1Vielen Herdenstand hatten die Söhne Rubens und die Söhne Gads, sehr mächtigen. Sie sahn das Land Jaser und das Land Gilad: da war die Gegend eine Herdengegend. 2Die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens kamen und sprachen zu Mosche und zu Elasar dem Priester und zu den Fürsten der Gemeinschaft, sprachen: 3Atarot, Dibon, Jaser, Nimra, Cheschbon, Elale, Ssbam, Nbo, Bon - 4das Land, das ER vor die Gemeinschaft Jissraels hingeschlagen hat, ein Herdenland ists, und deine Knechte haben Herden. 5Sie sprachen: Haben wir Gunst in deinen Augen gefunden, werde dieses Land deinen Knechten zur Hufe gegeben, laß nimmer uns den Jordan überschreiten. 6Mosche sprach zu den Söhnen Gads und zu den Söhnen Rubens: Eure Brüder sollen in den Krieg gehn und ihr wollt hier sitzen? 7Warum fechtet ihr das Herz der Söhne Jissraels an wider das Hinüberschreiten in das Land, das ER euch gegeben hat? 8So taten eure Väter, als ich sie von Kadesch Barnea sandte das Land zu besehn: 9sie zogen hinauf bis zum Traubental und besahen das Land, dann fochten sie das Herz der Söhne Jissraels an, durchaus nicht in das Land kommen zu wollen, das ER ihnen gegeben hatte, 10SEIN Zorn entflammte an jenem Tag und er schwor, sprechend: 11Sehen je die Männer die aus Ägypten heraufzogen, vom Zwanzigjährigen aufwärts, den Boden, den ich Abraham, Jizchak und Jaakob zuschwor, ...! denn sie sind mir nicht völlig nachgefolgt. 12Außer Kaleb Sohn Jefunnes der Knisit und Jehoschua Sohn Nuns, die folgten IHM völlig nach. 13SEIN Zorn flammte auf Jissrael ein, schweifen ließ er sie in der Wüste vierzig Jahre, bis dahin war all das Geschlecht, das getan hatte, was in SEINEN Augen böse ist. 14Und da seid ihr aufgestanden am Platz eurer Väter, Zucht sündiger Männer, der Flamme SEINES Zorns gegen Jissrael noch hinzuzusetzen! 15Wenn ihr euch von seiner Nachfolge abkehrt, wird er noch zusetzen, es in der Wüste zu belassen, und ihr habt all diesem Volk Verderben gewirkt! 16Sie traten zu ihm heran, sie sprachen: Schafhürden wollen wir hier für unsern Herdenstand bauen und Städte für unser Kleinvolk. 17Wir aber wollen geschwind uns sturmgürten, den Söhnen Jissraels voran, bis daß wir sie haben in ihre Gegend kommen lassen. Und unser Kleinvolk mag in den Festungsstädten sitzen, den Insassen des Landes aus dem Gesicht. 18Wir wollen nicht in unsre Häuser kehren, bis die Söhne Jissraels sich eingeeignet haben, jede Mannschaft in ihr Eigentum, 19denn wir wollen nicht mit ihnen jenseit des Jordans und weiterhin eignen, wenn unser Eigentum diesseit des Jordans aufgangwärts uns zukam. 20Mosche sprach zu ihnen: Tut ihr diese Sache, sturmgürtet ihr euch vor SEINEM Antlitz zum Krieg, 21überschreitet von euch jeder sturmgegürtet den Jordan vor SEINEM Antlitz, bis er seine Feinde vor seinem Antlitz her enterbt hat, 22und ist das Land vor SEIN Antlitz unterworfen, und ihr kehrt danach um: dann seid ihr unsträflich vor IHM und vor Jissrael und dieses Land werde zur Hufe euch vor SEINEM Antlitz. 23Tut ihr aber nicht so, weh, gesündigt habt ihr IHM, kennt eure Versündigung, sie wird euch finden! 24Baut euch denn Städte für euer Kleinvolk, Hürden für eure Schafe, und was von euren Lippen fuhr, tut. 25Man sprach, die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens, zu Mosche, sprach: Deine Knechte werden tun, wie mein Herr gebietet, 26unser Kleinvolk, unsre Weiber, unser Herdenstand und all unser Vieh bleiben dort in den Städten des Gilad, 27und deine Knechte schreiten hinüber, alljeder Stürmer der Heerschar, vor SEINEM Antlitz in den Krieg, wie mein Herr redet. 28Mosche gebot ihrethalb Elasar dem Priester, Jehoschua Sohn Nuns und den Väterhäuptern der Stäbe der Söhne Jissraels, 29Mosche sprach zu ihnen: Überschreiten die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens den Jordan mit euch, jeder sturmgegürtet zum Krieg vor SEINEM Antlitz, und ist das Land vor euer Antlitz unterworfen, gebt ihnen das Land Gilad zu Hufe; 30schreiten sie aber nicht als Stürmer mit euch hinüber, müssen sie in eurer Mitte im Land Kanaan hufenehmen. 