1Und der Viehherden der Söhne Rubens und der Söhne Gads waren viel und sehr mächtige; und sie sahen das Land Jaser und das Land Gilead und siehe, der Ort war ein Ort für Viehherden. 2Und die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens kamen und sprachen zu Mose und zu Eleasar, dem Priester, und zu den Fürsten der Gemeinde und sagten: 3Ataroth und Dibon und Jaser und Nimrah und Cheschbon und Elealeh und Sebam und Nebo und Beon, 4Das Land, das Jehovah geschlagen hat vor der Gemeinde Israels, ist ein Land für Viehherden, und deine Knechte haben Viehherden; 5Und sie sprachen: Haben wir Gnade in deinen Augen gefunden, so gebe man dieses Land deinen Knechten zum Eigentum. Laß uns nicht über den Jordan setzen. 6Und Mose sprach zu den Söhnen Gads und zu den Söhnen Rubens: Sollen eure Brüder in den Streit eingehen und ihr wollet hier wohnen? 7Und warum wollet ihr dem Herzen der Söhne Israels wehren, daß sie nicht in das Land hinziehen, das Jehovah ihnen gegeben hat? 8So taten eure Väter, da ich sie sandte von Kadesch Barnea, das Land zu sehen. 9Und sie gingen hinauf bis zum Bachtale Eschkol und sahen das Land, und wehrten dem Herzen der Söhne Israels, daß sie nicht in das Land eingehen sollten, das ihnen Jehovah gegeben hatte. 10Und der Zorn Jehovahs entbrannte an jenem Tage, und Er schwur und sprach: 11Nimmermehr sollen die Männer, die von Ägypten heraufzogen, vom zwanzigsten Jahr und darüber, den Boden sehen, den Ich dem Abraham, dem Isaak und dem Jakob zugeschworen; denn sie folgen Mir nicht vollständig nach. 12Außer Kaleb, dem Sohne Jephunnehs, dem Kenissiter, und Nuns Sohn Jehoschua, die Mir vollständig gefolgt sind. 13Und der Zorn Jehovahs entbrannte wider Israel und Er ließ sie vierzig Jahre in der Wüste umherwandern, bis alle war das ganze Geschlecht, das getan, was böse war in Jehovahs Augen. 14Und siehe, ihr seid aufgestanden an eurer Väter Statt, eine Menge von Männern, von Sündern, zu mehren das Entbrennen des Zorns Jehovahs über Israel. 15Wendet ihr euch zurück von Ihm, so läßt Er sie noch länger in der Wüste bleiben, und ihr werdet all dies Volk verderben. 16Und sie traten heran zu ihm und sprachen: Hürden für das Kleinvieh wollen wir hier für unsre Viehherden bauen und Städte für unsre Kindlein. 17Wir aber wollen uns schleunig ausrüsten vor den Söhnen Israels her, bis daß wir sie an ihren Ort hineingebracht haben; unsre Kindlein aber sollen in den festen Städten wohnen vor den Einwohnern des Landes. 18Wir wollen nicht in unsre Häuser zurückkehren, bis die Söhne Israels jeder Mann sein Erbe geerbet hat. 19Denn wir wollen nicht mit ihnen erben jenseits des Jordans und weiterhin, da unser Erbe diesseits des Jordans gegen Aufgang an uns gekommen ist. 20Und Mose sprach zu ihnen: Wenn ihr nach diesem Worte tut, wenn ihr euch ausrüstet zum Streite vor Jehovah her, 21So daß jeder von euch ausgerüstet über den Jordan hinüberziehe vor Jehovah, bis daß Er Seine Feinde vor Ihm ausgetrieben hat, 22Und das Land vor dem Angesichte Jehovahs unterworfen ist; und danach dürft ihr zurückkehren und seid unschuldig vor Jehovah und vor Israel, und dieses Land sei euer Eigentum vor Jehovah. 23Wenn ihr aber nicht so tut, siehe, so versündiget ihr euch an Jehovah und sollt wissen, daß eure Sünde euch finden wird. 24Bauet euch Städte für eure Kindlein und Hürden für euer Kleinvieh; und was aus eurem Munde ausging, das tut. 25Und die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens sprachen zu Mose und sagten: Deine Knechte werden tun, wie mein Herr gebietet. 26Unsere Kindlein, unsre Weiber, unsere Viehherden und all unser Vieh soll hier in den Städten Gileads sein; 27Deine Knechte aber werden, jeglicher zum Heere ausgerüstet, vor Jehovah hinziehen zum Streite, wie mein Herr geredet hat. 28Und Mose gebot ihretwegen Eleasar, dem Priester, und Jehoschua, Nuns Sohn, und den Häuptern der Väter der Stämme der Söhne Israels, 29Und Mose sprach zu ihnen: Wenn die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens allesamt zum Streite ausgerüstet vor Jehovah mit euch über den Jordan hinüberziehen, und das Land vor euch unterworfen ist, so sollt ihr ihnen das Land Gilead zum Eigentume geben. 30Ziehen sie aber nicht ausgerüstet mit euch hinüber, so sollen sie in eurer Mitte im Lande Kanaan Besitz haben. 31Und die Söhne Gads und die Söhne Rubens antworteten und sprachen: Wie Jehovah zu deinen Knechten geredet hat, so wollen wir tun. 32Wir wollen ausgerüstet vor Jehovah ins Land Kanaan hinüberziehen und für uns das Eigentum unseres Erbes diesseits des Jordans haben. 33Und Mose gab ihnen, den Söhnen Gads und den Söhnen Rubens und dem halben Stamm Menascheh, des Sohnes Josephs, das Reich Sichons, des Amoriterkönigs, und das Reich Ogs, des Königs von Baschan, das Land nach seinen Städten in den Grenzen, die Städte des Landes ringsumher. 34Und die Söhne Gads bauten Dibon und Ataroth und Aroer. 35Und Atroth Schophan und Jaser und Jogbehah. 36Und Beth-Nimrah und Beth-Haran, feste Städte und Hürden des Kleinviehs. 37Und Rubens Söhne bauten Cheschbon und Elealeh und Kirjathaim. 38Und Nebo und Baal Meon, deren Namen verändert wurden, und Sibmah, und nannten mit Namen die Namen der Städte, die sie bauten. 39Und die Söhne Machirs, des Sohnes Menaschehs, gingen gen Gilead und eroberten es; und trieben aus die Amoriter, die darinnen waren. 40Und Mose gab Gilead dem Machir, dem Sohn Menaschehs, und er wohnte darin. 41Und Jair, Menaschehs Sohn, ging und eroberte ihre Dörfer und nannte sie Chavoth Jair. 42Und Nobach ging und eroberte Kenath und ihre Töchterstädte und nannte sie nach seinem Namen Nobach.
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.