Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 32:17
17But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
Numbers 32:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
- New International Version (NIV)But we will arm ourselves for battle and go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them to their place. Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but we will take up arms, ready to go before the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
- New King James Version (NKJV)but we ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones will dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
Context of Numbers 32:17
15If you turn back from following him, he will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them.” 16Then they approached him and said, “We want to build sheep pens here for our livestock and cities for our dependents. But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has taken possession of his inheritance. 19Yet we will not have an inheritance with them across the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance will be across the Jordan to the east.”
Read all of Numbers 32Numbers 32:17 word by word
וַאֲנַ֜חְנוּ נֵחָלֵ֣ץ חֻשִׁ֗ים לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִם־הֲבִֽיאֹנֻ֖ם אֶל־מְקוֹמָ֑ם וְיָשַׁ֤ב טַפֵּ֙נוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַמִּבְצָ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֖י יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But we ourselvesאֲנַ֫חְנוּ'ănachnû · weH587
- will go readyחוּשׁchûsh · to hastenH2363
- armedחָלַץchâlats · to armH2502
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- until we have broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- them unto their placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- and our little onesטַףţaph · childH2945
- shall dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the fencedמִבְצָרmibtsâr mibtsârâh · fortificationH4013
- citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- becauseפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Numbers 32:17
- Numbers 32:29Moses told them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, every man in battle formation before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession.
- Deuteronomy 3:18“I commanded you at that time: The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All your valiant men will cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers the Israelites.
- Joshua 4:12The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh went in battle formation in front of the Israelites, as Moses had instructed them.
Commentaries on Numbers 32:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Because of the inhabitants of the land - These were the Ammonites, Moabites, Idumeans, and the remains of the Midianites and Amorites. But could the women and children even keep the defenced cities, when placed in them? This certainly cannot be supposed possible. Many of the men of war must of course stay behind. In the last census, Numbers 26, the tribe of Reuben consisted of 43,730 men; the tribe of Gad, 40,500; the tribe of Manasseh, 52,700; the half…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-27Verses 16-27 Here is the good effect of plain dealing. Moses, by showing their sin, and the danger of it, brought them to their duty, without murmuring or disputing. All men ought to consider the interests of others as well as their own; the law of love requires us to labour, venture, or suffer for each other as there may be occasion. They propose that their men of war should go ready armed before the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, and that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-19The Reubenites and Gadites assured Moses that they would not discourage their fellow Israelites and would support the war to its very end. There were still dangers east of the Jordan River, so they wanted to keep their livestock and families safe.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-196-19. Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here--Their language was ambiguous; and Moses, suspicious that this proposal was an act of unbelief, a scheme of self-policy and indolence to escape the perils of warfare and live in ease and safety, addressed to them a reproachful and passionate remonstrance. Whether they had really meditated such a withdrawal from all share in the war…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 32:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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