mh_parser/vol_split/4 - Numbers/Chapter 32.xml

<div2 id="Num.xxxiii" n="xxxiii" next="Num.xxxiv" prev="Num.xxxii" progress="80.14%" title="Chapter XXXII">
<h2 id="Num.xxxiii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxiii-p1">In this chapter we have, I. The humble request of
the tribes of Reuben and Gad for an inheritance on that side Jordan
where Israel now lay encamped, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.1-Num.32.5" parsed="|Num|32|1|32|5" passage="Nu 32:1-5">ver.
1-5</scripRef>. II. Moses's misinterpretation of their request,
<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.6-Num.32.15" parsed="|Num|32|6|32|15" passage="Nu 32:6-15">ver. 6-15</scripRef>. III. Their
explication of it, and stating it aright, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.16-Num.32.19" parsed="|Num|32|16|32|19" passage="Nu 32:16-19">ver. 16-19</scripRef>. IV. The grant of their
petition under the provisos and limitations which they themselves
proposed, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.20-Num.32.42" parsed="|Num|32|20|32|42" passage="Nu 32:20-42">ver. 20</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxiii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.32" parsed="|Num|32|0|0|0" passage="Nu 32" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxiii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.1-Num.32.15" parsed="|Num|32|1|32|15" passage="Nu 32:1-15" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.32.1-Num.32.15">
<h4 id="Num.xxxiii-p1.7">The Request of the
Reubenites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiii-p2">1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of
Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the
land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place
<i>was</i> a place for cattle;   2 The children of Gad and the
children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the
priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,   3
Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and
Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,   4 <i>Even</i> the
country which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.1">Lord</span> smote before
the congregation of Israel, <i>is</i> a land for cattle, and thy
servants have cattle:   5 Wherefore, said they, if we have
found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants
for a possession, <i>and</i> bring us not over Jordan.   6 And
Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben,
Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?   7 And
wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from
going over into the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.2">Lord</span> hath given them?   8 Thus did your
fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
  9 For when they went up unto 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.3">Lord</span> had given them.   10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.4">Lord</span>'s anger was kindled the same time,
and he sware, saying,   11 Surely none of the men that came up
out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land
which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because
they have not wholly followed me:   12 Save Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have
wholly followed the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.5">Lord</span>.   13
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.6">Lord</span>'s anger was kindled
against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty
years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.7">Lord</span>, was consumed.   14
And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of
sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.8">Lord</span> toward Israel.   15 For if ye turn
away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the
wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p3">Israel's tents were now pitched in the
plains of Moab, where they continued many months, looking back upon
the conquests they had already made of the land of Sihon and Og,
and looking forward to Canaan, which they hoped in a little while
to make themselves masters of. While they made this stand, and were
at a pause, this great affair of the disposal of the conquests they
had already made was here concerted and settled, not by any
particular order or appointment of God, but at the special instance
and request of two of the tribes, to which Moses, after a long
debate that arose upon it, consented. For even <i>then,</i> when so
much was done by the extraordinary appearances of divine
Providence, many things were left to the direction of human
prudence; for God, in governing both the world and the church,
makes use of the reason of men, and serves his own purposes by
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p4">I. Here is a motion made by the Reubenites
and the Gadites, that the land which they had lately possessed
themselves of, and which in the right of conquest belonged to
Israel in common, might be assigned to them in particular for their
inheritance: upon the general idea they had of the land of promise,
they supposed this would be about their proportion. Reuben and Gad
were encamped under the same standard, and so had the better
opportunity of comparing notes, and settling this matter between
themselves. In the <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.1" parsed="|Num|32|1|0|0" passage="Nu 32:1">first
verse</scripRef> the children of Reuben are named first, but
afterwards the children of Gad (<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.2 Bible:Num.32.25 Bible:Num.32.31" parsed="|Num|32|2|0|0;|Num|32|25|0|0;|Num|32|31|0|0" passage="Nu 32:2,25,31"><i>v.</i> 2, 25, 31</scripRef>), either because the
