Numbers 32
Revised Geneva Translation
32 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had an exceedingly great multitude of cattle. And they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that it was an apt place for cattle.
2 Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the Priest and to 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 “country which the LORD struck before the Congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle. And your servants have cattle.”
5 “Therefore,” they said, “if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession, and do not bring us over Jordan.”
6 And Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war and you stay here?
7 “Therefore, now, you discourage the heart of the children of Israel to go over into the land which the LORD has given them?
8 “Your fathers did the same when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.
9 “For when they went up all the way to the river of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they would not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
10 “And the LORD’s wrath was kindled the same day, and He swore, saying,
11 ‘None of the men who came out of Egypt from twenty years old and above shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me,
12 ‘except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua, the son of Nun. For they have constantly followed the LORD.’
13 “And the LORD was very angry with Israel, and made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.
14 “And behold, you have risen up in your father’s place, offspring of sinful men, to increase the fierce wrath of the LORD toward Israel.
15 “For if you turn away from following Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness. And you shall destroy all this folk.”
16 And they went near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our sheep, for our cattle, and cities for our children.
17 “But we ourselves will be ready, armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. But our children shall dwell in the defensed cities, because of the inhabitants of the land.
18 “We will not return to our houses until the children of Israel have inherited, every man his inheritance.
19 “Nor will we inherit with them beyond Jordan and on that side, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side, Jordan, eastward.”
20 And Moses said to them, “If you will do this thing, and go armed before the LORD to war,
21 “and will go — every one of you in harness, over Jordan, before the LORD, until He has cast out His enemies from His sight
22 “and until the land is subdued before the LORD — then you shall return and be innocent toward the LORD, and toward Israel. And this land shall be your possession before the LORD.
23 “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD. And be sure that your sin will find you out.
24 “Build cities for your children, and folds for your sheep, and do that which you have spoken.”
25 Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as my lord commands.
26 “Our children, our wives, our sheep, and all our cattle shall remain there in the cities of Gilead.
27 “But every one of your servants will go to war, armed before the LORD to fight, as my lord says.”
28 So Moses commanded them concerning 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 to them, “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will go with you over Jordan — all armed to fight before the LORD — then, when the land is subdued before you, you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession.
30 “But if they will not go over with you armed, then they shall have their possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”
31 And the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben answered, saying, “As the LORD has said to your servants, so will we do.
32 “We will go armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, so that the possession of our inheritance may be to us on this side of Jordan.”
33 So Moses gave to them — to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben and to 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 its cities and coasts, even the cities of the country all around.
34 Then the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
35 and Atroth, Shophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah,
36 and Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran (defensed cities), also sheepfolds.
37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
38 and Nebo, and Baal Meon, and turned their names, and Shibmah, and gave other names to the cities which they built.
39 And the children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, went to Gilead and took it, and put out the Amorites who dwelt therein.
40 Then Moses gave Gilead to Machir, the son of Manasseh. And he dwelt therein.
41 And Jair, the son of Manasseh, went and took the small towns thereof and called them Havoth Jair.
42 Also Nobah went and took Kenath, with its villages, and called it Nobah (after his own name).
Numbers 32
King James Version
32 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.
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?
8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.
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 our's.
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.
34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,
36 And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.
37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
38 And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.
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.
41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.
42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Numbers 32
Common English Bible
Reuben and Gad request land
32 The livestock owned by the Reubenites and the Gadites were unusually vast and numerous. They saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead were exactly the place for livestock. 2 So the Gadites and the Reubenites came and said to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs of the community: 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon is 4 the land that the Lord struck down before the Israelite community. It is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 They said, “If you approve our request, give this land to your servants as property. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war, while you stay here? 7 Why would you destroy the Israelites’ resolve to cross into the land that the Lord gave them? 8 Your ancestors did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land. 9 They went up to the Cluster ravine, saw the land, and destroyed the Israelites’ resolve to enter the land that the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord became angry on that day and promised, 11 ‘None of the persons that went up from Egypt, those 20 years old and above, will see the fertile ground that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they didn’t remain true to me, 12 except Caleb, Jephunneh the Kenizzite’s son, and Joshua, Nun’s son, because they remained true to the Lord.’ 13 The Lord became angry with the Israelites and made them wander in the desert for forty years until the entire generation had died, which had done evil in the Lord’s eyes. 14 Now you’ve taken the place of your ancestors, a group of sinful men, to intensify the Lord’s anger against Israel. 15 If you turn away from him, he will turn away again to abandon Israel in the desert. Then you will destroy this entire people.”
Conditions for possession of the land
16 So they approached him and said, “We will build walled enclosures here for our livestock and towns for our children. 17 Then we will eagerly fight in front of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Our children will live in the fortified cities because of the land’s inhabitants. 18 And we won’t return to our homes until each one of the Israelites takes possession of his property. 19 We won’t inherit land with them there across the Jordan, because we’ve received our property on the east side of the Jordan.”
20 Moses said to them, “Do this and fight before the Lord in war. 21 All of you who are equipped for war, cross the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him 22 and the land is subdued in the Lord’s presence. Then you may return innocently before the Lord and Israel, and this land will be your property before the Lord. 23 But if you don’t do this, you’ve sinned against the Lord. Know that your sin will find you. 24 So build towns for your children and walled enclosures for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”
25 The Gadites and the Reubenites said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my master has commanded. 26 Our children, wives, livestock, and all of our animals will remain in the cities of Gilead. 27 But your servants, everyone equipped for war before the Lord, will go over to do battle as my master said.”
28 Moses made demands for them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua, Nun’s son, and to the leaders of the households of the Israelite tribes. 29 Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and the Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, each equipped for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you will give them the land of Gilead as a possession. 30 If, however, they don’t cross with you, equipped for war, they will take possession of property with you in the land of Canaan.”
31 The Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “We’ll do just as the Lord has spoken to your servants. 32 We’ll cross into the land of Canaan before the Lord, equipped for war. But the property we inherit will be across the Jordan.”
Territory of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh
33 So Moses gave to them—to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s son—the kingdom of Sihon the king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og the king of Bashan, including the land, its cities, and the territory surrounding the land’s cities. 34 The Gadites built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fortified cities and walled enclosures for flocks. 37 The Reubenites built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, and Baal-meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. They named the cities that they built. 39 The descendants of Machir, Manasseh’s son, went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, Manasseh’s son, and he lived there. 41 Manasseh’s son Jair went and captured their villages and named them Havvoth-jair.[a] 42 Nobah went and captured Kenath and its surrounding villages. He renamed it Nobah after himself.
Footnotes
- Numbers 32:41 Or the villages of Jair
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