Numbers 32:1

_NOW THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD HAD A VERY GREAT MULTITUDE OF CATTLE: AND WHEN THEY SAW THE LAND OF JAZER, AND THE LAND OF GILEAD, THAT, BEHOLD, THE PLACE WAS A PLACE FOR CATTLE;_ The land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead. A complete conquest had been made of the country east of the Jordan, comprising" the land of Jazer," which formed the southern district between the Arnon and Jabbok; "the land of Gilead," the middle region between the Jabbok and Jarmouk (or, as the Greeks called it, Hieromax, one of whose sources is a lake at Mezareib, probably identical with Ashtaroth Karnaim), Hieromax, including Bashan, which lay on the north of that river. The whole of this region is now called the Belka. It has always been famous for its rich and extensive pastures, for its high-fed and fierce cattle, for its gigantic oaks; and it is still the favourite resort of the Bedouin s...

1._Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad. _In this narrative we behold, as in a glass, that whilst each individual is but too attentive to his own private interests, he forgets what is just and right. Those, indeed, who seek their own advantage, do not reflect that they are doing injury to others; but it is impossible for them to avoid seeking more than is their due, and preferring themselves to others; and thus they sin against that rule of charity, that we should not seek our own. The sons of Gad and Reuben, who had a great quantity of cattle, see a tract of rich and fertile land; self-interest takes possession of them, so that it does not occur to them that they were under an obligation to their brethren not to covet for themselves anything peculiar, or separate from them. Nevertheless, there was a specious pretext for this, whereby their eyes were blinded, viz., that not...

1-5 Here is a proposal made by the Reubenites and Gadites, that the land lately conquered might be allotted to them. Two things common in the world might lead these tribes to make this choice; the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. There was much amiss in the principle they went upon; they consulted their own private convenience more than the public good. Thus to the present time, many seek their own things more than the things of Jesus Christ; and are led by worldly interests and advantages to take up short of the heavenly Canaan....

CHAPTER XXXII _The Reubenites and Gadites request Moses to give them their_ _inheritance on this side of Jordan_, 1-5. _Moses expostulates with and reproves them_, 6-15. _They explain themselves, and propose conditions, with which_ _Moses is satisfied-they are to build cities for their wives and_ _children, and folds for their cattle, and go ever Jordan armed_ _with the other tribes, and fight against their enemies till the_ _land is subdued; after which they are to return_, 16-27. _Moses proposes the business to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders_,...

JAZER - Compare the marginal reference. This district, although included in the land of Gilead, seems to have had special attractions for the Israelite settlers. All travelers in Gilead, the modern Belka, bear witness to its richness as compared with the country to the west of the Jordan. Its general character is that of an upland pasture, undulating and thickly timbered. In the last respect its northern portions excel its southern; but for fertility of soil the southern province is preferred by the Arabs, in whose lips it has passed into a proverb: “Thou canst not find a country like the Belka.”...

EXPOSITION THE TWO AND A HALF TRIBES BEYOND JORDAN (Numbers 32:1). NUMBERS 32:1 THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD. Reuben and Gad had both been camped on the same (southern) side of the tabernacle, but had not apparently been neighbours, since Simeon intervened on the march (see on Numbers 2:10-4). Simeon, however, was at this time enfeebled and disgraced, and was not likely to assert himself in any way. The "great multitude of cattle" belonging to the two tribes probably point to pastoral habits of long standing, since the cattle o

NOW THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD HAD A VERY GREAT MULTITUDE OF CATTLE,.... By which it seems that they had more in proportion than any of the other tribes; by what means it is not easy to say; very probably they were more addicted to the pastoral life, and took more delight in breeding cattle, and were more diligent in taking care of them: however, the reason for this observation presently follows: AND WHEN THEY SAW THE LAND OF JAZER, AND THE LAND OF GILEAD; Jazer was in the kingdom of Sihon, and Gilead in the kingdom of Og, which had been both conquered by the Israelites: THAT, BEHOLD, THE PLACE WAS A PLACE FOR CATTLE; where much cattle was fed, there being a great deal of good pasturage for them: Jazer appears to be a well watered country, Jeremiah 48:32, and Gilead and Bashan which joined and belonged to the same country of Og,

THE REUBENITES The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, who chose their inheritance just outside the land, are types of world-borderers -- carnal Christians. What their descendants were when Messiah came is seen in (Mark 5:1)....

8. THE TRIBES OF REUBEN, GAD, HALF-MANASSEH AND THEIR PORTION CHAPTER 32 _ 1. The petition of Reuben and Gad (Numbers 32:1)_ 2. The rebuke by Moses (Numbers 32:6) 3. Their answer (Numbers 32:16) 4. Moses' reply (Numbers 32:20) 5. The final agreement (Numbers 32:25) Failure is now again manifested. Reuben and Gad looked upon the beautiful territory which had been taken from the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. As Reuben and Gad were especially rich in cattle and the territory was one of great

A REQUEST BY REUBEN AND GAD FOR PERMISSION TO SETTLE ON THE E. OF JORDAN. The character of the high moorland S. of the Jabbok still bears out the description of it as suitable for pasturage (Numbers 32:1; Numbers 32:4); and a traveller declares, We should never have believed the amount of (the) flocks, had we not seen and attempted to count them. The pastoral associations of Reuben are alluded to in Judges 5:16. NUMBERS 32:1. GILEAD: the term here denotes the country S. of the Jabbok, for the towns enumerated in Numbers 32:3 are all thus situated.