Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 32:20
And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war,
Before the Lord; either,
1. Sincerely and heartily, as in Gods presence. Or rather,
2. Before the ark, which was the token of Gods presence. He alludes either to the order of the tribes in their march, whereby Reuben and Gad marched next and immediately before the ark, as appears from Num 2:10,14,16,17; or to the manner of their passage over Jordan, wherein the ark went first into Jordan, and stood there whilst all the tribes marched over Jordan by and before it, Jos 3; Jos 5, and these amongst the rest, as is expressly noted in these very words, that they passed over before the Lord, Jos 4:13.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20-33. Moses said unto them, If yewill do this thingwith sincerity and zeal.
go before the Lord to warThephrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribesof Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the arkstood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession(Jos 3:4), of course includingthose of Reuben and Gad, so that, literally, they passed overbefore the Lord and before the rest of Israel (Jos4:13). Perhaps, however, the phrase is used merely in a generalsense to denote their marching on an expedition, the purpose of whichwas blessed with the presence, and destined to promote the glory, ofGod. The displeasure which Moses had felt on the first mention oftheir proposal had disappeared on the strength of their solemnassurances. But a lurking suspicion of their motives seems still tohave been lingering in his mindhe continued to speak to them in anadmonitory strain; and he concluded by warning them that in case oftheir failing to redeem their pledge, the judgments of an offendedGod would assuredly fall upon them. This emphatic caution againstsuch an eventuality throws a strong doubt on the honesty of theirfirst intentions; and yet, whether through the opposing attitude orthe strong invectives of Moses they had been brought to a betterstate of mind, their final reply showed that now all was right.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Moses said unto them,…. Being better disposed towards them, and more satisfied with the reasonableness of their request, it being explained unto him:
if ye will do this thing; which they had promised:
if ye will go armed before the Lord to war; they had said they would go ready armed before the children of Israel, but Moses expresses it “before the Lord”; which is more agreeable to their encampment and order in marching, for not the standard of Reuben but that of Judah went foremost, yet the standard of Reuben marched directly before the sanctuary bore by the Kohathites, Nu 10:18, and so might be properly said to go before the Lord, who dwelt there.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Upon this declaration Moses absolves them from all guilt, and promises them the desired land for a possession, on condition that they fulfil their promise; but he reminds them again of the sin that they will commit, and will have to atone for, if their promise is not fulfilled, and closes with the admonition to build towns for their families and pens for their flocks, and to do what they have promised. Upon this they promise again (Num 32:25-27), through their spokesman (as the singular in Num 32:25, and the suffix in in Num 32:27, clearly show), that they will fulfil his command. The use of the expression “ before Jehovah,” in the words, “go armed before Jehovah to war,” in Num 32:20 and Num 32:21, may be explained from the fact, that in the war which they waged at the command of their God, the Israelites were the army of Jehovah, with Jehovah in the midst. Hence the ark of the covenant was taken into the war, as the vehicle and substratum of the presence of Jehovah; whereas it remained behind in the camp, when the people wanted to press forward into Canaan of their own accord ( Num 14:44). But if this is the meaning of the expression “before Jehovah,” we may easily understand why the Reubenites and Gadites do not make use of it in Num 32:17, namely, because they only promise to go equipped “before the children of Israel,” i.e., to help their brethren to conquer Canaan. In Num 32:32 they also adopt the expression, after hearing it from the mouth of Moses (Num 32:20).
(Note: This completely sets aside the supposed discrepancy which Knobel adduces in support of his fragmentary hypothesis, viz., that the Elohist writes “before Israel” in Num 32:17 and Num 32:29, when the Jehovist would write “before Jehovah,” – a statement which is not even correct; since we find “before Jehovah” in Num 32:29, which Knobel is obliged to erase from the text in order to establish his assertion.)
, innocent, “free from guilt before Jehovah and before Israel.” By drawing back from participation in the war against the Canaanites, they would not only sin against Jehovah, who had promised Canaan to all Israel, and commanded them to take it, but also against Israel itself, i.e., against the rest of the tribes, as is more fully stated in Num 32:7-15. In Num 32:22, “before Jehovah” signifies according to the judgment of Jehovah, with divine approval. , “ ye will know your sin,” which will overtake ( ) or smite you, i.e., ye will have to make atonement for them.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 20-27
Moses agreed to grant the request of Gad and Reuben, with the provision that they fulfill their pledge to assist their brethren in the battles west of Jordan This they promised faithfully to do.
