וּמִקְנֶה רַב הָיָה לִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וְלִבְנֵי־גָד עָצוּם מְאֹד וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת־אֶרֶץ יַעְזֵר וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ גִּלְעָד וְהִנֵּה 32:1
הַמָּקֹום מְקֹום מִקְנֶה
Numb. 32:1 Now a great herd was the children of Reuben’s and the children of Gad’s, very numerous. When they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead and behold, the place was cattle region,
וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי־גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶל־נְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה לֵאמֹר 32:2
Numb. 32:2 then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar and to the chiefs of the congregation saying,
עֲטָרֹות וְדִיבֹן וְיַעְזֵר וְנִמְרָה וְחֶשְׁבֹּון וְאֶלְעָלֵה וּשְׂבָם וּנְבֹו וּבְעֹן 32:3
Numb. 32:3 “Ataroth and Dibon and Jazer and Nimrah and Heshbon and Elealeh and Sebam and Nebo and Beon,
הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה יְהוָה לִפְנֵי עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶרֶץ מִקְנֶה הִוא וְלַעֲבָדֶיךָ מִקְנֶה 32:4
Numb. 32:4 the land that the Lord ravaged before the congregation of Israel, it is a region of cattle, and your servants’ cattle.”
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִם־מָצָאנוּ חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ יֻתַּן אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לַעֲבָדֶיךָ לַאֲחֻזָּה אַל־תַּעֲבִרֵנוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן 32:5
Numb. 32:5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. You must not make us cross the Jordan.”
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי־גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן הַאַחֵיכֶם יָבֹאוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה וְאַתֶּם תֵּשְׁבוּ פֹה 32:6
Numb. 32:6 And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war and you would remain here?”
וְלָמָּה תְנוּאוּן אֶת־לֵב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֲבֹר אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן לָהֶם יְהוָה 32:7
Numb. 32:7 “So why would you restrain the heart of the children of Israel from crossing to the land that the Lord has given to them?”
כֹּה עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶם בְּשָׁלְחִי אֹתָם מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ לִרְאֹות אֶת־הָאָרֶץ 32:8
Numb. 32:8 “Your fathers did so upon my having sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.”
וַיַּעֲלוּ עַד־נַחַל אֶשְׁכֹּול וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַיָּנִיאוּ אֶת־לֵב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבִלְתִּי־בֹא אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ 32:9
נָתַן לָהֶם יְהוָה
Numb. 32:9 “Then they went up as far as the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, then they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel to not go into the land that the Lord has given to them.”
וַיִּחַר־אַף יְהוָה בַּיֹּום הַהוּא וַיִּשָּׁבַע לֵאמֹר 32:10
Numb. 32:10 “And the ‘anger’ of the Lord was kindled in that day and He ‘swore’ saying,
אִם־יִרְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָעֹלִים מִמִּצְרַיִם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה אֵת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי 32:11
לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב כִּי לֹא־מִלְאוּ אַחֲרָי
Numb. 32:11 ‘The men having come up out of Egypt from age twenty years and up shall not see the ground that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob because they were not wholly following Me
בִּלְתִּי כָּלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה הַקְּנִזִּי וִיהֹושֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן כִּי מִלְאוּ אַחֲרֵי יְהוָה 32:12
Numb. 32:12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun because they were wholly following the Lord.’”
וַיִּחַר־אַף יְהוָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְנִעֵם בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַד־תֹּם כָּל־הַדֹּור הָעֹשֶׂה הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה 32:13
Numb. 32:13 “When the ‘anger’ of the Lord was kindled because of Israel, then He made them wander in the wilderness forty years until the end of all the generation having done evil in the eyes of the Lord.”
וְהִנֵּה קַמְתֶּם תַּחַת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם תַּרְבּוּת אֲנָשִׁים חַטָּאִים לִסְפֹּות עֹוד עַל חֲרֹון אַף־יְהוָה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵל 32:14
Numb. 32:14 “Now behold, you have risen up instead of your fathers, progeny of sinful men, to add further onto the fierceness of the ‘anger’ of the Lord toward Israel.”
כִּי תְשׁוּבֻן מֵאַחֲרָיו וְיָסַף עֹוד לְהַנִּיחֹו בַּמִּדְבָּר וְשִׁחַתֶּם לְכָל־הָעָם הַזֶּה 32:15
Numb. 32:15 “For you would turn away from following Him, and He will still continue to leave him in the wilderness, so you will bring destruction to this whole people.”