31Die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens stimmten ein, sprechend: Wie ER zu deinen Knechten geredet hat, so wollen wir tun, 32wir, Sturmgegürtete schreiten wir vor SEINEM Antlitz ins Land Kanaan, und mit uns ist das Hufenrecht unsres Eigens diesseit des Jordans. 33Mosche gab ihnen, den Söhnen Gads und den Söhnen Rubens, und dem halben Zweig Mnasches Sohns Jossefs das Königreich Ssichons Königs des Amoriters und das Königreich Ogs Königs des Baschan, das Land nach seinen Städten mit Gemarkungen, die Städte des Landes ringsum. 34Die Söhne Gads bauten Dibon, Atarot und Aroer, 35Atrot Schofan, Jaser und Jogbha, 36Bet Nimra und Bet Haran zu befestigten Städten und Schafhürden aus. 37Die Söhne Rubens bauten Cheschbon, Elale und Kirjatajim, 38Nbo und Baal Mon, gewendeten Namens, und Ssibma. Sie riefen als Namen die Namen der Städte, die sie ausbauten. 39Die Söhne Machirs Sohns Mnasches gingen nach Gilad und eroberten es, er enterbte den Amoriter, der darin war. 40Mosche gab das Gilad Machir Sohne Mnasches, und er siedelte dort. 41Jaür Sohn Mnasches ging und eroberte ihre Zeltdörfer und rief sie Zeltdörfer Jaürs. 42Nobach ging und eroberte Knat und ihre Tochterstädte und rief sie: Nobach, mit seinem Namen.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE REUBENITES AND GADITES ASK FOR AN INHERITANCE. (Num. 32:1-42)
the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead--A complete conquest had been made of the country east of the Jordan, comprising "the land of Jazer," which formed the southern district between the Arnon and Jabbok and "the land of Gilead," the middle region between the Jabbok and Jarmouk, or Hieromax, including Bashan, which lay on the north of that river. The whole of this region is now called the Belka. It has always been famous for its rich and extensive pastures, and it is still the favorite resort of the Bedouin shepherds, who frequently contend for securing to their immense flocks the benefit of its luxuriant vegetation. In the camp of ancient Israel, Reuben and Gad were pre-eminently pastoral; and as these two tribes, being placed under the same standard, had frequent opportunities of conversing and arranging about their common concerns, they united in preferring a request that the trans-jordanic region, so well suited to the habits of a pastoral people, might be assigned to them.
6 Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here--Their language was ambiguous; and Moses, suspicious that this proposal was an act of unbelief, a scheme of self-policy and indolence to escape the perils of warfare and live in ease and safety, addressed to them a reproachful and passionate remonstrance. Whether they had really meditated such a withdrawal from all share in the war of invasion, or the effect of their leader's expostulation was to drive them from their original purpose, they now, in answer to his impressive appeal, declared it to be their sincere intention to co-operate with their brethren; but, if so, they ought to have been more explicit at first.
16 they came near--The narrative gives a picturesque description of this scene. The suppliants had shrunk back, dreading from the undisguised emotions of their leader that their request would be refused. But, perceiving, from the tenor of his discourse, that his objection was grounded only on the supposition that they would not cross the Jordan to assist their brethren, they became emboldened to approach him with assurances of their goodwill.
We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones--that is, rebuild, repair. It would have been impossible within two months to found new cities, or even to reconstruct those which had been razed to the ground. Those cities of the Amorites were not absolutely demolished, and they probably consisted only of mud-built, or dry-stone walls.
