Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 32:28
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:
28-32. concerning them MosescommandedThe arrangement itself, as well as the express termson which he assented to it, was announced by the leader to the publicauthorities. The pastoral country the two tribes had desired was tobe granted them on condition that they would lend their aid to theirbrethren in the approaching invasion of Canaan. If they refused orfailed to perform their promise, those possessions should beforfeited, and they themselves compelled to go across the Jordan andfight for a settlement like the rest of their brethren.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So concerning them Moses commanded,…. That they should have a grant of the land they requested: this looks as if Moses determined the case himself, though perhaps it was by the vote, and with the consent of the whole court; only Moses strictly enjoined them to observe it, namely,
Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; and the rather he did this, because he knew that he should die, and not see either the thing itself or the conditions of it performed.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Moses thereupon commanded Eleazar, Joshua, and the heads of the tribes of Israel, i.e., the persons entrusted in Num 34:17. with the division of the land of Canaan, to give the Gadites and Reubenites the land of Gilead for a possession, after the conquest of Canaan, if they should go along with them across the Jordan equipped for battle. But if they should not do this, they were to be made possessors (i.e., to be settled; in a passive sense, whereas in Gen 34:10; Gen 47:27, it is reflective, to fix oneself firmly, to settle) in the land of Canaan along with the other tribes. In the latter case, therefore, they were not only to receive no possession in the land to the east of the Jordan, but were to be compelled to go over the Jordan with their wives and children, and to receive an inheritance there for the purpose of preventing a schism of the nation.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Inheritance of the Reubenites. | B. C. 1452. |
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. 34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah, 36 And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced cities: and folds for sheep. 37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, 38 And Nebo, and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded. 39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it. 40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. 41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-jair. 42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Here, 1. Moses settles this matter with Eleazar, and with Joshua who was to be his successor, knowing that he himself must not live to see it perfected, v. 28-30. He gives them an estate upon condition, leaving it to Joshua, if they fulfilled the condition, to declare the estate absolute: “If they will not go over with you,” he does not say “you shall give them no inheritance at all,” but “you shall not give them this inheritance which they covet. If their militia will not come over with you, compel the whole tribes to come over, and let them take their lot with their brethren, and fare as they fare; they shall have possessions in Canaan, and let them not expect that the lot will favour them.” Hereupon they repeat their promise to adhere to their brethren, Num 32:31; Num 32:32. 2. Moses settles them in the land they desired. He gave it to them for a possession, v. 33. Here is the first mention of the half tribe of Manasseh coming in with them for a share; probably they had not joined with them in the petition, but, the land when it came to be apportioned proving to be too much for them, this half tribe had a lot among them, perhaps at their request, or by divine direction, or because they had signalized themselves in the conquest of this country: for the children of Machir, a stout and warlike family, had taken Gilead and dispossessed the Amorites, v. 39. “Let them win it and wear it, get it and take it.” And, they being celebrated for their courage and bravery, it was for the common safety to put them in this frontier-country. Concerning the settlement of these tribes observe, (1.) They built the cities, that is, repaired them, because either they had been damaged by the war or the Amorites had suffered them to go to decay. (2.) They changed the names of them (v. 38), either to show their authority, that the change of the names might signify the change of their owners, or because their names were idolatrous, and carried in them a respect to the dunghill-deities that were there worshipped. Nebo and Baal were names of their gods, which they were forbidden to make mention of (Exod. xxiii. 13), and which, by changing the names of these cities, they endeavoured to bury in oblivion; and God promises to take away the names of Baalim out of the mouths of his people, Hos. ii. 17.
Lastly, It is observable that, as these tribes were now first placed before the other tribes, so, long afterwards, they were displaced before the other tribes. We find that they were carried captive into Assyria some years before the other tribes, 2 Kings xv. 29. Such a proportion does Providence sometimes observe in balancing prosperity and adversity; he sets the one over-against the other.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 28-33:
Moses solemnly ratified the request of Gad and Reuben, before both the religious leaders and the political officials of Israel, verse 28. Once more the two tribes affirmed their purpose: to assist their brethren in the conquest of Canaan.
