Numbers Chapter 32
The Moabites and the nomad tribes called Midianites had been defeated leaving Israel with a lot of livestock. The men of the tribes of Gad and Reuben looked at the land before their eyes and thought they would like to be assigned the land east of the Jordan River rather than an inheritance across the river. When they approached Moses with this idea he had two major concerns regarding this request. His first concern was that they were going to discourage the whole congregation of Israel from crossing into the promised land just like their fathers had done. Secondly, he was concerned that the men of this tribe would not assist the rest of Israel in conquering the promised land. There were many battles yet to be fought, and Moses knew that they would need all the men to fight those battles.
What we possibly (or probably) see here is the divine working of God because the fact that Israel would occupy the land on the east side of the Jordan River, it would provide a wall of defense for the entrance to the promised land.
Let's Reflect
1. Moses reminded the men of Reuben and Gad what their fathers had done in the past in discouraging the people from going in to possess the land. Ten men had reported that it would be too difficult to fight against the inhabitants of the land and the discouragement spread like wildfire amongst all the people. According to verse 10 what had been the response of the Lord when the people refused to enter the promised land?
2. According to verses 11-13 what was the judgement God declared on the previous generation of people who would not move forward in faith?
3. What did Moses tell the men of these two tribes would happen if they caused discouragement amongst all of Israel?
4. What promise did the men of these two tribes make to Moses?
5. Moses, hearing their promise made, gave the order to allow the two tribes to possess the land they requested. Moses gave this command to Eleazor the priest and to the man who would be the man leading the charge across the Jordan River. Who was that man?
6. They began to build cities in the land they now had been given permission to possess as their own. This assignment was given on trust that they would fulfill what promise?
7. What other tribe of Israel was given some of the land?
