Numbers 32
Complete Jewish Bible
32 (RY: iii; LY: vi) The descendants of Re’uven and the descendants of Gad had vast quantities of livestock. When they saw that the land of Ya‘zer and the land of Gil‘ad were good for livestock, 2 the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven came and spoke to Moshe, El‘azar the cohen and the community leaders. They said, 3 “‘Atarot, Divon, Ya‘zer, Nimrah, Heshbon, El‘aleh, S’vam, N’vo and Be‘on, 4 the country that Adonai conquered before the community of Isra’el, is livestock country; and your servants have livestock. 5 If you regard us favorably,” they went on, “let this land be given to your servants as their possession; and don’t have us cross the Yarden.”
6 Moshe answered the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven: “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here? 7 Besides, why are you trying to discourage the people of Isra’el from crossing into the land Adonai gave them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Eshkol Valley and saw the land, they disheartened the people of Isra’el, so that they wouldn’t enter the land Adonai had given them. 10 Adonai’s anger blazed up on that day; and he swore, 11 ‘None of the people aged twenty or more who came out of Egypt will see the land I swore to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov; because they haven’t followed me unreservedly — 12 except Kalev the son of Y’funeh the K’nizi and Y’hoshua the son of Nun, because they have followed Adonai unreservedly.’ 13 Thus Adonai’s anger blazed against Isra’el, so that he made them wander here and there in the desert forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of Adonai had died out. 14 Now you, another brood of sinners, have arisen in your fathers’ place to increase still more the fierce anger of Adonai toward Isra’el! 15 For if you turn away from him, he will leave them in the desert again, and thus you will cause the destruction of all these people!”
16 But they came up to him and said, “Here we will build enclosures for our livestock and cities for our little ones, 17 but we ourselves will be armed and ready for action to march at the head of the people of Isra’el, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones will stay in the fortified cities here because of the people now living in the land. 18 However, we will not return to our own homes until every man in Isra’el has taken possession of his land for inheritance. 19 We will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Yarden, westward; because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Yarden, eastward.”
(RY: iv, LY: vii) 20 Moshe said to them, “If you will do this — if you will arm yourselves to go before Adonai to the war, 21 and if every one of your soldiers will cross the Yarden before Adonai, until he has driven out his enemies ahead of him, 22 and if the land has been conquered before Adonai, and only after that do you return — then you will be clear before Adonai and before Isra’el, and this land here will be yours to possess before Adonai. 23 But if you will not do this, then you have sinned against Adonai, and you must understand that your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your little ones and enclosures for your sheep; then do what you said you would do.”
25 The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Re’uven said to Moshe, “Your servants will do as my lord orders. 26 Our little ones, wives, flocks and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gil‘ad; 27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before Adonai to do battle, as my lord says.”
28 So Moshe gave orders concerning them to El‘azar the cohen, Y’hoshua the son of Nun and the clan leaders of the tribes of the people of Isra’el. 29 Moshe said to them, “If the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven cross over the Yarden with you, every man armed for battle, before Adonai; and if the land is conquered before you, then you are to give them the land of Gil‘ad as theirs to possess. 30 But if they do not cross with you armed, they are to possess land along with you in Kena‘an.”
31 The descendants of Gad and of Re’uven answered, “We will do as Adonai has said to your servants. 32 We will cross over into the land of Kena‘an armed before Adonai, and the land we will possess for inheritance will be on this side of the Yarden.”
33 So Moshe gave the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven, and also to the half-tribe of M’nasheh the son of Yosef, the kingdom of Sichon king of the Emori and the kingdom of ‘Og king of Bashan — the country and its cities within its borders, along with their surrounding towns.
34 The descendants of Gad built Divon, ‘Atarot, ‘Aro‘er, 35 ‘Atrot-Shofan, Ya‘zer, Yogbehah, 36 Beit-Nimrah and Beit-Haran — fortified cities; and also enclosures for sheep.
37 The descendants of Re’uven built Heshbon, El‘aleh, Kiryatayim, 38 N’vo, Ba‘al-M‘on (these names have been changed) and Sivmah; they renamed the cities they built.
(LY: Maftir) 39 The descendants of Machir the son of M’nasheh went to Gil‘ad and conquered it, dispossessing the Emori who were there. 40 Moshe gave Gil‘ad to Machir the son of M’nasheh, and he lived in it. 41 Ya’ir the son of M’nasheh went and captured its villages and called them Havot-Ya’ir [villages of Ya’ir]. 42 Novach went and captured K’nat with its villages and named it Novach after himself.
Haftarah Mattot: Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 1:1–2:3
B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Mattot: Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:33–37
Numbers 32
New King James Version
The Tribes Settling East of the Jordan(A)
32 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of (B)Jazer and the land of (C)Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock, 2 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, (D)Nimrah, (E)Heshbon, Elealeh, (F)Shebam, Nebo, and (G)Beon, 4 the country (H)which the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 Therefore they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.”
6 And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: “Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here? 7 Now why will you (I)discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them? 8 Thus your fathers did (J)when I sent them away from Kadesh Barnea (K)to see the land. 9 For (L)when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them. 10 (M)So the Lord’s anger was aroused on that day, and He swore an oath, saying, 11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, (N)from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because (O)they have not wholly followed Me, 12 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, (P)for they have wholly followed the Lord.’ 13 So the Lord’s anger was aroused against Israel, and He made them (Q)wander in the wilderness forty years, until (R)all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone. 14 And look! You have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the (S)fierce anger of the Lord against Israel. 15 For if you (T)turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”
16 Then they came near to him and said: “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17 but (U)we ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones will dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 (V)We will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has [a]received his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, (W)because our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”
20 Then (X)Moses said to them: “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war, 21 and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, 22 and (Y)the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward (Z)you may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel; and (AA)this land shall be your possession before the Lord. 23 But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure (AB)your sin will find you out. 24 (AC)Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do [b]what has proceeded out of your mouth.”