17 and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land--There was good policy in leaving a sufficient force to protect the conquered region lest the enemy should attempt reprisals; and as only forty thousand of the Reubenites and the Gadites, and a half of Manasseh, passed over the Jordan (
Josh 4:13), there were left for the security of the new possessions 70,580 men, besides women and children under twenty years (compare
Num 26:7,
Num 26:18,
Num 26:34).
We ourselves will go ready armed--that is, all of us in a collective body, or as many as may be deemed necessary, while the rest of our number shall remain at home to provide for the sustenance and secure the protection of our families and flocks. (See on
Josh 4:12).
20 Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--with sincerity and zeal.
go before the Lord to war--The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Num. 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (
Josh 3:4), of course including those of Reuben and Gad, so that, literally, they passed over before the Lord and before the rest of Israel (
Josh 4:13). Perhaps, however, the phrase is used merely in a general sense to denote their marching on an expedition, the purpose of which was blessed with the presence, and destined to promote the glory, of God. The displeasure which Moses had felt on the first mention of their proposal had disappeared on the strength of their solemn assurances. But a lurking suspicion of their motives seems still to have been lingering in his mind--he continued to speak to them in an admonitory strain; and he concluded by warning them that in case of their failing to redeem their pledge, the judgments of an offended God would assuredly fall upon them. This emphatic caution against such an eventuality throws a strong doubt on the honesty of their first intentions; and yet, whether through the opposing attitude or the strong invectives of Moses they had been brought to a better state of mind, their final reply showed that now all was right.
28 concerning them Moses commanded--The arrangement itself, as well as the express terms on which he assented to it, was announced by the leader to the public authorities. The pastoral country the two tribes had desired was to be granted them on condition that they would lend their aid to their brethren in the approaching invasion of Canaan. If they refused or failed to perform their promise, those possessions should be forfeited, and they themselves compelled to go across the Jordan and fight for a settlement like the rest of their brethren.
33 half the tribe of Manasseh--It is nowhere explained in the record how they were incorporated with the two tribes, or what broke this great tribe into two parts, of which one was left to follow the fortunes of its brethren in the settled life of the western hills, while the other was allowed to wander as a nomadic tribe over the pasture lands of Gilead and Bashan. They are not mentioned as accompanying Reuben and Gad in their application to Moses [
Num 32:1]; neither were they included in his first directions (
Num 32:25); but as they also were a people addicted to pastoral pursuits and possessed as immense flocks as the other two, Moses invited the half of them to remain, in consequence, probably, of finding that this region was more than sufficient for the pastoral wants of the others, and he may have given them the preference, as some have conjectured, for their valorous conduct in the contests with the Amorites (compare
Num 32:39, with
Josh 17:1).
34 And the children of Gad built--(See on
Num 32:16).
Dibon--identified with Dheban, now in ruins, an hour's distance from the Arnon (Mojeb).
Ataroth (Hebrew, "crowns")--There are several towns so called in Scripture, but this one in the tribe of Gad has not been identified.
Aroer--now Arair, standing on a precipice on the north bank of the Arnon.
35 Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, &c.--Jaazer, near a famed fountain, Ain Hazier, the waters of which flow into Wady Schaib, about fifteen miles from Hesbon. Beth-nimrah, now Nimrin; Heshbon, now Hesban; Elealeh (Hebrew, "the high"), now Elaal; Kirjathaim (Hebrew, "the double city"); Nebo, now Neba, near the mountain of that name; Baal-meon, now Myoun, in ruins, where was a temple of Baal (
Josh 13:17;
Jer 48:23); Shibmah, or Shebam (
Num 32:3), near Heshbon, famous for vines (
Isa 16:9-
Isa 16:10;
Jer 48:32).
38 (their names being changed)--either because it was the general custom of conquerors to do so; or, rather, because from the prohibition to mention the names of other gods (
Exod 23:13), as Nebo and Baal were, it was expedient on the first settlement of the Israelites to obliterate all remembrance of those idols. (See
Josh 13:17-
Josh 13:20).
39 Gilead--now Jelud.
41 Havoth-jair--that is, "tent-villages." Jair, who captured them, was a descendant of Manasseh on his mother's side (
1Chr 1:21-22).
42 Nobah--also a distinguished person connected with the eastern branch of the tribe of Manasseh.
