Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

After the Israelites had made their exodus from Egypt, and after their forty years of wandering in the Sinai wilderness, the tribes of Israel were preparing to proceed west across the Jordan River into the "promised land" of Canaan.

At that point, the tribes of Gad and Reuben asked Moses to be allowed to remain on the east side of the river because the terrain on the east side was better suited to the large numbers of flocks and herds they possessed.

Moses was initially angered by this request, because he knew that, after the Jordan River would be crossed, Israel would be involved in extended warfare against the pagan nations inhabiting Canaan, and he viewed the request of Gad and Reuben as an attempt on their part to avoid taking part in the fighting that he knew was ahead.

His anger was placated when the tribes of Gad and Reuben collectively promised to actively participate in the upcoming fighting, as long as they would be allowed to permanently settle on the east side of the Jordan once the fighting was over, and the nations in Canaan had been completely conquered.

March 08 2025 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

leslie coutinho Supporter Working in the Gulf, State of kuwait as a Project Manager

Numbers 32:14: And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel.

When Abram departed, as the Lord spoke to him from his father's land, Lot came along with him. There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s and Lot’s cattle, Lot then chose the land of Jordan and Abram in the land of Canaan, where they went and dwelled. (Gen 12:4/13:7,11-12) The children of Reuben and children of Gad, whose forefathers were the Reubenites and the Gadites, were the sons of Leah and Zilpah, which is the land of Jordan today. (Gen 35:23/Deu 3:12) This tribe wanted to possess this land, for it was a place for cattle and did not want to go to the promised land. They did not want to go to the promised land, for they were scared that they would not be able to go up against the children of Anak, who were the giants there. (Nub 32:9/13:28,31)

This was the land where the Lord sent Moses up to Mount Abarim to see the land on the other side, which the “Lord had given to the children of Israel.” (Nub 27:12) Moses was commanded to send men of every tribe a ruler among them to search the land of Canaan. When they were sent and searched for the land and returned from exploring the land after forty days, they came to the congregation where Moses and Aaron were and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told them, “Surely this land floweth with milk and honey, but the ones who dwell there are the Anak’s, the giants.” Caleb from the tribe of Judah, and Oshea, who is called Joshua, from the tribe of Ephraim, who wholly followed the Lord, were the only ones ready to go to the promised land. They feared not when they saw the children of Anak, who were the giants in the land. (Num 13:2-3,6,8/32:12)

The Lord's anger was kindled against the children of Israel, as the children of Gad and the children of Reuben, who saw the land Jazer and the land of Gilead, who wanted to possess the land, a place for their cattle. For they did not want to go over Jordan with the rest of the tribes to battle into the promised land, and they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given. This led Moses' anger to be ignited, for if they turned away the Lord would leave them in the wilderness and destroy all the people. For the Lord had made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was to be consumed. (Nub 32:1,7,13-15/14:34)

Numbers 13:32: And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants therefore; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

March 14 2025 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report