וַיִּגְּשׁוּ אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמְרוּ גִּדְרֹת צֹאן נִבְנֶה לְמִקְנֵנוּ פֹּה וְעָרִים לְטַפֵּנוּ 32:16
Numb. 32:16 And they came near to him and said, “Let us build sheep enclosures for our cattle here and cities for our children.”
וַאֲנַחְנוּ נֵחָלֵץ חֻשִׁים לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם־הֲבִיאֹנֻם אֶל־מְקֹוםָם וְיָשַׁב טַפֵּנוּ בְּעָרֵי הַמִּבְצָר 32:17
מִפְּנֵי יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ
Numb. 32:17 “Then, armed for war, we will go eagerly before the children of Israel until that time when we we will be bringing them to their place, but our children will dwell in the fortified cities away from the inhabitants of the land.”
לֹא נָשׁוּב אֶל־בָּתֵּינוּ עַד הִתְנַחֵל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ נַחֲלָתֹו 32:18
Numb. 32:18 “We will not return to our homes until each of the children of Israel has possessed his inheritance.”
כִּי לֹא נִנְחַל אִתָּם מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן וָהָלְאָה כִּי בָאָה נַחֲלָתֵנוּ אֵלֵינוּ מֵעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מִזְרָחָה 32:19
Numb. 32:19 “For we will not inherit with them from the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us from this eastward side of the Jordan.”
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה אִם־תַּעֲשׂוּן אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אִם־תֵּחָלְצוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לַמִּלְחָמָה 32:20
Numb. 32:20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the Lord to war,
וְעָבַר לָכֶם כָּל־חָלוּץ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן לִפְנֵי יְהוָה עַד הֹורִישֹׁו אֶת־אֹיְבָיו מִפָּנָיו 32:21
Numb. 32:21 and your every armed man will pass over the Jordan before the Lord until they have driven out His enemies from before Him,
וְנִכְבְּשָׁה הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְאַחַר תָּשֻׁבוּ וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּים מֵיְהוָה וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת 32:22
לָכֶם לַאֲחֻזָּה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה
Numb. 32:22 and the land will be subdued before the Lord, so you can return afterward, then you shall be clear from the Lord and from Israel, and this land shall be yours for a possession before the Lord.”
Although the children of Reuben and the children of Gad will have demonstrated their bravery (as opposed to their fathers), Moses and they will still be ignoring the Lord’s instructions – the land was to be apportioned by lots, not by the choice of any of the tribes. See Numb. 26:53 - 26:55.
וְאִם־לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן הִנֵּה חֲטָאתֶם לַיהוָה וּדְעוּ חַטַּאתְכֶם אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא אֶתְכֶם 32:23
Numb. 32:23 “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and know your sin, that it will find you.”
בְּנוּ־לָכֶם עָרִים לְטַפְּכֶם וּגְדֵרֹת לְצֹנַאֲכֶם וְהַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ 32:24
Numb. 32:24 “Build yourselves cities for your children, and enclosures for your sheep, and do what has proceeded from your mouth.”
וַיֹּאמֶר בְּנֵי־גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר עֲבָדֶיךָ יַעֲשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנִי מְצַוֶּה 32:25
Numb. 32:25 Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses saying, “Your servants will do as my lord is commanding.”
טַפֵּנוּ נָשֵׁינוּ מִקְנֵנוּ וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתֵּנוּ יִהְיוּ־שָׁם בְּעָרֵי הַגִּלְעָד 32:26
Numb. 32:26 “Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our animals will be there in the cities of Gilead,
וַעֲבָדֶיךָ יַעַבְרוּ כָּל־חֲלוּץ צָבָא לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לַמִּלְחָמָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנִי דֹּבֵר 32:27
Numb. 32:27 and your servants will pass over, every armed man of war, before the Lord, to battle, as my lord has said.”
וַיְצַו לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה אֵת אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְאֵת יְהֹושֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן וְאֶת־רָאשֵׁי אֲבֹות הַמַּטֹּות לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל 32:28
Numb. 32:28 Then Moses put a charge regarding them to Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes belonging to the children of Israel,
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵהֶם אִם־יַעַבְרוּ בְנֵי־גָד וּבְנֵי־רְאוּבֵן אִתְּכֶם אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן כָּל־חָלוּץ לַמִּלְחָמָה לִפְנֵי 32:29
יְהוָה וְנִכְבְּשָׁה הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵיכֶם וּנְתַתֶּם לָהֶם אֶת־אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד לַאֲחֻזָּה
Numb. 32:29 and Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben will cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle, before the Lord, so the land is subdued before you, then you shall give the land of Gilead to them for a possession.”