Gadites made the first motion and were most forward for it, or
because they were the better spokesmen and had more of the art of
management, Reuben's tribe still lying under Jacob's sentence,
<i>he shall not excel.</i> Two things common in the world induced
these tribes to make this choice and this motion upon it, the
<i>lust of the eye</i> and the <i>pride of life,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.16" parsed="|1John|2|16|0|0" passage="1Jo 2:16">1 John ii. 16</scripRef>. 1. The <i>lust of the
eye.</i> This land which they coveted was not only beautiful for
situation, and pleasant to the eye, but it was good for food, food
for cattle; and they had a great multitude of cattle, above the
rest of the tribes, it is supposed because they brought more out of
Egypt, than the rest did; but that was forty years before, and
stocks of cattle increase and decrease in less time than that;
therefore I rather think they had been better husbands of their
cattle in the wilderness, had tended them better, had taken more
care of the breed, and not been so profuse as their neighbours in
eating the <i>lambs out of the flock</i> and the <i>calves out of
the midst of the stall.</i> Now they, having these large stocks,
coveted land proportionable. Many scriptures speak of Bashan and
Gilead as places famous for cattle; they had been so already, and
therefore these tribes hoped they would be so to them, and whatever
comes of it here they desire to take their lot. The judicious
Calvin thinks there was much amiss in the principle they went upon,
and that they consulted their own private convenience more than the
public good, that they had not such regard to the honour and
interest of Israel, and the promise made to Abraham of the land of
Canaan (strictly so called), as they ought to have had. And still
it is too true that many <i>seek their own things</i> more than the
<i>things of Jesus Christ</i> (<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.21" parsed="|Phil|2|21|0|0" passage="Php 2:21">Phil.
ii. 21</scripRef>), and that many are influenced by their secular
interest and advantage to take up short of the heavenly Canaan.
Their spirits agree too well with this world, and with the things
that are seen, that are temporal; and they say, "It is good to be
here," and so lose what is hereafter for want of seeking it. Lot
thus chose <i>by the sight of the eye,</i> and smarted for his
choice. Would we choose our portion aright we must look above the
things that are seen. 2. Perhaps there was something of the
<i>pride of life</i> in it. Reuben was the first-born of Israel,
but he had lost his birthright. Several of the tribes, and Judah
especially, had risen above him, so that he could not expect the
best lot in Canaan; and therefore, to save the shadow of a
birthright, when he had forfeited the substance, he here catches at
the first lot, though it was out of Canaan, and far off from the
tabernacle. Thus Esau sold his birthright, and yet got to be served
first with an inheritance in Mount Seir. The tribe of Gad descended
from the first-born of Zilpah, and were like pretenders with the
Reubenites; and Manasseh too was a first-born, but knew he must be
eclipsed by Ephraim his younger brother, and therefore he also
coveted to get precedency.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p5">II. Moses's dislike of this motion, and the
severe rebuke he gives to it, as a faithful prince and prophet.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p6">1. It must be confessed that <i>prima
facie—at first sight,</i> the thing looked ill, especially the
closing words of their petition: <i>Bring us not over Jordan,</i>
<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.5" parsed="|Num|32|5|0|0" passage="Nu 32:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. (1.) It seems
to proceed from a bad principle, a contempt of the land of promise,
which Moses himself was so desirous of a sight of, a distrust too
of the power of God to dispossess the Canaanites, as if a lot in a
land which they knew, and which was already conquered, was more
desirable than a lot in a land they knew not, and which was yet to
be conquered: one bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. There
seemed also to be covetousness in it; for that which they insisted
on was that it was convenient for their cattle. It argued likewise
a neglect of their brethren, as if they cared not what became of
Israel, while they themselves were well provided for. (2.) It might
have been of bad consequence. The people might have taken improper
hints from it, and have suggested that they were few enough, when
they had their whole number, to deal with the Canaanites, but how
unequal would the match be if they should drop two tribes and a
half (above a fifth part of their strength) on this side Jordan. It
would likewise be a bad precedent; if they must have the land thus
granted them as soon as it was conquered, other tribes might make
the same pretensions and claims, and so the regular disposition of
the land by lot would be anticipated.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p7">2. Moses is therefore very warm upon them,
which is to be imputed to his pious zeal against sin, and not to
any peevishness, the effect of old age, for his meekness abated
not, any more than his natural force. (1.) He shows them what he
apprehended to be evil in this motion, that it would discharge the
heart of their brethren, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.6-Num.32.7" parsed="|Num|32|6|32|7" passage="Nu 32:6,7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>. "What!" (says he, with a holy indignation at their
selfishness) "<i>shall your brethren go to war,</i> and expose
themselves to all the hardships and hazards of the field, and
<i>shall you sit here</i> at your ease? No, do not deceive
yourselves, you shall never be indulged by me in this sloth and
cowardice." It ill becomes any of God's Israel to sit down
unconcerned in the difficult and perilous concernments of their
brethren, whether public or personal. (2.) He reminds them of the
fatal consequences of the unbelief and faint-heartedness of their
fathers, when they were just ready to enter Canaan, as they
themselves now were. He recites the story very particularly
(<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.8-Num.32.13" parsed="|Num|32|8|32|13" passage="Nu 32:8-13"><i>v.</i> 8-13</scripRef>):
"<i>Thus did your fathers,</i> whose punishment should be a warning
to you to take heed of sinning after the similitude of their
transgression." (3.) He gives them fair warning of the mischief
that would be likely to follow upon this separation which they were
about to make from the camp of Israel; they would be in danger of
bringing wrath upon the whole congregation, and hurrying them all
back again into the wilderness (<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.14-Num.32.15" parsed="|Num|32|14|32|15" passage="Nu 32:14,15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>): "<i>You have risen up
in your fathers' stead</i> to despise the pleasant land and reject
it as they did, when we hoped you had risen up in their stead to
possess it." It was an encouragement to Moses to see what an
increase of men there was in these tribes, but a discouragement to
see that it was withal an increase of sinful men, treading in the
steps of their fathers' impiety. It is sad to see the rising
generation in families and countries not only no better, but worse
than that which went before it; and what comes of it? Why, <i>it
augments the fierce anger of the Lord;</i> not only continues that
fire, but increases it, and fills the measure, often till it
overflows in a deluge of desolation. Note, If men did but consider
as they ought, what would be the end of sin, they would be afraid
of the beginnings of it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Num.xxxiii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.32" parsed="|Num|32|0|0|0" passage="Nu 32" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxiii-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.16-Num.32.27" parsed="|Num|32|16|32|27" passage="Nu 32:16-27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.32.16-Num.32.27">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiii-p8">16 And they came near unto him, and said, We
will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our
little ones:   17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before
the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their
place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because
of the inhabitants of the land.   18 We will not return unto
our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man
his inheritance.   19 For we will not inherit with them on
yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen
to us on this side Jordan eastward.   20 And Moses said unto
them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.1">Lord</span> to war,   21 And will go
all of you armed over Jordan before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.2">Lord</span>, until he hath driven out his enemies from
before him,   22 And the land be subdued before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.3">Lord</span>: then afterward ye shall return, and
be guiltless before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.4">Lord</span>, and
before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.5">Lord</span>.   23 But if ye will not
do so, behold, ye have sinned against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.6">Lord</span>: 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.7">Lord</span> to battle, as my lord saith.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p9">We have here the accommodating of the
matter between Moses and the two tribes, about their settlement on
this side Jordan. Probably the petitioners withdrew, and considered
with themselves what answer they should return to the severe
reproof Moses had given them; and, after some consultation, they
return with this proposal, that their men of war should go and
assist their brethren in the conquest of Canaan, and they would
leave their families and flocks behind them in this land: and thus
they might have their request, and no harm would be done. Now it is
uncertain whether they designed this at first when they brought
their petition or no. If they did, it is an instance how often that
which is honestly meant is unhappily misinterpreted; yet Moses
herein was excusable, for he had reason to suspect the worst of
them, and the rebuke he gave them was from the abundance of his
care to prevent sin. But, if they did not, it is an instance of the
good effect of plain dealing; Moses, by showing them their sin, and
the danger of it, brought them to their duty without murmuring or
disputing. They object not that their brethren were able to contend
with the Canaanites without their help, especially since they were
sure of God's fighting for them; but engage themselves to stand by
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p10">I. Their proposal is very fair and
generous, and such as, instead of disheartening, would rather
encourage their brethren. 1. That their <i>men of war,</i> who were
fit for service, would go <i>ready armed before the children of
Israel</i> into the land of Canaan. So far would they be from
deserting them that, if it were thought fit, they would lead them
on, and be foremost is all dangerous enterprises. So far were they
from either distrusting or despising the conquest of Canaan that
they would assist in it with the utmost readiness and resolution.
2. That they would leave behind them their families and cattle
(which would otherwise be but the incumbrance of their camp), and
so they would be the more serviceable to their brethren, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.16" parsed="|Num|32|16|0|0" passage="Nu 32:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. 3. That they would not
return to their possessions till the conquest of Canaan was
completed, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.18" parsed="|Num|32|18|0|0" passage="Nu 32:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Their brethren should have their best help as long as they needed
it. 4. That yet they would not expect any share of the land that
was yet to be conquered (<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.19" parsed="|Num|32|19|0|0" passage="Nu 32:19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): "<i>We will not desire to inherit with them,</i>
nor, under colour of assisting them in the war, put in for a share
with them in the land; no, we will be content with our inheritance
on this side Jordan, and there will be so much the more on yonder
side for them."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p11">II. Moses thereupon grants their request,
upon consideration that they would adhere to their proposals. 1. He
insists much upon it that they should never lay down their arms
till their brethren laid down theirs. They promised to go armed
<i>before the children of Israel,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.17" parsed="|Num|32|17|0|0" passage="Nu 32:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. "Nay," says Moses, "you shall
go armed <i>before the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.20-Num.32.21" parsed="|Num|32|20|32|21" passage="Nu 32:20,21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>. It is God's cause more
than your brethren's, and to him you must have an eye, and not to
them only." <i>Before the Lord,</i> that is, before the ark of the
Lord, the token of his presence, which, it should seem, they
carried about with them in the wars of Canaan, and immediately
before which these two tribes were posted, as we find in the order
of their march, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.10 Bible:Num.2.17" parsed="|Num|2|10|0|0;|Num|2|17|0|0" passage="Nu 2:10,17"><i>ch.</i> ii. 10,
17</scripRef>. 2. Upon this condition he grants them this land for
their possession, and tells them they shall be <i>guiltless before
the Lord and before Israel,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.22" parsed="|Num|32|22|0|0" passage="Nu 32:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. They should have the land, and
neither sin nor blame should cleave to it, neither sin before God
nor blame before Israel; and, whatever possessions we have, it is
desirable thus to come guiltless to them. But, 3. He warns them of
the danger of breaking their word: "If you fail, you <i>sin against
the Lord</i> (<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p11.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.23" parsed="|Num|32|23|0|0" passage="Nu 32:23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), and not against your brethren only, and <i>be sure
your sin will find you out;</i>" that is, "God will certainly
reckon with you for it, though you may make a light matter of it."
Note, Sin will, without doubt, find out the sinner sooner or later.
