Numbers 32:40

_AND MOSES GAVE GILEAD UNTO MACHIR THE SON OF MANASSEH; AND HE DWELT THEREIN._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

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....

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 GAVE GILEAD UNTO MACHIR THE SON OF MANASSEH,.... That is, to the children of Machir, who went and took it; though some say, as Aben Ezra observes, that Machir himself was now alive, and that it was given to him, but that is not probable; for, supposing him to be living when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, all that came from thence, who were twenty years old and upwards, died in the wilderness, excepting two, see Numbers 32:11, AND HE DWELT THEREIN; that is, the family of the Macharite; see Numbers 26:29....

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

THE SETTLEMENT OF CERTAIN MANASSITES IN GILEAD. This is a fragment relating to a period later than the Mosaic age. Machir was a Manassite clan, and Jair and Nobah (Numbers 32:41 f.) were probably subdivisions of Machir. Manasseh and Ephraim were at first established together on the W. of Jordan by Joshua (Joshua 17:14 f.), and any Manassite occupation of Gilead was probably subsequent to his time. NUMBERS 32:39. GILEAD: the name, here and in Numbers 32:40, is applied to the country between the Jabbok and the Jarmuk. Numbers 32:4

A later addition to the chapter. See prelim. note. In 1 Chronicles 2:21; 1 Chronicles 2:23 the possession of Gilead by Machir is expressed by saying that Machir was -the father of Gilead....

MOSES GAVE GILEAD UNTO MACHIR— i.e. to the _family_ or _posterity_ of Machir, as appears from the 1st verse; for Machir himself, being the son of Manasseh, must have been dead long ago. To this family _Moses gave Gilead, i.e._ half of mount Gilead; for the _other half_ was given to the sons of Reuben and Gad: Deuteronomy 3:12. Houbigant understands _Gilead_ to mean, not the country, but the city so named, which was the capital of the country, and which, he thinks, appears evidently to have been a city, from the words _and took it,_ Numbers 32:39 which, in the 41st and 42nd verses, are applied to the taking of cities, not countries....

I. CITIES BUILT OR TAKEN IN THE LAND vv. 34-42 TEXT Numbers 32:34. And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35. And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah, 36. And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced cities; and folds for sheep. 37. And the children of Reuben built Hesbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, 38. And Nebo, and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded. 39. And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it. 40. And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. 41. And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havorth-jair. 42. And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name. PARAPHRASE...

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....