25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying: “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 (AD)Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead; 27 (AE)but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”
28 So Moses gave command (AF)concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to 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 cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. 30 But if they do not cross over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”
31 Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying: “As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do. 32 We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us on this side of the Jordan.”
33 So (AG)Moses gave to the children of Gad, to the children of Reuben, and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, (AH)the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders, the cities of the surrounding country. 34 And the children of Gad built (AI)Dibon and Ataroth and (AJ)Aroer, 35 Atroth and Shophan and (AK)Jazer and Jogbehah, 36 (AL)Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, (AM)fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37 And the children of Reuben built (AN)Heshbon and Elealeh and Kirjathaim, 38 (AO)Nebo and (AP)Baal Meon (AQ)(their names being changed) and Shibmah; and they gave other names to the cities which they built.
39 And the children of (AR)Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and [c]dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses (AS)gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt in it. 41 Also (AT)Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its small towns, and called them (AU)Havoth Jair.[d] 42 Then Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah, after his own name.
Footnotes
- Numbers 32:18 possessed
- Numbers 32:24 what you said you would do
- Numbers 32:39 drove out
- Numbers 32:41 Lit. Towns of Jair
Numbers 32
English Standard Version
Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead
32 Now the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very great number of livestock. And they saw the land of (A)Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock. 2 So the people of Gad and the people of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the chiefs of the congregation, 3 (B)“Ataroth, (C)Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, (D)Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land (E)that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.”
6 But Moses said to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the Lord has given them? 8 Your fathers did this, (F)when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the Lord had given them. 10 (G)And the Lord's anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, 11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, (H)from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give (I)to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, 12 none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the (J)Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for (K)they have wholly followed the Lord.’ 13 And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them (L)wander in the wilderness forty years, until (M)all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone. 14 And behold, you have risen in your fathers' place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel! 15 For if you (N)turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.”
16 Then they came near to him and said, (O)“We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17 but (P)we will take up arms, ready to go before the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 (Q)We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, (R)because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.” 20 So (S)Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war, 21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord, until he has (T)driven out his enemies from before him 22 and the land is subdued before the Lord; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the Lord and to Israel, and (U)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 (V)be sure your sin will find you out. 24 (W)Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what you have promised.” 25 And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 (X)Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall remain there in the cities of Gilead, 27 (Y)but your servants will pass over, every man who is (Z)armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord orders.”
28 So (AA)Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest and to (AB)Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel. 29 And Moses said to them, “If the people of Gad and the people of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle before the Lord, will pass with you over the Jordan and the land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession. 30 However, if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” 31 And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben answered, “What the Lord has said to your servants, we will do. 32 We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.”
33 And (AC)Moses gave to them, to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben and to the half-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 and its cities with their territories, the cities of the land throughout the country. 34 And the people of Gad built (AD)Dibon, (AE)Ataroth, (AF)Aroer, 35 Atroth-shophan, (AG)Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 (AH)Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, (AI)fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37 And the people of Reuben built (AJ)Heshbon, (AK)Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 (AL)Nebo, and (AM)Baal-meon ((AN)their names were changed), and (AO)Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities that they built. 39 And the sons of (AP)Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and captured it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 And Moses (AQ)gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it. 41 And (AR)Jair the son of Manasseh went and captured their villages, and called them Havvoth-jair.[a] 42 And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Footnotes
- Numbers 32:41 Havvoth-jair means the villages of Jair
Numbers 32
Revised Standard Version
Conquest and Division of Transjordan
32 Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for cattle. 2 So the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Elea′zar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation, 3 “At′aroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elea′leh, Sebam, Nebo, and Be′on, 4 the land which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle; and your servants have cattle.” 5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; do not take us across the Jordan.”
6 But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, “Shall your brethren go to the war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them? 8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Ka′desh-bar′nea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land which the Lord had given them. 10 And the Lord’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, 11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me; 12 none except Caleb the son of Jephun′neh the Ken′izzite 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, you have risen in your fathers’ stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel! 15 For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people.”
16 Then they came near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones, 17 but we will take up arms, ready to go before the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until the people of Israel have inherited each his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond; because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.” 20 So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war, 21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord, until he has driven out his enemies from before him 22 and the land is subdued before the Lord; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the Lord and to 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 your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do what you have promised.” 25 And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall remain there in the cities of Gilead; 27 but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord orders.”
28 So Moses gave command concerning them to Elea′zar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel. 29 And Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle before the Lord, will pass with you over the Jordan and the land shall be subdued before you, then you 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 sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, “As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do. 32 We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.”
33 And Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manas′seh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land and its cities with their territories, the cities of the land throughout the country. 34 And the sons of Gad built Dibon, At′aroth, Aro′er, 35 At′roth-sho′phan, Jazer, Jog′behah, 36 Beth-nim′rah and Beth-har′an, fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37 And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon, Elea′leh, Kiriatha′im, 38 Nebo, and Ba′al-me′on (their names to be changed), and Sibmah; and they gave other names to the cities which they built. 39 And the sons of Machir the son of Manas′seh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manas′seh, and he settled in it. 41 And Ja′ir the son of Manas′seh went and took their villages, and called them Hav′voth-ja′ir.[a] 42 And Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Footnotes
- Numbers 32:41 That is the villages of Jair
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.