Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names were changed), and Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities that they built.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss here is that the Israelites didn't just conquer and occupy these cities, they actively renamed them. This wasn't just about changing a label; it was a deliberate act to erase the memory of pagan gods like Nebo and Baal, replacing them with names that reflected their new identity in God.
Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names were changed), and Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities that they built.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the tribes of Reuben and Gad secure permission to settle east of the Jordan River, they actively build and rename cities they've conquered. This act of renaming, particularly for cities like Nebo and Baal-meon, serves to erase the idolatrous associations of their former names and establish a new identity for these settlements.
Have you ever felt the pull of old habits or even the lingering influence of things that don't align with your faith? The Israelites faced a similar challenge in the very names of the cities they conquered.
The text tells us that cities like Nebo and Baal-meon had their names changed. Why? Because these names were tied to pagan deities. Nebo was a Babylonian god, and Baal was a Canaanite deity. Retaining these names would have been a constant, dangerous reminder of the idolatry God had commanded Israel to destroy.
By giving these cities new names, the Israelites were actively participating in the process of spiritual cleansing. It wasn't just about renaming a place; it was about renaming their reality, pushing out the old gods and establishing the worship of the one true God.
This act signifies the importance of our environment and even our language in shaping our spiritual lives. When we face the lingering influences of sin or false beliefs, renaming them in our minds and hearts, by aligning them with God's truth, is a powerful step in reclaiming territory for righteousness.
Imagine settling into a new land after years of wandering. What legacy do you want to build? The Israelites weren't just conquering; they were establishing a new foundation.
The passage describes the tribes of Reuben and Gad not only taking cities but also 'giving other names unto the cities which they builded.' This isn't just about conquest; it's about building a future rooted in their identity as God's people.
When they built, they didn't just erect structures; they established new centers of life and worship. The act of renaming these cities was a way to declare their allegiance to God and to imprint His name and His story onto the land they now possessed. It was a physical manifestation of their faith and their commitment to leaving a legacy for generations to come.
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This reminds us that every structure we build, every venture we undertake, and every legacy we leave should be dedicated to God. Just as they built cities and renamed them, we are called to build our lives and families with intentionality, ensuring that God's name and purposes are central.
The act of renaming cities like Nebo and Baal-meon highlights the Israelites' deliberate effort to erase the memory of the pagan deities worshipped by the former inhabitants, marking a spiritual conquest alongside the military one.
c. 1406 BC
Israel enters the Promised Land
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites under Joshua cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of Canaan, as promised by God to Abraham centuries earlier.
c. 1406 BC
Tribes request land east of Jordan
The tribes of Reuben and Gad, possessing large herds, see the fertile lands east of the Jordan River and ask Moses if they can settle there instead of crossing into Canaan proper.
c. 1406 BC
Moses grants conditional possession
Moses agrees to let Reuben and Gad settle east of the Jordan, provided their men help the other tribes conquer Canaan before they return to their new homes.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Reuben and Gad build cities
The tribes of Reuben and Gad fulfill their agreement by building fortified cities and sheepfolds in the land they have been granted east of the Jordan River.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan completed
The remaining tribes, with the assistance of Reuben and Gad, successfully conquer the land of Canaan and prepare for its division and inheritance.
c. 1399 BC
Division of Canaan's inheritance
The land of Canaan west of the Jordan is divided among the remaining tribes, while Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh possess their allotted lands to the east.
This verse directly supports the idea that the Israelites changed the names of cities dedicated to pagan gods to avoid even the mention of their names, as suggested by the commentary on Numbers 32:38.
Joshua 13:17This passage shows that, despite the initial name changes mentioned in Numbers 32:38, some of these cities later reverted to their original names, highlighting the ongoing tension between Israelite faith and surrounding idolatry.
Jeremiah 48:23This prophecy against Moab mentions Baal-meon, indicating that the original names, or variations thereof, were in use again at a later period, further illustrating the shifting cultural and religious landscape.
Isaiah 15:2This prophecy also references Moabite cities, some of which are linked to Baal-meon, suggesting that the names of places, and the deities they represented, had a complex history of use and renaming.
1 Corinthians 10:14This New Testament verse offers a parallel principle of 'fleeing from idolatry,' which aligns with the motivation behind changing the names of these cities to remove any association with pagan worship.
wesleyNumbers 32:38: "And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded."
32:38 Their names changed - Either because conquerers of places used to do so: or because the names of other Gods (which Nebo and Baal - meon unquestionably were) were not to be mentioned, Exo 23:13.
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…
What's easy to miss here is that the Israelites didn't just conquer and occupy these cities, they actively renamed them. This wasn't just about changing a label; it was a deliberate act to erase the memory of pagan gods like Nebo and Baal, replacing them with names that reflected their new identity in God.
After the tribes of Reuben and Gad secure permission to settle east of the Jordan River, they actively build and rename cities they've conquered. This act of renaming, particularly for cities like Nebo and Baal-meon, serves to erase the idolatrous associations of their former names and establish a new identity for these settlements.
After the tribes of Reuben and Gad secure permission to settle east of the Jordan River, they actively build and rename cities they've conquered. This act of renaming, particularly for cities like Nebo and Baal-meon, serves to erase the idolatrous associations of their former names and establish a new identity for these settlements.
"Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names were changed), and Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities that they built." — What's easy to miss here is that the Israelites didn't just conquer and occupy these cities, they actively renamed them. This wasn't just about changing a label; it was a deliberate act to erase the…
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Last reviewed October 2026