God’s Word Translation
Numbers 32:1
1The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a large number of livestock. They saw that the regions of Jazer and Gilead were a good place for livestock.
Numbers 32:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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;
- New International Version (NIV)The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very great number of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock,
Context of Numbers 32:1
The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a large number of livestock. They saw that the regions of Jazer and Gilead were a good place for livestock. 2So they came to Moses, the priest Eleazar, and the leaders of the community, and said to them, 3“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
Read all of Numbers 32Numbers 32:1 word by word
וּמִקְנֶ֣ה׀ רַ֗ב הָיָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֧י רְאוּבֵ֛ן וְלִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד עָצ֣וּם מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּרְא֞וּ אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ יַעְזֵר֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גִּלְעָ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמָּק֖וֹם מְק֥וֹם מִקְנֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Reubenרְאוּבֵןre'ûbên · ReubenH7205
- of Gadגָּדgâd · GadH1410
- had a veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- greatעָצוּם‛âtsûm ‛âtsûm · mightyH6099
- multitudeרַבrab · manyH7227
- of cattleמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
- and when they sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Jazerיַעְזֵרya‛ăzêyr ya‛zêr · JazerH3270
- of Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · GileadH1568
- that, behold, the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
Cross-references for Numbers 32:1
- Numbers 2:10“On the south side the armies led by Reuben will camp under their flag. The leader for the people of Reuben is Elizur, son of Shedeur.
- Numbers 26:5Reuben was Israel’s firstborn. The descendants of Reuben were the family of Hanoch, the family of Pallu,
- Genesis 29:32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben [Here’s My Son], because she said, “Certainly, the Lord has seen my misery; now my husband will love me!”
- Genesis 30:10Leah’s slave Zilpah gave birth to a son for Jacob.
- Numbers 32:3“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
- Numbers 21:32After Moses sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its cities and villages and forced out the Amorites who were there.
- Joshua 13:25Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half of Ammon as far as Aroer, which is by Rabbah.
- 2 Samuel 24:5They crossed the Jordan River and camped at Aroer, south of the city in the middle of the valley. Then they went to Gad and to Jazer.
- Isaiah 16:8The fields of Heshbon and the vineyards of Sibmah wither. Rulers of the nations have cut off their grapes. The grapevines ⌞once⌟ reached as far as Jazer and strayed out into the desert. Their shoots had spread out over the sea.
- Numbers 32:26Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our other animals will stay here in the cities of Gilead.
- Genesis 13:2Abram was very rich because he had livestock, silver, and gold.
- Genesis 47:4We have come to live in this land for a while. The famine is so severe in Canaan that there’s no pasture for our flocks. So please let us live in Goshen.”
- Jeremiah 50:19I will bring the people of Israel back to their pastures. They will eat on Mount Carmel and Mount Bashan. They will eat until they are full on the mountains of Ephraim and Gilead.
- Micah 7:14With your shepherd’s staff, take care of your people, the sheep that belong to you. They live alone in the woods, in fertile pastures. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead like before.
- 1 John 2:16Not everything that the world offers—physical gratification, greed, and extravagant lifestyles—comes from the Father. It comes from the world, and
Commentaries on Numbers 32:1
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Jazer - Compare the marginal reference. This district, although included in the land of Gilead, seems to have had special attractions for the Israelite settlers. All travelers in Gilead, the modern Belka, bear witness to its richness as compared with the country to the west of the Jordan. Its general character is that of an upland pasture, undulating and thickly timbered. In the last respect its northern portions excel its southern; but for fertility of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The tribes of Reuben and Gad request an inheritance on the east of Jordan. (1-5) Moses reproves the Reubenites and Gadites. (6-15) They explain their views, Moses consents. (16-27) They take possession of the land to the east of Jordan. (28-42) Verses 1-5 Here is a proposal made by the Reubenites and Gadites, that the land lately conquered might be allotted to them. Two things common in the world might lead these tribes to make this choice; the lust of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1very large herds and flocks: The Israelites had flocks and herds when they left Egypt (see Exodus 12:38). They gained more animals as plunder in the war with Midian (see Numbers 31:32–33). They might have also gained it in their victories over Sihon and Og (see 21:21–35). Gilead can refer to either the entire northern region of the plateau east of the Jordan River (for example, 32:29). It can also refer only to the land between the Jabbok River and the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-421-5. the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead--A complete conquest had been made of the country east of the Jordan, comprising "the land of Jazer," which formed the southern district between the Arnon and Jabbok and "the land of Gilead," the middle region between the Jabbok and Jarmouk, or Hieromax, including Bashan, which lay on the north of that river. The whole of this region is now called the Belka. It has always been famous for its rich and…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 32:1
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries