Numbers 32:20-32

Numbers 32:20-32

[20] And Moses  said  unto them, If ye will do  this thing,  if ye will go armed  before  the LORD  to war,  [21] 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 our cattle,  shall be there in the cities  of Gilead:  [27] But thy servants  will pass over,  every man armed  for war,  before  the LORD  to battle,  as my lord  saith.  [28] So concerning them Moses  commanded  Eleazar  the priest,  and Joshua  the son  of Nun,  and the chief  fathers  of the tribes  of the children  of Israel:  [29] And Moses  said  unto them, If the children  of Gad  and the children  of Reuben  will pass with you over  Jordan,  every man armed  to battle,  before  the LORD,  and the land  shall be subdued  before  you; then ye shall give  them the land  of Gilead  for a possession:  [30] But if they will not pass over  with you armed,  they shall have possessions  among  you in the land  of Canaan.  [31] And the children  of Gad  and the children  of Reuben  answered,  saying,  As the LORD  hath said  unto thy servants,  so will we do.  [32] We will  pass over  armed  before  the LORD  into the land  of Canaan,  that the possession  of our inheritance  on this side  Jordan 

What does Numbers 32:20-32 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

To preclude another Kadesh-barnea tragedy Moses commanded Reuben and Gad to go into battle with their brethren. If they would do this they could have their desired land after the fighting ended. Moses" concern was that the whole nation should enter the land and carry out God"s will by destroying the Canaanites. If after they did this these tribes wanted to live on the other side of the Jordan, that decision would not constitute an act of disobedience to God. Transjordan was part of the Promised Land, but most of the people God commanded the Israelites to destroy lived west of the Jordan River.
Moses then instructed his successor, Joshua , in the terms of this agreement. Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh committed themselves to fight alongside their brethren. This is the first mention of the half tribe of Manasseh. Its leaders were apparently not as aggressive in this plan as the leaders of Reuben and Gad were.