Transjordan Settlements

32 The Reubenites and Gadites had a very large number of livestock. When they surveyed the lands of Jazer(A) and Gilead, they saw that the region was a good one for livestock. So the Gadites and Reubenites came to Moses, the priest Eleazar, and the leaders of the community and said, “The territory of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam,[a] Nebo, and Beon,(B) which the Lord struck down(C) before the community of Israel,(D) is good land for livestock, and your servants own livestock.” They said, “If we have found favor with you, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”

But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war while you stay here? Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land the Lord has given them? That’s what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.(E) After they went up as far as Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10 So the Lord’s anger burned that day, and he swore an oath:(F) 11 ‘Because they did not remain loyal to me,(G) none of the men twenty years old or more who came up from Egypt will see the land I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob(H) 12 none except Caleb(I) son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua(J) son of Nun, because they did remain loyal to the Lord.’ 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years until the whole generation that had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight was gone.(K) 14 And here you, a brood of sinners, stand in your ancestors’ place adding even more to the Lord’s burning anger against Israel. 15 If you turn back from following him,(L) he will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them.”

16 Then they approached him and said, “We want to build sheep pens here for our livestock and cities for our dependents. 17 But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place.(M) Meanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has taken possession of his inheritance.(N) 19 Yet we will not have an inheritance with them across the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance will be across the Jordan to the east.”(O)

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Footnotes

  1. 32:3 Sam, LXX read Sibmah (v. 38); Syr reads Sebah

The Transjordan Tribes

32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks,(A) saw that the lands of Jazer(B) and Gilead(C) were suitable for livestock.(D) So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,(E) and said, “Ataroth,(F) Dibon,(G) Jazer,(H) Nimrah,(I) Heshbon,(J) Elealeh,(K) Sebam,(L) Nebo(M) and Beon(N) the land the Lord subdued(O) before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock,(P) and your servants have livestock. If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.(Q)

Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them?(R) This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.(S) After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol(T) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord’s anger was aroused(U) that day and he swore this oath:(V) 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more(W) when they came up out of Egypt(X) will see the land I promised on oath(Y) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(Z) 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’(AA) 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel(AB) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.(AC)

14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.(AD) 15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.(AE)

16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens(AF) here for our livestock(AG) and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle[a] and go ahead of the Israelites(AH) until we have brought them to their place.(AI) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.(AJ) 19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance(AK) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”(AL)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 32:17 Septuagint; Hebrew will be quick to arm ourselves

33 So Moses gave them—the Gadites, Reubenites, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph—the kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites and the kingdom of King Og of Bashan, the land including its cities with the territories surrounding them.(A) 34 The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran(B) as fortified cities, and built sheep pens. 37 The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 as well as Nebo and Baal-meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

39 The descendants of Machir(C) son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the clan of Machir son of Manasseh, and they settled in it.(D) 41 Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured their villages, which he renamed Jair’s Villages.[a](E) 42 Nobah went and captured Kenath with its surrounding villages and called it Nobah after his own name.

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Footnotes

  1. 32:41 Or renamed Havvoth-jair

33 Then Moses gave to the Gadites,(A) the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh(B) son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites(C) and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan(D)—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.(E)

34 The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,(F) 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer,(G) Jogbehah,(H) 36 Beth Nimrah(I) and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks.(J) 37 And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,(K) Elealeh(L) and Kiriathaim,(M) 38 as well as Nebo(N) and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah.(O) They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

39 The descendants of Makir(P) son of Manasseh went to Gilead,(Q) captured it and drove out the Amorites(R) who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites,(S) the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. 41 Jair,(T) a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair.[a](U) 42 And Nobah captured Kenath(V) and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah(W) after himself.(X)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 32:41 Or them the settlements of Jair

King Sihon of the Amorites lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer(A) on the rim of the Arnon River, along the middle of the valley, and half of Gilead up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites(B)), the Arabah east of the Sea of Chinnereth[a] to the Sea of Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), eastward through Beth-jeshimoth(C) and southward[b] below the slopes of Pisgah.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:3 = Galilee
  2. 12:3 Or and from Teman

Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.(A)

He ruled from Aroer(B) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River,(C) which is the border of the Ammonites.(D) This included half of Gilead.(E) He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee[a](F) to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea(G)), to Beth Jeshimoth,(H) and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 12:3 Hebrew Kinnereth