Numbers 32:20

_AND MOSES SAID UNTO THEM, IF YE WILL DO THIS THING, IF YE WILL GO ARMED BEFORE THE LORD TO WAR,_ If ye will do this thing - with sincerity and zeal. YE WILL GO ARMED - i:e., all of you in a collective body, or as many as may be deemed necessary, while the rest of your number shall remain at home to provide for the sustenance and secure the protection of your families and flocks (see the notes at Joshua 4:12). BEFORE THE LORD TO WAR. The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march, in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see the notes at 12:10-77), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Joshua 3:4), of course including those of Reuben and Gad, so that, liter

20._And Moses said unto them. _Moses might seem to err on the side of excessive good-nature, in that he extends the boundaries prescribed by God, in complying with their wish. For, since their inheritance had been promised them in the land of Canaan, they ought to have been contented with that as their abode; nor was it allowable for Moses to make any alteration in the Divine decree. There is also another thing no less inconsistent, that in a point of so much perplexity, Moses does not, as usual, consult God, but gives an immediate answer, which indirectly overthrows the previous ordinance of God. And, in truth, their desire was by no means excusable, since it would have never entered their minds, if they had borne in memory the covenant of God, and had been satisfied with this goodness: since it cannot be but that the flesh should be constantly running riot, unless kept under restraint...

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...

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 MOSES SAID UNTO THEM,.... Being better disposed towards them, and more satisfied with the reasonableness of their request, it being explained unto him: IF YE WILL DO THIS THING; which they had promised: IF YE WILL GO ARMED BEFORE THE LORD TO WAR; they had said they would go ready armed before the children of Israel, but Moses expresses it "before the Lord"; which is more agreeable to their encampment and order in marching, for not the standard of Reuben but that of Judah went foremost, yet the standard of Reuben marched directly before the sanctuary bore by the Kohathites, Numbers 10:18, and so might be properly said to go before the Lord, who dwelt there....

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.

IF YE WILL GO ARMED BEFORE THE LORD— i.e. _Before the ark,_ which was the symbol of the Divine presence; for the three tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Simeon marched immediately before the sanctuary, ch. Numbers 2:10; Numbers 2:14 Numbers 10:18 so that Moses requires of them only to hold their usual place when they went to war against the Canaanites. _All of you,_ in the next verse, signifies, all of you who shall be called upon to go; for they were in the whole above one hundred thousand men able to bear arms, adding the half tribe of Manasseh to the tribes of Gad and Reuben. See on Numbers 32:17. To encourage them to go, Moses repres

H. LAND GIVEN TO GAD, REUBEN, AND ONE-HALF OF MANASSEH vv. 20-33 TEXT Numbers 32:20. And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war, 21. And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, 22. And the land be subdued before the Lord: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord. 23. But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. 24. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth. 25. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth. 26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all ou

ALLOTMENT OF TERRITORY TO THE TRIBES OF GAD AND REUBEN AND THE HALFTRIBE OF MANASSEH 1-5. The tribes of Reuben and Gad request that the land of Gilead lying on the E. side of the Jordan be assigned to them, on the ground that it is very fertile and therefore particularly well adapted to their large flocks and herds. These two tribes were associated as neighbours in the camp and on the march (Numbers 2:10), hence their desire to be settled near each other....