Numbers 32:16

_AND THEY CAME NEAR UNTO HIM, AND SAID, WE WILL BUILD SHEEPFOLDS HERE FOR OUR CATTLE, AND CITIES FOR OUR LITTLE ONES:_ They came near. The narrative gives a picturesque description of this scene. The suppliants had shrunk back, dreading, from the undisguised emotions of their leader, that their request would be refused. But, perceiving from the tenor of his discourse that his objection was grounded only on the supposition that they would not cross the Jordan to assist their brethren, they became emboldened to approach him with assurances of their good-will. WE WILL BUILD ... CITIES FOR OUR LITTLE ONES - i:e., rebuild, repair. It would have been impossible within two months to found new cities, or even to reconstruct those which had been razed to the ground. Those of the Amorites were not absolutely demolished, and they probably consisted only of mud-built or dry-stone walls....

16._And they came near tinto him, and said. _It is probable that they returned after having held a consultation: and now, — when they had considered what they ought to do, before promising what they had not previously thought of, — they assent to the decision of Moses, in accordance with their general opinion. From their reply itself we gather how usefully the severity of Moses had influenced their minds. If he had dealt with them with greater mildness and gentleness, his kindness would perhaps have been received with contempt. It was more profitable, therefore, that their stubborn hearts should be smitten with shame and fear, in order that they might lay aside their rebelliousness. Still, they do not altogether abandon their request, but devise a middle course, whereby, whilst they do not forsake their brethren, they may still occupy the land. They promise, then, to accompany them throu...

16-27 Here is the good effect of plain dealing. Moses, by showing their sin, and the danger of it, brought them to their duty, without murmuring or disputing. All men ought to consider the interests of others as well as their own; the law of love requires us to labour, venture, or suffer for each other as there may be occasion. They propose that their men of war should go ready armed before the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, and that they should not return till the conquest of Canaan was ended. Moses grants their request, but he warns them of the danger of breaking their word. If you fail, you sin against the Lord, and not against your brethren only; God will certainly reckon with you for it. Be sure your sin will find you out. Sin will surely find out the sinner sooner or later. It concerns us now to find our sins out, that we may repent of them, and forsake them, lest they...

Verse Numbers 32:16. _WE WILL BUILD - CITIES FOR OUR LITTLE ONES_] It was impossible for these, numerous as they might be, to build cities and fortify them for the defence of their families in their absence. Calmet supposes they meant no more than _repairing_ the cities of the Amorites which they had lately taken; which work might have been very easily accomplished in the time which they spent on this side of Jordan, before they went over with their brethren, to put them in possession of the land....

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

AND THEY CAME NEAR UNTO HIM,.... The heads of the tribes of Gad and Reuben came a little nearer to Moses, having something more to say unto him, in order to explain their meaning, and in doing which they used some degree of freedom and boldness with him, see Genesis 44:18 AND SAID, WE WILL BUILD SHEEPFOLDS HERE FOR OUR CATTLE, AND CITIES FOR OUR LITTLE ONES not build new ones, but repair the old ones; for there were cities enough in the country, as before named, and no doubt sheepfolds too, as the land was a place of cattle, but those were through the war broken down and demolished, and needed repairing; and this they proposed to do, and leave their children and their cattle to the care of their servants, under the protection of the divine Providence, and did not mean for the present to take up their abode here....

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.

G. THE TRIBES-' PLEDGE vv. 16-19 TEXT Numbers 32:16. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: 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. 18. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance: 19. For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward. PARAPHRASE Numbers 32:16. Then they came near him and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17. but we o

32:16 sheepfolds (d-12) Strictly, 'walled enclosures for small cattle;' and so vers. 24,36....