Numbers 32:3
“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Numbers 32:3
“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This list isn't just a roll call of places; it's a subtle declaration. By naming these specific cities—all recently conquered from the Amorites—these tribes are staking their claim to territory outside the Promised Land, signaling their desire for a different inheritance than what God had planned for all Israel.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad, possessing vast herds, have discovered the fertile lands of Gilead and Jazer east of the Jordan River. They approach Moses with a request to settle these conquered territories, seeing them as ideal pastureland for their livestock, which complicates the Israelites' plans for crossing into the promised land of Canaan and dividing it among all the tribes.
Why did these two tribes immediately desire a specific territory?
The tribes of Reuben and Gad, possessing vast herds, saw the land east of the Jordan—specifically Jazer and Gilead—as ideal pasture. This wasn't just about finding land; it was about finding the right kind of land for their wealth and livelihood. Their desire was rooted in practicality and their economic reality as cattle owners.
This desire highlights a tension: their immediate, tangible needs versus the larger, God-given promise of the land of Canaan for all twelve tribes. Their focus on this fertile region, described as 'a place for cattle,' reveals how personal prosperity and perceived suitability could influence their sense of inheritance.
What's the significance of listing these nine towns?
The specific listing of these nine towns—Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon—is more than just a geographical inventory. These were cities and regions recently conquered from the Amorite kings Sihon and Og. They represented newly acquired territory, fertile and ripe for settlement.
This detailed enumeration serves to solidify the Reubenites' and Gadites' claim and desire for this specific area. It shows they weren't just eyeing empty fields but strategically identified settlements that could accommodate their growing families and their valuable livestock. It grounds their request in a tangible, conquered reality, marking the first step in their negotiation with Moses and the Israelites.
The specific cities mentioned in this verse were part of the territories conquered from the Amorites east of the Jordan, which the tribes of Reuben and Gad requested and were granted as their inheritance.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Enter the Promised Land
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites cross the Jordan River to conquer and settle the land of Canaan, as promised by God.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Sihon and Og
The Israelites defeat Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, seizing their lands east of the Jordan River.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Division of Land East of the Jordan
Moses grants the conquered territories of Sihon and Og to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half of Manasseh, in recognition of their service in battle.
c. 1400 BC
Settlement of the Transjordanian Tribes
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh establish their homes and build cities in the region east of the Jordan River, known as Gilead and Bashan.
This passage mirrors the situation by describing how the Israelites were instructed to bypass the lands of their relatives, the descendants of Esau, just as the tribes of Reuben and Gad were being granted territory east of the Jordan.
Joshua 1:12-15This passage details Moses' command to the Reubenites and Gadites to send their warriors to help conquer the land of Canaan before they could settle in their own assigned territory, highlighting the agreement made in Numbers 32.
Psalm 78:55-56This psalm reflects on the Israelites' journey, mentioning how God allotted lands to the tribes, which indirectly relates to the specific allocation of land east of the Jordan to Reuben and Gad.
1 Corinthians 10:11This New Testament verse uses the wilderness wanderings as an example for believers, and the decision of these tribes to settle east of the Jordan, potentially separating themselves, serves as a cautionary tale within that broader context.
calvinNumbers 32:1-42: "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 was a place for cattle;"
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:
Si videbunt homines qui ascenderunt ex AEgypto, a filio viginti armorum…
gillNumbers 32:3: "Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,"
Ataroth, Dibon, and Jazer,.... These were places which belonged to the Amorites, and were taken from Sihon, their king: of Ataroth we read nowhere else but in this chapter; of Dibon see Isaiah 15:2 , Jazer was a city, from whence the land about it had its name; it is the same with Jaazer, Numbers 21:32 and stood about fifteen miles from Heshbon (k), the capital city of the kingdo…
This list isn't just a roll call of places; it's a subtle declaration. By naming these specific cities—all recently conquered from the Amorites—these tribes are staking their claim to territory outside the Promised Land, signaling their desire for a different inheritance than what God had planned for all Israel.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad, possessing vast herds, have discovered the fertile lands of Gilead and Jazer east of the Jordan River. They approach Moses with a request to settle these conquered territories, seeing them as ideal pastureland for their livestock, which complicates the Israelites' plans for crossing into the promised land of Canaan and dividing it among all the tribes.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad, possessing vast herds, have discovered the fertile lands of Gilead and Jazer east of the Jordan River. They approach Moses with a request to settle these conquered territories, seeing them as ideal pastureland for their livestock, which complicates the Israelites' plans for crossing into the promised land of Canaan and dividing it among all the tribes.
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"“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon," — This list isn't just a roll call of places; it's a subtle declaration. By naming these specific cities—all recently conquered from the Amorites—these tribes are staking their claim to territory outsi…