God’s Word Translation
Numbers 32:20
20Moses answered, “Do what you have said. In the Lord’s presence have all your armed men get ready for battle.
Numbers 32:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war,
- New International Version (NIV)Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle
- English Standard Version (ESV)So Moses said to them, "If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Moses said to them: “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war,
Context of Numbers 32:20
18We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has received his own land. 19We won’t take possession of any land on the other side of the Jordan River, to the west and beyond. We already have our land here, east of the Jordan.” Moses answered, “Do what you have said. In the Lord’s presence have all your armed men get ready for battle. 21Have them cross the Jordan, and fight until the Lord forces out his enemies 22and the land is conquered. Then you may come back. You will have fulfilled your military duty to the Lord and Israel. This land will be your own property in the Lord’s presence.
Read all of Numbers 32Numbers 32:20 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה אִֽם־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּן אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה אִם־תֵּחָֽלְצ֛וּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, If ye will doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- if ye will go armedחָלַץchâlats · to armH2502
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- to warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
Cross-references for Numbers 32:20
- Deuteronomy 3:18I gave the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh this command: “The Lord your God has given you this land so that you can take possession of it. All your soldiers must be ready for battle when they cross ⌞the Jordan River⌟ ahead of the other Israelites.
- Joshua 1:13“Remember what the Lord’s servant Moses commanded you. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will give you this land—a place to rest.’
- Joshua 4:12The men of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh did as Moses had told them. They marched across in battle formation ahead of the people of Israel.
- Joshua 22:2He said to them, “You have done everything the Lord’s servant Moses commanded you. You have also obeyed me in everything I commanded you.
Commentaries on Numbers 32:20
- 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. 20-24Moses agreed to the terms offered by Reuben and Gad. If they helped their relatives fight the Canaanites, they would fulfill their part of the agreement. Then they could return to their settlements east of the Jordan River (32:22). If they did not keep their promise, it would be a serious sin against God (32:23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-3320-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--with sincerity and zeal. go before the Lord to war--The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course including those of Reuben and Gad, so that, literally, they passed…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 32:20
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
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