Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 32:17
But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
17. will be ready armed ] Heb. has lit. ‘will arm ourselves hastening.’ But the expression is awkward, and the last word ( ) is doubtful. should probably be read: will arm ourselves in battle array; cf. Exo 13:18, Jos 1:14; Jos 4:12.
our little ones ] Including, of course, the wives and all members of the family who were not fighting men. God would take care of them while all the soldiers were fulfilling the sacred duty of conquering the land of Canaan (cf. Exo 34:24). An historical basis underlying the passage probably was that some portion of Gad took part in the battles on the west of Jordan. This seems to be referred to in the early poem in Deuteronomy 33 ( Num 32:20 f.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. Because of the inhabitants of the land.] These were the Ammonites, Moabites, Idumeans, and the remains of the Midianites and Amorites. But could the women and children even keep the defenced cities, when placed in them? This certainly cannot be supposed possible. Many of the men of war must of course stay behind. In the last census, chap. xxvi., the tribe of Reuben consisted of 43,730 men; the tribe of Gad, 40,500; the tribe of Manasseh, 52,700; the half of which is 26,350. Add this to the sum of the other two tribes, and the amount is 110,580. Now from Jos 4:13 we learn that of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, only 40,000 armed men passed over Jordan to assist their brethren in the reduction of the land: consequently the number of 70,580 men were left behind for the defence of the women, the children, and the flocks. This was more than sufficient to defend them against a people already panic struck by their late discomfitures and reverses.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
We ourselves; either all, or as many of us as shall be thought necessary, leaving only so many as may be necessary to provide for the sustenance and defence of our wives and children here. See Jos 4:12,13.
The inhabitants of the land; the Moabites and Edomites, or other bordering people.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. and our little ones shall dwellin the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the landTherewas good policy in leaving a sufficient force to protect theconquered region lest the enemy should attempt reprisals; and as onlyforty thousand of the Reubenites and the Gadites, and a half ofManasseh, passed over the Jordan (Jos4:13), there were left for the security of the new possessions70,580 men, besides women and children under twenty years (compareNum 26:7; Num 26:18;Num 26:34).
We ourselves will go readyarmedthat is, all of us in a collective body, or as many asmay be deemed necessary, while the rest of our number shall remain athome to provide for the sustenance and secure the protection of ourfamilies and flocks. (See on Jos 4:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel,…. This they said to free themselves from the charge of cowardice, and that they did not mean to sit still while their brethren went to war; they were willing to put on their armour, and be ready to meet the enemy upon the borders of the land, and engage with them, and to expose their lives in favour of their brethren:
until we have brought them unto their place; to the land of Canaan, the place designed for them, and given unto them, to the possession of it, and a settlement in it:
and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities, because of the inhabitants of the land; where they might be safe from them, which they proposed to repair and refortify for the security of them, while they went with their brethren into the land of Canaan, to put them into possession of that, of which they made not the least doubt; and so served to clear them of suspicion of any distrust they had of entering into and possessing the land, which might tend to discourage the people.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) Will go ready armed . . . Or, will equip ourselves in haste.
And our little ones shall dwell . . . The word taph, which is here rendered little ones, appears to include all the defenceless portion of the nation. (See Exo. 12:37.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Ready armed But we will equip ourselves hastily. This does not imply that the entire military strength of these two and a half tribes, 110,580 men, would march in the van of Israel, leaving their homes unprotected. It did imply that the flower of their armies would assist in the conquest of Canaan. Joshua (Jos 4:13) records the number as 40,000, “all mighty men of valour,” as the quota of the two and a half tribes. Jos 1:14, note.
Because of the inhabitants of the land The Ammonites, Moabites, Idumaeans, and remnant of the Amorites and Midianites.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 32:17. Wewill go ready armed before the children of Israel Having taken into consideration what Moses had said, the two tribes apply to him again, and offer, in a very reasonable manner, to go ready armed before the children of Israel; as much as to say, “though we desired to settle here with our families, we wish not to decline the fatigues of war, but are ready to furnish such quota of troops as shall be required of us.” The LXX render it, we will put ourselves at the head of the troops of Israel; and accordingly we find, that forty thousand of them, ready armed for war, accompanied their brethren, Deu 3:18. Jos 4:12. By the inhabitants of the land we are to understand the Moabites, the Idumaeans, and the rest of the conquered people, against whose attempts it was natural to guard.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Num 32:29-32, Deu 3:18-20, Jos 4:12, Jos 4:13
Reciprocal: Num 32:27 – armed Jos 1:15 – Until
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 32:17. We ourselves will go Either all, or as many of us as shall be thought necessary, leaving only so many as may be requisite to provide for the support and defence of our wives and children. Because of the inhabitants of the land The Moabites and Edomites, or other neighbouring people, together with such of the Amorites as had saved themselves by flight, and would watch all opportunities of seeking to reinstate themselves in their lost possessions. Accordingly we find that forty thousand of the Reubenites and Gadites went over with their brethren, ready armed for war, to the plains of Jericho, Deu 3:18; Jos 4:12.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their {e} place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
(e) In the land of Canaan.