Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 4:12
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke unto them:
12. passed over armed before the children of Israel ] Contrary to the usual order (Num 32:20), as if to secure that they should fulfil their vow.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 12. The children of Reuben, and – Gad] Concerning the numbers of these tribes that stayed behind to take care of the women, children, and cattle, and which amounted to 70,580 men, See Clarke on Nu 32:17.
Passed over armed] See Clarke on Jos 1:14.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
12, 13. the children of Reuben . . .passed over armed before the children of IsraelThere is noprecedency to the other tribes indicated here; for there is no reasonto suppose that the usual order of march was departed from; but theseare honorably mentioned to show that, in pursuance of their promise(Jos 1:16-18), they hadsent a complement of fighting men to accompany their brethren in thewar of invasion.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh,…. Who were settled on the other side Jordan, in the countries taken from Sihon and Og:
passed over armed before the children of Israel; the rest of the tribes:
as Moses spake unto them; or ordered them, and as they promised they would, Nu 32:17.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
12. And the children of Reuben, etc He makes mention of the expedition of the two tribes and half tribe, as they did not set out to engage in warfare on their own private account, but to assist their brethren, by whose valor their own possession had been obtained in seizing the land of Canaan. Moses had laid them under this obligation, and they had bound themselves by oath that they would accompany the rest of the people till all should have obtained a quiet settlement.
They again made the same promise when the camp was about to be moved as we saw in Jos 1:0. But from the narrative here we gather that only a part was selected, for the number amounts only to forty thousand, that is, a third, or about a third of the number ascertained by the census taken shortly before. Now, as they are everywhere said to have performed their promise, it may be probably conjectured that it was not the intention of Moses strictly to insist that all who had assented should leave their wives and children, and do military service in the land of Canaan till it was wholly subdued. And certainly it would have been harsh and cruel to leave an unwarlike multitude unprotected in the midst of many hostile nations. Nor would the remains of the enemy, assisted by neighboring nations, have long failed to take advantage of such an opportunity to avenge themselves by massacring the women and children. It was necessary, therefore, in a country not yet sufficiently pacified, permanently to retain a force sufficient to prevent incursions. Moses was not of so stern a nature as not to consult for the helpless. Nay, his prudence and equity would never have allowed him to leave a territory lately seized by arms unoccupied by a body of troops.
We may add, that such an immense concourse would have impeded rather than assisted the acquisition of the land of Canaan. All which Moses required, therefore, was simply that the Reubenites and Gadites should not, while their brethren were engaged in carrying on the war, remain indolently at home and eat their food at ease without giving any assistance to those to whom they were indebted for having obtained the inheritance. And the good faith of the forty thousand was approved by their not declining the burdens, toils, and perils of warfare, while the remainder of their own tribes were enjoying quiet. They might readily have alleged that they were as well entitled as the others to exemption, but in proceeding with alacrity after the levy was made, to obey the orders given them, without envying the immunity given to their brethren, they show that they were voluntarily and heartily disposed to do their duty. At the same time, it is not doubtful that by accepting the flower of their tribes, the handle for complaint and quarrel was cut off. For it could not justly have been maintained that not even the aged and worn out, or the young and feeble, were to be spared. Some, perhaps, may be inclined to conjecture that the army was raised not by choice but by lot, though it rather seems to me that all who were most robust and best able to bear fatigue were enrolled.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
12. And the children of Reuben The conjunction and does not indicate the order of events, but the historian wishes by repetition to give emphasis to the statement that the eastern tribes had already passed over to assist their brethren in the conquest of the land.
Armed See Jos 1:14, note.
Before That is, in sight of. They were, perhaps, placed in the van to ensure the fulfilling of their promise, or because they were unencumbered with their families and flocks, which they had left on the eastern side of the river.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them, about forty eleph ready armed for war, passed over before Yahweh to battle, to the plains of Jericho.’
This is not chronologically placed. The point is that they passed over at some stage in the sight of the people and in the sight of YHWH, ready armed for the coming battle, just as the ‘Ark of YHWH’ had crossed over ready for the battle. This was not just a crossing over, it was a crossing over with a martial purpose.
“To the plains of Jericho.” These were in striking contrast to what they had left. The plains of Jericho were well watered and fruitful, with rich soil, a greenhouse climate and irrigated by perennial waters.
“Forty eleph.” That is, forty fighting units (the word eleph means ‘family’, ‘clan’, ‘sub-tribe’, ‘military unit’, ‘captain’, or ‘thousand’). Compare Jdg 5:8 ; 2Sa 10:18. These were all the young fighting men of these tribes, fit and ready to serve Yahweh. The older men and the younger remained to assist their families to settle.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 12, 13. And the children of Reuben, &c. In conformity to their engagement, (Num 32:20; Num 21:27 and chap. Jos 1:13.) these two tribes and a half supplied a body which passed over the Jordan, marching into the enemy’s country at the head of all the people. This was evidently a chosen troop; for in the numbering, which had been made a year before, of the soldiers which each tribe could furnish, 43,730 were found in the single tribe of Reuben, 40,500 in that of Gad, and 26,350 in the half tribe of Manasseh; in all 110,580 fighting men. See Num 18:32. Most of them, therefore, remained on this side the Jordan, to guard the country which those tribes had conquered, and which had been given to them.
Armed Or, Ready-girt.
Passed overto the plains of Jericho These 40,000 men formed the vanguard of the army, and took their march across the plains which lay betwixt Jordan and Jericho, in the place where the enemy’s army should naturally have posted itself, either to dispute the passage of the Israelites through the river, or to defend the country. Thus they went on in order of battle before the ark, and, as it seems, at 2000 cubits from it.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
It is pleasant to see the forwardness of those tribes to lead the people on to victory. They had obtained their settlement. And who so proper to stir up the Lord’s people as those who have tasted of his grace, and can tell by happy experience what the Lord hath done for their soul. Oh! that you and I, Reader, may feel somewhat of the same spirit of constraint to speak for Jesus, which the Psalmist did: Psa 66:16 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 4:12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
Ver. 12. As Moses spake unto them. ] Indented with them. Num 32:20 ; Num 32:27 Dilexi hominem: I loved the man, said Ambrose concerning Theodosius, because he was no less solicitous of the Church’s welfare after his decease than whilst he lived.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Reuben. Compare Num 32:27. Compare Jos 1:12.
armed = by fives. Compare Jos 6:7, Jos 6:9. These formed the van.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the children: Jos 1:14, Num 32:20-32
Reciprocal: Num 1:34 – Manasseh Num 32:17 – General Num 32:27 – thy servants Deu 3:18 – I commanded Deu 12:10 – But when Deu 33:21 – he came Jos 13:8 – Moses gave 1Ch 5:18 – four and forty
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 4:12-13. The children of Reuben passed over armed As they had engaged to do, Num 32:20-27, and Jos 1:13. About forty thousand prepared for war It is likely that Joshua drew out this number only of chosen men; and left all the rest to take care of their families and flocks. Passed over before the Lord Having passed over the river, they stood in battle array before the ark, at the distance, probably, of two thousand cubits; or, in the presence of the Lord, as the expression, before the Lord, may mean, who observed whether they would keep their covenant with their brethren or not.