Numbers, Chapter 32:

Number Verses, Chapter 32 of the Bible's book of Numbers.

Reuben and Gad fall short of the Jordan

• 1. The children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a large number of livestock. When they saw the lands of Jazar and Gilead, they thought they were suitable places for their livestock.
• 2. Then they went to Moses, Eleazar the priest and the leaders of the community, and said:
• 3. “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazar, Nimrah, Heshbon, Eleale, Sheban, Nebo and Beon,
• 4. lands that the Lord defeated before the community of Israel are lands suitable for livestock, and we, his servants, have plenty of livestock.
• 5. If you think it is good, allow us to stay in these lands, as a possession. Don’t take us over the Jordan.”
• 6. Moses answered the children of Gad and the children of Reuben, “Will your brothers go to war while you stay here?
• 7. Why do you want to discourage the hearts of the Israelites from crossing the Jordan and entering the land that the Lord gave them?
• 8. This is what their fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to explore the land.
• 9. They went to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, but they discouraged the hearts of the Israelites from entering the land that the Lord had given them.
• 10. On that day the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he swore:
• 11. 'None of the men of this wicked generation will see the land that I swore to their ancestors. None of them will see this land!
• 12. The exception will be Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua, the son of Nun, because they faithfully followed the Lord.'
• 13. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until the whole generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord had died.
• 14. Here you are, brood of sinners, taking the place of your fathers, an even greater addition to the wrath of the Lord against Israel.
• 15. If you turn away from him, he will abandon you in the wilderness, and you will be responsible for the destruction of all these people!”
• 16. Then they came to Moses and said, “We will build pens here for our livestock and cities for our families,
• 17. But we ourselves will arm ourselves and go ahead of the Israelites until we have taken them to their place. Meanwhile, our families will remain in the fortified cities, protected from the incursions of the people of the land.
• 18. We will not return home until each of the Israelites has received his inheritance.
• 19. But we will not receive an inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, for our inheritance was given to us on the east bank of the Jordan.”
• 20. Then Moses said to them, “If you do this, arm yourselves before the Lord for war
• 21. and you all cross the Jordan in the presence of the Lord, until he has driven out his enemies before him,
• 22. and the land has been subdued before the Lord, then you will be able to return and you will be free from the obligation to the Lord and to Israel, and this land will be yours before the Lord.
• 23. But if they do not do this, they will be sinning against the Lord; be sure that your sin will catch up with you.
• 24. Build cities for your families and pens for your livestock, but do what you promised.”
• 25. The children of Gad and the children of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as the Lord has commanded.
• 26. Our children, our wives, our livestock and all our possessions will remain here in the cities of Gilead.
• 27. But your servants, every man fit for war, will cross over to fight before the Lord, as you have said.”
• 28. Then Moses gave orders concerning them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the chiefs of the Israelite tribes.
• 29. He said to them, “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben, all the men fit for war, cross the Jordan with you before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then they will give you the land of Gilead as a possession.
• 30. But if they do not cross over with you armed, you will give them possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”
• 31. Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, “We will do as the Lord has commanded your servants.
• 32. We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but our possessions will remain here, in the cities of Gilead.”

Half-tribe of Manasseh lies east of the Jordan

• 33. Moses gave to the children of Gad, to the children of Reuben, and to the half tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, all the land and its cities and the territory around them.
• 34. The sons of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
• 35. Atrok-Zofhan, Jazar, Jogbeah,
• 36. Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran were fortified cities, and they built cattle pens.
• 37. The sons of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
• 38. Nebo, Baal-Meom – names that have been changed – and Shibma. They put new names on the cities they rebuilt.
• 39. The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, conquered it, and expelled the Amorites who were there.
• 40. Then Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he lived there.
• 41. Jeir, the son of Manasseh, went and conquered their towns, and called them the towns of Havoth-Jair.
• 42. Noba went and conquered Kenath with its towns and called them Noba, after his own name.

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