וְאִם־לֹא יַעַבְרוּ חֲלוּצִים אִתְּכֶם וְנֹאחֲזוּ בְתֹכְכֶם בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן 32:30
Numb. 32:30 “But if the armed men will not cross over with you, then they shall possess in your midst in the land of Canaan.”
וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי־גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן לֵאמֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶל־עֲבָדֶיךָ כֵּן נַעֲשֶׂה 32:31
Numb. 32:31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered saying, “What the Lord has spoken to your servants, so we will do.”
נַחְנוּ נַעֲבֹר חֲלוּצִים לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וְאִתָּנוּ אֲחֻזַּת נַחֲלָתֵנוּ מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן 32:32
Numb. 32:32 “We will cross over armed for war before the Lord to the Land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall be with us from the other side of the Jordan.”
וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי־גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וְלַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן־יֹוסֵף אֶת־מַמְלֶכֶת סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ 32:33
הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֶת־מַמְלֶכֶת עֹוג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן הָאָרֶץ לְעָרֶיהָ בִּגְבֻלֹת עָרֵי הָאָרֶץ סָבִיב
Numb. 32:33 So Moses gave to them, to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben and to the half tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon, the Amorite king, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, the land including its cities within the borders, the towns of the land throughout.”
The families of Manasseh apparently consisted of nine tribes. Three of them would possess land east of the Jordan.whereas the remaining six would dwell to the west of the Jordan.
וַיִּבְנוּ בְנֵי־גָד אֶת־דִּיבֹן וְאֶת־עֲטָרֹת וְאֵת עֲרֹעֵר 32:34
Numb. 32:34 And the children of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer
וְאֶת־עַטְרֹת שֹׁופָן וְאֶת־יַעְזֵר וְיָגְבֳּהָה 32:35
Numb. 32:35 and Atroth-shophan and Jazer (and it was high)
The word וְיָגְבֳּהָה, at the end of the verse, is translated universally as and Jogbehah, the assumed name of a city. However, every other city name in vss. 32:34, 32:35, and 32:36 has an et prefix, indicating that they are the direct objects of the verb built in v. 32:34. I suspect that the word in question is not a name but a description of Jazer, which was being rebuilt, since it had existed previously (see v. 32:1). In fact, I suspect that all of the named cities had existed before, but were destroyed as described in Numb. 31:10. Some of them were named in v. 32:3.
וְאֶת־בֵּית נִמְרָה וְאֶת־בֵּית הָרָן עָרֵי מִבְצָר וְגִדְרֹת צֹאן 32:36
Numb. 32:36 and Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and sheep enclosures.
וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן בָּנוּ אֶת־חֶשְׁבֹּון וְאֶת־אֶלְעָלֵא וְאֵת קִרְיָתָיִם 32:37
Numb. 32:37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh and Kiriathaim
וְאֶת־נְבֹו וְאֶת־בַּעַל מְעֹון מוּסַבֹּת שֵׁם וְאֶת־שִׂבְמָה וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְשֵׁמֹת אֶת־שְׁמֹות הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ 32:38
Numb. 32:38 and Nebo and Baal-meon – having had a change of name – and Sibmah, and by names they called the names of the cities that they built.
The cities Nebo and Baal-meon were named for pagan gods, so their names were changed. The latter phrase in the verse could mean that the other cities built by the Reubenites retained their names.
וַיֵּלְכוּ בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה גִּלְעָדָה וַיִּלְכְּדֻהָ וַיֹּורֶשׁ אֶת־הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ 32:39
Numb. 32:39 And the children of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it and dispossessed the Amorite who was in it.
וַיִּתֵּן מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַגִּלְעָד לְמָכִיר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהּ 32:40
Numb. 32:40 And Moses gave the Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he would dwell in it.
וְיָאִיר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה הָלַךְ וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת־חַוֹּתֵיהֶם וַיִּקְרָא אֶתְהֶן חַוֹּת יָאִיר 32:41
Numb. 32:41 And Jair son of Manasseh went and took its villages, and he called them Chavvoth-jair.
וְנֹבַח הָלַךְ וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת־קְנָת וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֶיהָ וַיִּקְרָא לָה נֹבַח בִּשְׁמֹו 32:42
Numb. 32:42 And Nobach went and took Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobach after his name.
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