Numbers Chapter 32

This chapter is about the Transjordan tribes. It’s not what you think. It’s not so-and-so begat so-and-so. So, yay! This chapter features the Reubenites & the Gadites. These 2 tribes want some land for their livestock that belongs to 2 other tribes. Moses ends up negotiating with everyone to come to an agreement. Fortified cities are raised, arms are bared for God, and Amorites are displaced. It’s definitely interesting. Enjoy.

So the Reubenites & the Gadites, who had VERY large herds & flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer & Gilead were great for livestock. So they went to Moses, Eleazer, & elders and said, “So, look. Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, & Beon, all these are lands that the Big G subdued before us, they’re REALLY REALLY great for our livestock. And we happen to have livestock. If we’ve found favor with you, let us have these lands we mentioned. To own. Please don’t MAKE us cross the River Jordan.”

Moses comes back with: “Friends. Y’all just gonna let everybody else go to war while you just sit here? Why are you such a Debbie Downer that you stop the Israelites from going into the Promised Land? This is what your daddys did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. When they actually saw the land, they tried to discourage everyone from going! ‘Oh, there’s giants in the land.’ So the Big G told them that they couldn’t go into the Promised Land because they made him big mad. Only Joshua & Caleb could enter because they followed God wholeheartedly. So God made them wander in the desert for 40 years until that generation died.”

“And here y’all are being “a brood of sinners” standing in the same place as your fathers. Making God mad, again. Trust me, I know. If you keep on keepin’ on, God’s fittin’ to leave you in the desert. You will be the cause of their destruction.”

The 2 tribes were like: “Yo, all we want to do is build pens for our livestock & cities for our families. But we’re ready to arm ourselves & even go ahead of the Israelites until we’ve brought them to the Promised Land. Meanwhile, we’d like our families to live in fortified cities. You know, for protection, since we’re gonna be fighting in the front lines. We won’t return to our families until every Israelite gets their inheritance. We won’t even receive our inheritance on the other side of the River Jordan. Because our inheritance has come to us on the east side of the River Jordan.”

Moses says: “Look if you do what you’re saying, then you may return. And you’ll be free of your obligations to God & to Israel. The land will be yours before God. But if you fail, y’all will be sinning against God. And remember, your sins will find you out. Go build cities for your families & pens for your livestock. But do what you said.”

The Gadites & Reubenites said to Moses, “We got you, fam. Our families, flocks, & herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead. But as for us, the menfolk will cross over Jordan to fight.”

Moses gave orders about them (the Gadites & Reubenites) to Eleazar, Joshua, & the elders. If the Gadites & Reubenites do what they said, then they get the land they wanted. But if they don’t do what they say, they have to accept their inheritance in Canaan with the rest of the Israelites.

The Gadites & Reubenites were like, “We’re gonna do what we said. But the property we inherit will be on THIS side of the Jordan. Okay, guys?”

Moses then gives the Gadites, Reubenites, & the half-tribe of Manasseh the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites & the kingdom of Og king of Bashan. The whole land with its cities & territory around them.

The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, Beth Nimrah, & Beth Haran as fortified cities & built pens for their flocks. The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, & Kiriathaim, as well as Nebo & Baal Meon (these names were changed) & Sibmah. They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

The descendants of Makir (the son of Manasseh) went to Gilead, captured it, & drove out the Amorites who were there. So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites (the descendants of Manasseh) & settled there.

Jair (a descendant of Manasseh) captured their settlements & called them Havvoth Jair (or the settlements of Jair).

Nobah captured Kenath & its surrounding settlements & called it Nobah. Of course, after himself.