For the first time, the name of Manasseh appears in this episode.
No explanation is given as to why only half this tribe received an allotment on the east of Jordan along with Gad and Reuben. It may be that there was an earlier schism within the tribe that made it desirable to divide. Or the 63% increase in the tribe of Manasseh over the first census may have accounted for the need to divide. There is no record in Scripture that Manasseh joined Gad and Reuben in their request to Moses. However, Moses may have given them the territory they had won in battle with the Amorites (verses 39-42).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
28. So concerning them Moses commanded. Moses annexes these conditions to his decision, lest, when the Reubenites and their companions had performed their military tasks:, they should be falsely alleged to have passed over Jordan for the purpose of seeking a new home; whilst at the same time, if they should deceive the other tribes, he provided that their cowardice and deceit should not profit them. In short, if they assisted their brethren in pursuance of their agreement, he commands that the territory, which he now grants them, should always remain theirs; but, if they departed from their promise, he would have them forced against their will to participate in the common allotment. For he does not assign them this portion in the midst of Canaan as a reward for their inertness, in case they should stay behind; but signifies that they should be forcibly and authoritatively carried onwards, so as to be subject to their brethren under all circumstances; since it, was not lawful for them to consult their own separate interests.
In laying down rules for the division of the land, as if it were soon to happen, he encourages the minds of all to confidence, so that they should more cheerfully hasten to pass over; as if the victory were not only already in their hands, but that the fruits of it were soon to be enjoyed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
28. Eleazar Joshua chief fathers The commissioners for the allotment of Canaan. Num 34:17-29; Jos 14:1, note.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Moses Confirms To The Leadership Of The Tribes That The Soldiers of Reuben and Gad Will Go With The Other Tribes ( Num 32:28-32 ).
Num 32:28
‘ So Moses gave charge concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.’
On the condition of their promises Moses now gave a charge to Eleazar the Priest and to Joshua, and to the chieftains of the tribes.
Num 32:29-30
‘And Moses said to them, “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed for battle, before Yahweh, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession, but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”
And the charge was this. That if the fighting men of Gad and Reuben passed over Jordan with them and the land of Canaan was subdued before Israel, then they should be given the land of Gilead for a permanent possession rather than just a temporary one, But if they would not pass over armed then they would not be granted the land but would have their possessions in the land of Canaan (thus ensuring that they had to cross over).
Num 32:31
‘And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, “As Yahweh has said to your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.” ’
The Gaddites and the Reubenites then publicly confirmed their position. They would do what Yahweh had said. Their fighting men would pass over the Jordan with the tribes of Israel armed ready for battle, and they would accept their inheritance as being in the land east of Jordan.
It will be noted that nowhere at this stage is there a hint of the Manassites being given land east of Jordan. Thus this agreement was clearly made prior to the full conquest of Bashan, which will in fact now be brought into account.
It would seem therefore that the information just recounted clearly came from a written account which ceased at this point, presumably a covenant treaty between the Gaddites and the Reubenites, and the rest of Israel. That does not mean that the information given below was given so very much later. The record of the Daughters of Zelophehad demonstrates that the settlement of Machir in Gilead was already being widely discussed. It was just not included in the treaty record made with Gad and Reuben.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Observe, Moses having foreknowledge from the word of the LORD, that he himself should not live to see the event, leaves the business in charge with his successors. So faithful ministers commit the concerns of the church to faithful men. 2Ti 2:2 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 1:13
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 32:28-33. The Request Granted conditionally on their Taking Part in the Conquest of W. Canaan.The assistance rendered by Gad in the conquest of W. Canaan (see Jos 1:12-18) seems to be referred to in Deu 33:21. The statement that besides Reuben and Gad the half tribe of Manasseh received from Moses a piece of territory E. of the Jordan (Num 32:33) appears to be an anachronism, for Num 32:39 implies that the establishment of Manasseh in E. Canaan was effected by settlers who went thither after the conquest of W. Canaan had been accomplished.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
32:28 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.