Moses made clear the consequences of any mental reservation or equivocation on the part of Gad and Reuben. They could not hide from the all-seeing Eye of God, see Mt 10:26; Lu 12:2; Ga 6:7, 8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
20. And Moses said unto them. Moses might seem to err on the side of excessive good-nature, in that he extends the boundaries prescribed by God, in complying with their wish. For, since their inheritance had been promised them in the land of Canaan, they ought to have been contented with that as their abode; nor was it allowable for Moses to make any alteration in the Divine decree. There is also another thing no less inconsistent, that in a point of so much perplexity, Moses does not, as usual, consult God, but gives an immediate answer, which indirectly overthrows the previous ordinance of God. And, in truth, their desire was by no means excusable, since it would have never entered their minds, if they had borne in memory the covenant of God, and had been satisfied with this goodness: since it cannot be but that the flesh should be constantly running riot, unless kept under restraint by the calling of God. But God, who knows how to bring light out of darkness, not only pardoned their error, but takes occasion also to extend His liberality. Thus the land of Bashan, and its neighborhood, were added to the former boundaries. At the same time, however, He shewed on the other hand how much better it would have been for them to have been kept together, so that they might have mutually protected each other, and dwelt securely in their appointed habitation. And, after the lapse of a long period, the Reubenites and Gadites learnt from experience that they had been too hasty in wishing for the land which they obtained; nevertheless, through God’s indulgence, that which might justly have been injurious to them, turned out for their advantage.
We may gather, however, from the result, that Moses was guilty of no rashness in his interference with the ordinance, of God, both because he commands that which he now determines to be ratified and maintained after his death; and when, in the book of Joshua, it is recorded that the several tribes had their inheritance assigned to them, this country beyond Jordan is excepted, as having been granted by Moses to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of Manasseh. Hence it is evident that his decision was approved by God. Moreover, since he is there often honored with the title of “servant of God,” we are taught that nothing was done by him in this matter without the authority of God, and the guidance of His Spirit. Neither is it at random that he here so often makes use of God’s name, but rather does he thus imply that whatever he does is suggested by Him.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
H. LAND GIVEN TO GAD, REUBEN, AND ONE-HALF OF MANASSEH vv. 2033
TEXT
Num. 32:20. And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war, 21. And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, 22. 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 before the Lord. 23. But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. 24. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth. 25. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth. 26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: 27. But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith. 28. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel. 29. And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: 30. But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. 31. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do. 32. We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours. 33. 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 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.
PARAPHRASE
Num. 32:20. So Moses said to them, If you will do this, if you will go armed before the Lord 21, and all of your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out from before him, 22. then later you shall return and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord. 23. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. 24. Build cities for yourselves, and for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; then do what you have promised. 25. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben said to Moses, Your servants will do just as my lord commands. 26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks and all our cattle shall be there in the cities of Gilead; 27. but your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.
28. So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers households of the tribes of the children of Israel. 29. And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you across the Jordan, each man armed for battle, before the Lord, and the land shall be overcome before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; 30. but if they will not cross over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. 31. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord has said unto your servants, that is just what we will do. 32. We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, in order that the possession of our inheritance may be ours on this side of the Jordan. 33. And Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben and to one-half of the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, the land with its cities and their environs, the cities in the surrounding country.
COMMENTARY
The offer of service is quite acceptable to Moses. If the tribes will keep their word to go before the Lord and fight until the land of Canaan is cleared, they may have their request, and their inheritance east of Jordan will be granted. Should they renege in any manner, however, and fail to do exactly as they have promised, their sins would be brought graphically to their attention, and they shall regret their folly. If a pledge made by an individual Israelite was considered inviolate, we may well attach supreme importance to such a promise made by this large segment of the nation. Failure under these circumstances could bring disaster upon the total nation.
We are told now (Num. 32:33) of the inheritance of the one-half tribe of Manasseh, without having been told of the division of the tribe; they were not named at all in the negotiations. Whether there had been division within the tribe; whether Gad and Reuben were more prominent as spokesmen in the discussions; or, whether it was advisable to split the number because this tribe had multiplied so rapidly, we are not told. The answer may well be found later (Num. 32:39-42).
QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS
593.
Suggest what punishment the Lord might have brought upon the men of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh if they failed to honor their pledge.
594.
Why does the half-tribe of Manasseh now join with the others in the pledge?
595.
What reasons may be given for the division of Manassehs tribe?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(20) if ye will go armed before the Lord . . . The same verb and the same preposition are here used which are used in Num. 32:17. It may be inferred from this expression that the army of the Israelites was regarded as the army of the Lord; and it seems probable that there is a reference to the ark of the Lord as being carried on certain occasions into the war. If the order of march prescribed in the second chapter of this Book was still observed, there may be a reference to the fact that the tribes of Reuben and Gad, which encamped on the south side of the Tabernacle, immediately preceded the ark (see Num. 10:18-22), just as those of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh immediately followed it (Psa. 80:2). At the time of the passage of the Jordan, the priests who bare the ark stood still in the river until the whole of the people had passed over before the ark of the Lord (Jos. 4:5; Jos. 4:11); but at the siege of Jericho it appears that the ark was carried in the midst of the host, some of the armed men going before it, and some following after it (Jos. 6:9). If this is the true meaning of the word before the Lord, it was natural that the Reubenites, or their spokesman, should first use the words before the children of Israel in Num. 32:17, and should not adopt the expression before the Lord, as in Num. 32:32, until it had been previously employed by Moses.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Go armed before the Lord The ark of the covenant was taken into battle as the symbol and the vehicle of Jehovah’s presence. The expression originated with Moses. This explains why the petitioners used it in Num 32:32 and not in Num 32:17, where they promise to go before Israel.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Their Going Forward Is Confirmed and Agreed ( Num 32:20-23 ).