It concerns us therefore to find our sins out, that we may repent
of them and forsake them, lest our sins find us out to our ruin and
confusion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p12">III. They unanimously agree to the provisos
and conditions of the grant, and do, as it were, give bond for
performance, by a solemn promise: <i>Thy servants will do as my
lord commandeth,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.25" parsed="|Num|32|25|0|0" passage="Nu 32:25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Their brethren had all contributed their assistance
to the conquest of this country, which they desired for a
possession, and therefore they owned themselves obliged in justice
to help them in the conquest of that which was to be their
possession. Having received kindness, we ought to return it, though
it was not so conditioned when we received it. We may suppose that
this promise was understood, on both sides, so as not to oblige all
that were numbered of these tribes to go over armed, but those only
that were fittest for the expedition, who would be most
serviceable, while it was necessary that some should be left to
till the ground and guard the country; and accordingly we find that
about 40,000 of the two tribes and a half went over armed
(<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Josh.4.13" parsed="|Josh|4|13|0|0" passage="Jos 4:13">Josh. iv. 13</scripRef>), whereas
their whole number was about 100,000.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Num.xxxiii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.28-Num.32.42" parsed="|Num|32|28|32|42" passage="Nu 32:28-42" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.32.28-Num.32.42">
<h4 id="Num.xxxiii-p12.4">Inheritance of the
Reubenites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p12.5">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiii-p13">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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p13.1">Lord</span>, 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
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p13.2">Lord</span> hath said unto thy servants, so
will we do.   32 We will pass over armed before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p13.3">Lord</span> into the land of Canaan, that the
possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan <i>may be</i>
ours.   33 And Moses gave unto them, <i>even</i> to the
children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the
tribe of Ephraim the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of
the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with
the cities thereof in the coasts, <i>even</i> the cities of the
country round about.   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 Heshbon, 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 <i>was</i> 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 Havoth-jair.   42 And
Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it
Nobah, after his own name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p14">Here, 1. Moses settles this matter with
Eleazar, and with Joshua who was to be his successor, knowing that
he himself must not live to see it perfected, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.28-Num.32.30" parsed="|Num|32|28|32|30" passage="Nu 32:28-30"><i>v.</i> 28-30</scripRef>. He gives them an estate
upon condition, leaving it to Joshua, if they fulfilled the
condition, to declare the estate absolute: "If <i>they will not go
over with you,</i>" he does not say "you shall give them no
inheritance at all," but "you shall not give them this inheritance
which they covet. If their militia will not come over with you,
compel the whole tribes to come over, and let them take their lot
with their brethren, and fare as they fare; <i>they shall have
possessions in Canaan,</i> and let them not expect that the lot
will favour them." Hereupon they repeat their promise to adhere to
their brethren, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.31-Num.32.32" parsed="|Num|32|31|32|32" passage="Nu 32:31,32"><i>v.</i> 31,
32</scripRef>. 2. Moses settles them in the land they desired. He
gave it to them for a possession, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.33" parsed="|Num|32|33|0|0" passage="Nu 32:33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. Here is the first mention of
the half tribe of Manasseh coming in with them for a share;
probably they had not joined with them in the petition, but, the
land when it came to be apportioned proving to be too much for
them, this half tribe had a lot among them, perhaps at their
request, or by divine direction, or because they had signalized
themselves in the conquest of this country: for the children of
Machir, a stout and warlike family, had taken Gilead and
dispossessed the Amorites, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.39" parsed="|Num|32|39|0|0" passage="Nu 32:39"><i>v.</i>
39</scripRef>. "Let them win it and wear it, get it and take it."
And, they being celebrated for their courage and bravery, it was
for the common safety to put them in this frontier-country.
Concerning the settlement of these tribes observe, (1.) They built
the cities, that is, repaired them, because either they had been
damaged by the war or the Amorites had suffered them to go to
decay. (2.) They changed the names of them (<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p14.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.38" parsed="|Num|32|38|0|0" passage="Nu 32:38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>), either to show their
authority, that the change of the names might signify the change of
their owners, or because their names were idolatrous, and carried
in them a respect to the dunghill-deities that were there
worshipped. Nebo and Baal were names of their gods, which they were
forbidden to make mention of (<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p14.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.13" parsed="|Exod|23|13|0|0" passage="Ex 23:13">Exod.
xxiii. 13</scripRef>), and which, by changing the names of these
cities, they endeavoured to bury in oblivion; and God promises to
take away the names of Baalim out of the mouths of his people,
<scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p14.7" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.17" parsed="|Hos|2|17|0|0" passage="Ho 2:17">Hos. ii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p15"><i>Lastly,</i> It is observable that, as
these tribes were now first placed before the other tribes, so,
long afterwards, they were displaced before the other tribes. We
find that they were carried captive into Assyria some years before
the other tribes, <scripRef id="Num.xxxiii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.15.29" parsed="|2Kgs|15|29|0|0" passage="2Ki 15:29">2 Kings xv.
29</scripRef>. Such a proportion does Providence sometimes observe
in balancing prosperity and adversity; he sets the one over-against
the other.</p>
</div></div2>