15 For if you (A)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, (B)“We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17 but (C)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.

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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.(A)

16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens(B) here for our livestock(C) and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle[a] and go ahead of the Israelites(D) until we have brought them to their place.(E) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land.

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Footnotes

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