Numbers 32:6-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 32:1-15

Israel's tents were now pitched in the plains of Moab, where they continued many months, looking back upon the conquests they had already made of the land of Sihon and Og, and looking forward to Canaan, which they hoped in a little while to make themselves masters of. While they made this stand, and were at a pause, this great affair of the disposal of the conquests they had already made was here concerted and settled, not by any particular order or appointment of God, but at the special... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:6

And Moses said unto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben ,.... Being displeased with their motion, as his following discourse shows, it having at first sight an appearance of covetousness and cowardice: shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? it is not reasonable that your brethren should be left by you and engage in a war with your common enemies, to dispossess them of their land before they can settle in it and you remain here easy and quiet in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:7

Wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel .... Which he suggests it would, should they settle on that side Jordan, since they would lose the assistance of two of their tribes, even two thirds of one of their standards in fighting with their enemies and subduing their land; and besides it might be thought that this request of theirs not only proceeded from selfish views and a love of ease, which might set a bad example to others, but carried in it a distrust of ever being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:8

Thus did your fathers ,.... Meaning not particularly and only the fathers of these two tribes he was speaking to, but of them and the other tribes also, who acted much such a part; did not choose to go into the good land to possess it, when they were bid to do it, but were for sending spies first, which brought an ill report of it, and discouraged the people from going into it; the history of which Moses here gives: when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land ; called only Kadesh,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:9

For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol ,.... That is, when they went up the hill, for they were bid to go up into the mountain, and proceeded on into the country, until they came to the valley or brook, of Eshcol, so called from the cluster of grapes they there cut down, and brought along with them, Numbers 13:17 . and saw the land ; searching it for the space of forty days: they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel ; by telling them that there were giants in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:10

And the Lord's anger was kindled, the same time ,.... Against the spies that brought the ill report, and against all the people that were disheartened and murmured upon it, and which, above all things, was to be dreaded now: and he sware, saying ; as follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:11

Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upwards ,.... See Numbers 14:28 . shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob ; the land of Canaan, which at various times he sware to give to them, and to their posterity: because they have not wholly followed me ; the laws which he prescribed them, the directions he gave them, and particularly the orders they had to go up and possess the land at once, Deuteronomy 1:21 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:12

Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun ,.... See Numbers 14:30 , whether Caleb or Jephunneh is called the Kenezite is not so easy to determine; the latter rather seems to be most correct, for that Caleb should be called so from Kenaz the father of Othniel, who is said to be Caleb's brother seems not to be agreeable; since it is not likely that they were his own brothers, or Caleb would not have given his daughter to him; besides Jephunneh and not Kenaz is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:13

And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel ,.... For murmuring against the report of the spies: and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years ; for though it was but about thirty eight years from that time that they were in the wilderness, the round number of forty is given; and besides it includes the time of their first coming into it, which being reckoned, makes the complete number, within a few months: Kadesh, from whence the spies were sent, and whither they returned,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 32:14

And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead ,.... Succeeded them in their families, of which they were now the heads; and in their substance, their flocks, and herds; and he suggests also, in their manners amid evil dispositions: an increase of sinful men ; this new generation was greatly increased, for when the number was taken, as it was but a little before this time, they were pretty near the same number as of those that came out of Egypt; but then they were not only an... read more

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