Numbers 32:36
Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Numbers 32:36
Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse doesn't just list fortified cities; it highlights that these strategic strongholds were built alongside simple "folds for sheep." It shows that these tribes were preparing for both defense against enemies and the practical needs of their pastoral life, balancing security with their livelihood.
This verse is part of a larger negotiation where the tribes of Reuben and Gad request to settle east of the Jordan River, away from the promised land of Canaan. Moses initially rebukes them for seeking their own ease while their brethren are still fighting for their inheritance, reminding them of their ancestors' disobedience. After they pledge to fight alongside their kin until the conquest is complete, Moses agrees to their request, and the text then lists the cities they fortified and built, including Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, for their families and livestock.
The tribes of Gad and Reuben secured a new home, but this wasn't just about claiming land. It was about building a future for their people.
The construction of 'fenced cities' like Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran wasn't merely about property acquisition. It was a strategic move to provide security for the families and 'little ones' who would inhabit this new territory.
Beyond protecting people, the building efforts also catered to their sustenance. What does this tell us about God's concern for our daily needs?
The inclusion of 'folds for sheep' alongside fortified cities reveals a holistic approach to settlement. It wasn't just about defense, but also about provision and livelihood.
Understand the original words
batsar · Hebrew Verb
A verb meaning to render a place secure against attack, typically by building walls or towers. In the Old Testament, it signifies the human effort to protect territory and resources granted by God.
gederah · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, these refer to organized groups of livestock, specifically sheep. They reflect the pastoral lifestyle of many Israelites and signify the provision of God through land and agricultural prosperity.
This verse shows the practical planning of the tribes of Gad and Reuben: they are securing defensible cities and livestock areas before the main Israelite conquest of Canaan is complete, fulfilling their agreement to aid their brothers.
c. 1405 BC
Israelites Cross the Jordan River
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, finally crossed the Jordan River into the promised land of Canaan.
c. 1405 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Following the Jordan crossing, the Israelites began their military campaign to conquer the land of Canaan, driving out its inhabitants.
c. 1405 BC— this verse
Tribes of Gad and Reuben Request East-Jordan Land
The tribes of Gad and Reuben, seeing the fertile lands east of the Jordan, approached Moses to settle there with their large flocks and herds, instead of crossing into Canaan.
c. 1405 BC
Moses Grants Land East of Jordan with Conditions
Moses agreed to let Gad and Reuben, and half of Manasseh, settle east of the Jordan, provided they first armed themselves and helped the other tribes conquer Canaan.
This verse identifies Beth-haran (often linked with Beth-nimrah) as part of the territory that was designated for the tribes of Israel, reinforcing its significance as a settled location.
1 Chronicles 5:9This passage highlights the expansive settlements and successful military endeavors of the Gadites, mirroring the fortified cities and secure locations mentioned in Numbers 32:36.
Deuteronomy 3:12This verse speaks to the allocation of land east of the Jordan to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, providing the broader context for why they were establishing cities and settlements like Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran in that region.
Numbers 32:16This verse directly quotes the promise of the Reubenites and Gadites to build cities for their families and folds for their sheep, making it a foundational promise that Numbers 32:36 describes the fulfillment of.
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 32:36: "And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep."
And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities,.... The first of these is the same with Nimrah, Numbers 32:3 , and the other is the same with Betharam, Joshua 13:27 , it is called in the Jerusalem Talmud (r), Bethramtha, and so by the Syrians, Bethramphta; and to the same place Herod gave the name of Livias or Julias (s): these cities the children of Gad built or repaired for their families: and folds for sheep; t…
This verse doesn't just list fortified cities; it highlights that these strategic strongholds were built alongside simple "folds for sheep." It shows that these tribes were preparing for both defense against enemies and the practical needs of their pastoral life, balancing security with their livelihood.
This verse is part of a larger negotiation where the tribes of Reuben and Gad request to settle east of the Jordan River, away from the promised land of Canaan. Moses initially rebukes them for seeking their own ease while their brethren are still fighting for their inheritance, reminding them of their ancestors' disobedience. After they pledge to fight alongside their kin until the conquest is complete, Moses agrees to their request, and the text then lists the cities they fortified and built, including Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, for their families and livestock.
This verse is part of a larger negotiation where the tribes of Reuben and Gad request to settle east of the Jordan River, away from the promised land of Canaan. Moses initially rebukes them for seeking their own ease while their brethren are still fighting for their inheritance, reminding them of their ancestors' disobedience. After they pledge to fight alongside their kin until the conquest is complete, Moses agrees to their request, and the text then lists the cities they fortified and built, including Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, for their families and livestock.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Numbers 32:36 is available in the Sola app.
c. 1405 BC
Gad and Reuben Build Cities and Folds
These tribes began fortifying cities like Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, and building sheepfolds, securing settlements for their families and livestock before joining the main conquest.
c. 1405 BC
Conquest of Canaan Continues
While Gad and Reuben secured their holdings, the remaining tribes fought to subdue the land of Canaan west of the Jordan.
"Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep." — This verse doesn't just list fortified cities; it highlights that these strategic strongholds were built alongside simple "folds for sheep." It shows that these tribes were preparing for both defense…