seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Numbers 32:1 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock. 2 So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon— 4 the land the Lord subdued before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. 5 If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.”
6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. 9 After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath: 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.
6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. 9 After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath: 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.
When I read these verses the first time, I thought the Reubenites and the Gadites were afraid of going into Canaan. The Israelites had been waiting for forty years to go into Canaan because the original scouts [with the exception of Caleb and Joshua] had been afraid of the giants living in Canaan. Now they had two battles under their belts. Were the Reubinites and the Gadites going to throw another wrench in the project?
This is the commentary from the easy English site.
The Israelites were approaching the country called Canaan from the south east. Already, they controlled much of the land east of the Jordan river. They were preparing to cross the Jordan river to enter the Promised Land.
However, Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe wanted to settle on the east side of the river. The Israelites had captured this land from King Og and King Sihon (Numbers 21:21-35). It had much grass, so it was good for cows and sheep.
So Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe came to Moses and the other leaders with this request.
But Moses was angry because these two tribes did not want to cross the river. He did not want to grant their request. If he granted it, the other tribes might not want to enter the Promised Land. He wanted all the tribes to be united and to enter the Promised Land together. Also, he thought that Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe were afraid to enter the Promised Land. He reminded them that the Israelites’ ancestors had been afraid to enter the Promised Land. God had given this land to them. So it was a serious sin to refuse to enter it. And God had punished the Israelites (Numbers chapter 14). Moses did not want this to happen again. So he refused the request of Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe.
However, Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe wanted to settle on the east side of the river. The Israelites had captured this land from King Og and King Sihon (Numbers 21:21-35). It had much grass, so it was good for cows and sheep.
So Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe came to Moses and the other leaders with this request.
But Moses was angry because these two tribes did not want to cross the river. He did not want to grant their request. If he granted it, the other tribes might not want to enter the Promised Land. He wanted all the tribes to be united and to enter the Promised Land together. Also, he thought that Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe were afraid to enter the Promised Land. He reminded them that the Israelites’ ancestors had been afraid to enter the Promised Land. God had given this land to them. So it was a serious sin to refuse to enter it. And God had punished the Israelites (Numbers chapter 14). Moses did not want this to happen again. So he refused the request of Reuben’s tribe and Gad’s tribe.
Apparently the grass is not always greener....
