The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 32 -

(Deuteronomy 3:12–22; Joshua 13:8–14)

Nowe the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad had an exceeding great multitude of cattell: and they sawe the lande of Iazer, and the lande of Gilead, that it was an apt place for cattel.

Then the children of Gad, and the childre of Reuben came, and spake vnto Moses and to Eleazar the Priest, and vnto the princes of the Congregation, saying,

The land of Ataroth, and Dibon, and Iazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

Which countrey the Lord smote before the Congregation of Israel, is a lande meete for cattell, and thy seruants haue cattell:

Wherefore, said they, if we haue foud grace in thy sight, let this lande be giuen vnto thy seruants for a possession, and bring vs not ouer Iorde.

And Moses said vnto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren goe to warre, and ye tary heere?

Wherefore now discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel, to goe ouer into the lande, which the Lord hath giuen them?

Thus did your fathers when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the lande.

For when they went vp euen vnto the riuer of Eshcol, and sawe the land: they discouraged the heart of the childre of Israel, that they woulde not goe into the lande, which the Lord had giuen them.

And the Lordes wrath was kindled the same day, and he did sweare, saying,

None of the men that came out of Egypt from twentie yeere olde and aboue, shall see the land for the which I sware vnto Abraham, to Izhak, and to Iaakob, because they haue not wholly followed me:

Except Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenesite, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun: for they haue constantly followed the Lord.

And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and made them wander in the wildernesse fourty yeeres, vntill all the generation that had done euill in the sight of the Lord were consumed.

And behold, ye are risen vp in your fathers steade as an encrease of sinfull men, still to augment the fierce wrath of the Lord, toward Israel.

For if ye turne away from following him, he will yet againe leaue the people in the wildernesse, and ye shall destroy all this folke.

And they went neere to him, and said, We will builde sheepe foldes here for our sheepe, and for our cattell, and cities for our children.

But we our selues will be readie armed to go before the children of Israel, vntill we haue brought them vnto their place: but our childre shall dwell in the defenced cities, because of the inhabitants of the lande.

We will not returne vnto our houses, vntil the children of Israel haue inherited, euery man his inheritance.

Neither wil we inherite with them beyond Iorden and on that side, because our inheritance is fallen to vs on this side Iorden Eastwarde.

And Moses saide vnto them, If ye will doe this thing, and goe armed before the Lord to warre:

And will goe euery one of you in harnesse ouer Iorden before the Lord, vntill he hath cast out his enemies from his sight:

And vntill the land be subdued before the Lord, then ye shall returne and be innocent toward the Lord, and toward Israel: and this land shalbe your possession before the Lord.

But if ye will not doe so, beholde, ye haue sinned against the Lord, and be sure, that your sinne will finde you out.

Builde you then cities for your children and folds for your sheepe, and do that ye haue spoke.

Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake vnto Moses, saying, Thy seruats will doe as my lorde commandeth:

Our childre, our wiues, our sheepe, and al our cattell shall remaine there in the cities of Gilead,

But thy seruants will goe euery one armed to warre before the Lord for to fight, as my lorde saith.

So concerning them, Moses commanded Eleazar the Priest, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and the chiefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

And Moses said vnto them, If the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben, will go with you ouer Iorden, all armed to fight before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you, ye shall giue the the lad of Gilead for a possessio:

But if they will not goe ouer with you armed, then they shall haue their possessions amog you in the land of Canaan.

And the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said vnto thy seruants, so will we doe.

We will goe armed before the Lord into the lande of Canaan: that the possession of our inheritance may be to vs on this side Iorden.

So Moses gaue vnto them, euen to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to halfe the tribe of Manasseh the sonne of Ioseph, the kingdome of Sihon King of the Amorites, and the kingdome of Og King of Bashan, the lande with the cities thereof and coastes, euen the cities of the countrey round about.

Then the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

And Atroth, Shophan, and Iazer, and Iogbehah,

And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, defenced cities: also sheepe foldes.

And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,

And Nebo, and Baal-meon, and turned their names, and Shibmah: and gaue other names vnto the cities which they built.

And the children of Machir the sonne of Manasseh went to Gilead, and tooke it, and put out the Amorites that dwelt therein.

Then Moses gaue Gilead vnto Machir the sonne of Manasseh, and he dwelt therein.

And Iair the sonne of Manasseh went and tooke the small townes thereof, and called them Hauoth Iair.

Also Nobah went and tooke Kenath, with the villages thereof and called it Nobah, after his owne name.

(Deuteronomy 3:12–22; Joshua 13:8–14)

Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock. They saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead. Behold, the place was a place for livestock.

Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying,

“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,

the land which The LORD struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock.”

They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Don’t bring us over the Jordan.”

Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here?

Why do you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them?

Your fathers did so when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.

For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.

The LORD’s anger burned in that day, and he swore, saying,

‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me,

except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, because they have followed the LORD completely.’

The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation who had done evil in the LORD’s sight was consumed.

“Behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to increase the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all these people.”

They came near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones;

but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

We will not return to our houses until the children of Israel have all received their inheritance.

For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan eastward.”

Moses said to them: “If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before the LORD to the war,

and every one of your armed men will pass over the Jordan before the LORD until he has driven out his enemies from before him,

and the land is subdued before the LORD; then afterward you shall return, and be clear of obligation to the LORD and to Israel. Then this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.

Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth.”

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as my lord commands.

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock shall be there in the cities of Gilead;

but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says.”

So Moses commanded concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ households of the tribes of the children of Israel.

Moses said to them, “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed to battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession;

but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, “As the LORD has said to your servants, so will we do.

We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.”

Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan; the land, according to its cities and borders, even the cities of the surrounding land.

The children of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,

Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,

Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities and folds for sheep.

The children of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,

Nebo, and Baal Meon, (their names being changed), and Sibmah. They gave other names to the cities which they built.

The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein.

Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he lived therein.

Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its villages, and called them Havvoth Jair.

Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.