地那裡去呢？ 8 我從前從加低斯．巴尼亞派你們的先祖去窺探那地的時候，他們也是這樣行。 9 他們上到以實各谷，看了那地，就使以色列人灰心，不進耶和華賜給他們的地那裡去。 10 當日耶和華的怒氣發作，就起誓說： 11 ‘從埃及上來二十歲及以上的人，必不得看見我對亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各起誓應許的地，因為他們沒有專心跟從我。 12 唯獨基尼洗人耶孚尼的兒子迦勒，和嫩的兒子約書亞可以看見，因為他們專心跟從耶和華。’ 13 耶和華的怒氣向以色列人發作，使他們在曠野飄流了四十年，等到在耶和華眼前行惡的那一代都滅盡了。 14 現在，你們這些罪人的族類，也來接替你們的先祖，增添耶和華對以色列的烈怒！ 15 如果你們轉離，不跟從他，他再要把以色列人撇在曠野，這樣，你們就要把整個民族都毀滅了。”
16 兩支派的人走到摩西跟前，對他說：“我們要在這裡給我們的牲畜築羊圈，給我們的孩子建城邑。 17 我們自己卻要武裝起來，行在以色列人前頭上陣，直到把他們領到他們自己的地方，但我們的孩子因為這地居民的緣故，要住在堅固的城裡。 18 我們決不回家，直等到以色列人各自承受了產業。 19 我們不與他們在約旦河西邊之地同受產業，因為我們的產業是坐落在約旦河東邊。”
20 摩西對他們說：“如果你們這樣行，在耶和華面前武裝起來去作戰， 21 你們所有武裝起來的人，都要在耶和華面前過約旦河，直到他把他的仇敵從自己面前趕出去， 22 直到那地在耶和華面前被征服了，然後才回家，這樣你們對耶和華和對以色列就算無罪，這地也可以在耶和華面前歸你們作產業。 23 如果你們不這樣行，就得罪了耶和華；你們要知道你們的罪必追上你們。 24 現在你們只管照你們口中所出的話去行，為你們的孩子建城，為你們的羊群築圈。” 25 迦得子孫和流本子孫告訴摩西：“你僕人必照著我主吩咐的去行。 26 我們的孩子、妻子、羊群和所有的牲畜，都要留在基列的各城； 27 但你的僕人，所有武裝起來預備打仗的，都要照著我主所說的，在耶和華面前過去作戰。”
28 於是，摩西為了他們，囑咐以利亞撒祭司和嫩的兒子約書亞，以及以色列眾支派的族長， 29 對他們說：“迦得的子孫和流本的子孫，所有武裝起來，在耶和華面前預備去作戰的人，如果與你們一同過約旦河，那地在你們面前被征服了，你們就要把基列地給他們作產業。 30 他們若是不武裝起來，與你們一同過去，他們就要在迦南地在你們中間同得產業。” 31 迦得的子孫和流本的子孫回答，說：“耶和華怎樣吩咐僕人，我們就怎樣行。 32 我們要武裝起來，在耶和華面前過河，到迦南地去；只是約旦河這邊的地方，要歸我們作產業。”
33 於是摩西把亞摩利王西宏的國，和巴珊王噩的國，連那地，和境內城市，以及那地周圍的城市，都給了迦得的子孫、流本的子孫和約瑟的兒子瑪拿西的半個支派。 34 迦得的子孫修築了底本、亞他錄、亞羅珥、 35 亞他錄．朔反、雅謝、約比哈、 36 伯．寧拉、伯．哈蘭這些堅固的城市和羊圈。 37 流本的子孫修築了希實本、以利亞利、基列亭、 38 尼波、巴力．免（以上的名字是改了的）、西比瑪；又為他們修築的城市起了別的名字。 39 瑪拿西的兒子瑪吉的子孫到基列去，攻取了那地，把住在那裡的亞摩利人趕走。 40 摩西把基列給了瑪拿西的兒子瑪吉，瑪吉就住在那裡。 41 瑪拿西的兒子睚珥，去攻取了亞摩利人的村莊，就把這些村莊叫作哈倭特．睚珥。 42 挪巴去攻取了基納和基納的小村鎮，就用自己的名字叫基納為挪巴。
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