Num 32:20-21
‘And Moses said to them, “If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to the war, and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before Yahweh, until he has driven out his enemies from before him,”
At these words Moses was satisfied that they were not avoiding entering the land. And he declared that if they would do what they had promised, and would arm themselves to go to war ‘before Yahweh’, and every one of them would pass over the Jordan ‘before Yahweh’, until He had driven out all His enemies from before Him, then all would be well.
Notice the phrase ‘before Yahweh’. They would be involved in holy war, in Yahweh’s war, and they would be accomplishing God’s will in driving out from the land those who had proved their unfitness to be there.
Num 32:22
“ And the land is subdued before Yahweh, then afterwards you shall return, and be guiltless towards Yahweh, and towards Israel, and this land shall be to you for a possession before Yahweh.”
And once the land was subdued in Yahweh’s sight, then they would be able to return to their families, and be guiltless towards Yahweh, and towards Israel. None would be able to lay any charge against them. And then this land in which they now were could be to them their own possession before Yahweh.
Num 32:23
“ But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and be sure your sin will find you out.”
But if they did not do so, then let them be sure of this, that their sin would find them out, and they would find themselves enduring the same punishment as their fathers had done, dying in the wilderness.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Petition Granted with the Proposed Condition
v. 20. And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war, v. 21. and will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until He hath driven out His enemies from before Him, v. 22. and the land be subdued before the Lord, then, afterward, ye shall return and be guiltless before the Lord and before Israel, v. 23. But if ye will not do so, v. 24. Build you cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth, v. 25. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.
v. 26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle shall be there in the cities of Gilead; v. 27. but thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.
v. 28. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua, the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, v. 29. and Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the Lord, v. 30. but it they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. v. 31. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do, v. 32. We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours, v. 33. 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, v. 34. And. the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, v. 35. and Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah, v. 36. and Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced cities; and folds, v. 37. And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, v. 38. and Nebo, and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah; and gave other names unto the cities which they builded. v. 40. And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir, the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.
v. 41. And Jair, the son of Manasseh, went, v. 42. And Nobah went, had gone, and took Kenath and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Num 32:20-21. If ye will go armed before the Lord i.e. Before the ark, which was the symbol of the Divine presence; for the three tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Simeon marched immediately before the sanctuary, ch. Num 2:10; Num 2:14 Num 10:18 so that Moses requires of them only to hold their usual place when they went to war against the Canaanites. All of you, in the next verse, signifies, all of you who shall be called upon to go; for they were in the whole above one hundred thousand men able to bear arms, adding the half tribe of Manasseh to the tribes of Gad and Reuben. See on Num 32:17. To encourage them to go, Moses represents the idolatrous Canaanites as the enemies of Jehovah; upon whose protection, therefore, they might certainly depend, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Warning against Forsaking Their Brethren
Num 32:20-42
These two and a half tribes never entered the national life, as did those on the other side of Jordan. They were far from the center of religious life, first at Shiloh and then at Jerusalem. On them first the tide of invasion broke, sweeping them and their cattle into captivity.
In Deborahs great song Reuben is rebuked for sitting among the sheepfolds to hear the pipings for the flocks, instead of coming to the help of the Lord against the mighty. The Brahmins say that the holy man dies to every other sin earlier and easier than to the love of money. Their cattle kept these tribes on the wrong side of the river of separation! Let us beware of the cares of this world, if we are poor, and of the deceitfulness of riches, if we are rich. Better lose all than the soul. See Mat 16:26.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Deu 3:18-20, Jos 1:13-15, Jos 4:12, Jos 4:13, Jos 22:2-4
Reciprocal: Num 32:29 – General Jos 6:8 – before the Lord Jdg 11:9 – If ye bring 1Sa 18:17 – the Lord’s
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 32:20. Before the Lord Before the ark, which was the token of Gods presence. He alludes either to the order of the tribes in their march, whereby Reuben and Gad marched immediately before the ark, or to the manner of their passage over Jordan, wherein the ark went first into Jordan, and stood there while all the tribes marched over Jordan by and before it, and these among the rest, as is expressly noted in these very words, that they passed over before the Lord, Jos 4:13.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:20 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.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
To preclude another Kadesh-barnea tragedy Moses commanded Reuben and Gad to go into battle with their brethren. If they would do this they could have their desired land after the fighting ended. Moses’ concern was that the whole nation should enter the land and carry out God’s will by destroying the Canaanites. If after they did this these tribes wanted to live on the other side of the Jordan, that decision would not constitute an act of disobedience to God. Transjordan was part of the Promised Land, but most of the people God commanded the Israelites to destroy lived west of the Jordan River.
Moses then instructed his successor, Joshua, in the terms of this agreement. Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh committed themselves to fight alongside their brethren. This is the first mention of the half tribe of Manasseh. Its leaders were apparently not as aggressive in this plan as the leaders of Reuben and Gad were.