Numbers 32:38

_AND NEBO, AND BAALMEON, (THEIR NAMES BEING CHANGED,) AND SHIBMAH: AND GAVE OTHER NAMES UNTO THE CITIES WHICH THEY BUILDED._ Nebo - now Neba, near the mountain of that name (cf. 1 Chronicles 5:8; 1 Chronicles 15:2; Jeremiah 48:1). BAAL-MEON - now Main, in ruins, situated on an eminence where was a temple of Baal (Joshua 13:17; Jeremiah 48:23), called also Beth-meon (Jeremiah 48:28). SHIBMAH or Shebam

28-42 Concerning the settlement of these tribes, observe, that they built the cities, that is, repaired them. They changed the names of them; probably they were idolatrous, therefore they should be forgotten. A spirit of selfishness, of seeking our own, not the things of Christ, when each one ought to assist others, is as dangerous as it is common. It is impossible to be sincere in the faith, sensible of the goodness of God, constrained by the love of Christ, sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost, and yet be indifferent to the progress of religion, and the spiritual success of others, through love of ease, or fear of conflict. Let then your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven....

Verse Numbers 32:38. _AND NEBO - THEIR NAMES BEING CHANGED_] That is, Those who conquered the cities called them after their own names. Thus the city _Kenath_, being conquered by _Nobah_, was called after his name, Numbers 32:42....

The Reubenites established themselves more compactly than the Gadites. Elcalch (el-’Al) a mile to the northeast; Nebo (Nebbeh) probably three miles to the southwest; Baal-meon (Main) nearly two miles to the south; Kirjathaim (Kureiyat?): and Shibmah, more properly Sibmah, famous at a later period for its vines (compare Isaiah 16:8), four miles east of Heshbon; all clustered round the old Amorite Capital. The Reubenites probably retained at the partition all these cities with the exception of Heshbon, which, passing to the Levites, were thenceforth reckoned as within the tribe of Gad. Neither the Reubenites nor the Gadites were “builders” in the sense of founders of the cities of which they thus took possession. They probably fortified them, for the first time or afresh, so as to render them places of safety for their families during th

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 NEBO, AND BAALMEON, (THEIR NAMES BEING CHANGED,).... For Nebo was the name of an idol, after which perhaps the city was called: Baalmeon signifies "Baal's habitation", and where it is highly probable was a temple of his; and the children of Reuben, not liking to retain such idolatrous names, gave them others, but what they were it is not said; and certain it is, that when these places came into the hands of the Moabites, their ancient names were restored to them, as appears from Isaiah 15:2 AND SHIBMAH; the same with Shebam, Numbers 32:3, and gave other names unto the cities which they built; but they are neither known, nor did they always continue, as has been observed....

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 LIST OF TOWNS BUILT ( OR REBUILT) BY GAD AND REUBEN. The towns here assigned to Reuben form a group within the territory of Gad, for the most northerly and the most southerly of the places named are Gadite: contrast Joshua 13:15. The rebuilding of the towns must be regarded as effected after the two tribes returned from the conquest of W. Canaan. NUMBERS 32:34. DIBON: the modern Dhî ban. ATAROTH: Attarû s, 9 miles NW. of Dibon. AROER: probably the place of that name on the Arnon (Joshua 13:16). Numbers 32:35. Atroth Shaphan: unknown. JOGBEHAH: the modern Ajbehâ t.

Many of these towns have been identified with some probability. But the list represents a tradition very different from that in Joshua 13:15-28 (P), and must be ultimately derived from an earlier source, though in its present form it was probably written by a priestly writer. In Joshua 13:15-28 Reuben occupies the position which is ordinarily represented on modern maps, on the south of Gad, the dividing line between them running east from about the northern point of the Dead Sea. But in the present passage Reuben's position is not so independent. Five of the six towns assigned to them in Numbers 32:37 are situated in a district about midway between the Jabbok and the Arnon, and lie _between_Gadite towns to t

_NUMBERS 32:38_. (_THEIR NAMES BEING CHANGED_)— The Israelites might judge it proper to change the names of these places, in order to abolish all the footsteps of idolatry in the country; though we find them still called by their ancient names, Joshua 13:17. Ezekiel 25:9 and Isaiah 15; Isaiah 16. Houbigant renders the latter clause of this verse, _and they gave their own names to the cities which they built._ It was the custom of the founders or rebuilders of towns to give their own names to those towns which they founded or rebuilt....