Bible Commentaries

Now the children of ^a Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of ^b Gilead, that, behold, the place [was] a place for cattle;

(a) Reuben came from Leah, and Gad from Zilpah her handmaid.

(b) Which was named for the heap of stones that Jacob made as a sign of the covenant between him and Laban in (Genesis 31:47).

And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done ^c evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

(c) Because they complained and would not believe their report, which told the truth concerning the land.

For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ^d ye shall destroy all this people.

(d) By your occasion.

But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their ^e place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

(e) In the land of Canaan.

And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go ^f armed before the LORD to war,

(f) Before the Ark of the Lord.

And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his ^g enemies from before him,

(g) That is, the inhabitants of the land.

And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession ^h before the LORD.

(h) The Lord will grant you this land which you request, (Joshua 1:15).

But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin ⁱ will find you out.

(i) You shall assuredly be punished for your sin.

So concerning them Moses ^k commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

(k) Moses gave charge that his promise made to the Reubenites, and other, would be performed after his death so that they would not break theirs.

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the ^l LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

(l) This is attributed to the Lord, which his messenger speaks.

And Moses gave unto them, [even] to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the ^m Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, [even] the cities of the country round about.

(m) The Amorites dwelled on both sides of Jordan: but here he makes mention of them that dwelt on this side: (Joshua 10:12) he speaks of them that inhabited beyond Jordan.

And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them ⁿ Havothjair.

(n) That is the villages of Jair.