Numbers 32

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 32 of 36

1 And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had many livestock, a very great multitude. And they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead. And, behold, the place was a place for livestock.

2 And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came in and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the rulers of the congregation, saying,

3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

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Chapter Summary

The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh request to settle on the east side of the Jordan where the land is good for livestock. Moses initially rebukes them but accepts their proposal when they agree to fight alongside the other tribes until the conquest is complete.

Key Hebrew Words

הִתְנַחֵל֙ get as a possession H5157 · TWOT 1342
נַחֲלָתֽ possession H5159 · TWOT 1342a
עָרִים֙ excitement H5892 · TWOT 1587a
חֵן֙ favour H2580 · TWOT 694a
מְצַוֶּֽה lay charge H6680 · TWOT 1887

People & Context

Reuben and Gad Request Trans-Jordan Land

Seeing that the lands of Jazer and Gilead are perfect for their vast herds of livestock, the tribes of Reuben and Gad ask Moses to let them settle the…

Condition Set for Trans-Jordan Settlement

Moses agrees to their request on one strict condition: the armed men of Reuben and Gad must cross the Jordan and fight before Jehovah until Canaan is …

Half-Tribe of Manasseh Included

Moses formally grants the conquered kingdoms of Sihon and Og to Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Several families of Manasseh, including t…

Timeline

Reuben and Gad Request Trans-Jordan Land

Seeing that the lands of Jazer and Gilead are perfect for their vast herds of livestock, the tribes of Reuben and Gad ask Moses to let them settle there instead of crossing the Jordan. Moses initially rebukes them, fearing their request will discourage the rest of Israel from entering Canaan.

Numbers 32:1-19
Condition Set for Trans-Jordan Settlement

Moses agrees to their request on one strict condition: the armed men of Reuben and Gad must cross the Jordan and fight before Jehovah until Canaan is subdued. If they fulfill this military obligation, they may return guiltless and possess Gilead.

Numbers 32:20-32
Half-Tribe of Manasseh Included

Moses formally grants the conquered kingdoms of Sihon and Og to Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Several families of Manasseh, including those of Machir, Jair, and Nobah, capture surrounding territories in Gilead and settle there.

Numbers 32:33-42

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Word-for-word literal translation with Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and audio.

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