Jephthah the Ninth Judge

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Judges 10:1) And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in Mount Ephraim.

In the last chapter and post, Abimelech, the son of Gideon's concubine, set himself up as a king in Israel, but after three years, he was killed.  After his death, God raised up Tola, son of Puah, grandson of Dodo, to defend and deliver Israel.  He was from the tribe of Issachar, but as judge, he dwelt in Shamir in Mount Ephraim.

(2) And he judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

Tola was judge of Israel for twenty-three years, and it can be assumed that the land was at rest during this time.  He eventually died and was buried in Shamir.

(3) And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and he judged Israel twenty-two years.

After Tola died, God raised up Jair from the land of Gilead on the east side of the Jordan River.  He judged Israel for twenty-two years.  It is reasonable to assume that the land was at rest during this time, as well.

(4) And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities which are called Havoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

Jair had thirty sons who probably rode on white donkeys (Judges 5:10), acting as circuit judges.  It appears that Jair gave each of his sons a city in the land of Gilead, and the thirty cities were called Havoth Jair, meaning the villages of Jair.

(5) And Jair died and was buried in Camon.

After twenty-two years as judge, Jair died and was buried in Camon, a city in Gilead.

(6) And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord and did not serve Him.

After Jair died, the children of Israel once again turned to evil ways and served a multitude of false gods, forsaking their Lord God and not serving Him.

(7) And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

The anger of the Lord grew hot against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites.

(8) And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel, eighteen years, all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

That year the Philistines and the Ammonites began oppressing the Israelites for the next eighteen years.  Or perhaps what is meant is that by that present time, the Philistines and the Ammonites had been oppressing the Israelites for eighteen years.  It appears that the Israelites who were oppressed were the ones living on the east side of the Jordan River, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

(9) Moreover, the children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was sorely distressed.

The Ammonites also crossed over to the west side of the Jordan River to fight against the Israelites in the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim.  All of Israel became severely distressed.

(10) And the children of Israel cried to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against You, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim."

The Israelites then cried out to the Lord, acknowledging that they had sinned against Him, in forsaking the worship of Him and going to serve the Baals.

(11) And the Lord said to the children of Israel, "Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? (12) The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you, and you cried to Me, and I delivered you out of their hand."

The Lord reminded the children of Israel how many times He had delivered them from their enemies.  Every time they cried out to Him, He delivered them from the hands of their enemies.

(13) "Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will deliver you no more."

After all the many times the Lord had delivered them from their enemies, they still forsook Him and served multiple false gods.  Therefore, He determined not to deliver them from their enemies anymore.  What a scary thought!  To never again have salvation from the Lord God!

(14) "Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation."

God fittingly told them to go cry to the gods they had chosen.  Perhaps it would be a more well-remembered lesson if they saw that their feeble false gods could not deliver them from their tribulation.

(15) And the children of Israel said to the Lord, "We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to You; only deliver us, we pray, this day."

The Israelites acknowledged their sins before God and asked that He inflict on them whatever punishment He thought appropriate, but to please deliver them from their enemies.

(16) And they put away the strange gods from among them and served the Lord, and His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

In addition, the Israelites immediately put away all their false gods and began serving only their Lord God.  The Lord, seeing their true repentance, looked upon His people with love and mercy.

(17) Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together and encamped in Mizpeh.

Then the Ammonites gathered together and camped in Gilead on the eastern side of the Jordan River.  The Israelites gathered together and camped in Mizpeh, which appears to be a place on the eastern side of the Jordan.  Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, wrote that it was usually written as "The Mizpeh" and it meant "watch tower" or "lookout" and was located on Mount Gilead.

(18) And the people, princes of Gilead, said to one another, "What man who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon, he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."

The leaders of the Israelites in Gilead had assembled together but did not have a commander.  They decided among themselves that whatever man would set out to fight against the Ammonites, he would naturally become their head leader or commander.

(Judges 11:1) Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot, and Gilead begat Jephthah.

There was a man named Jephthah who was a Gileadite from the line of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.  It seems Jephthah's father was also named Gilead, and Jephthah was the son of that Gilead and a harlot.  He was apparently known as a mighty man of valor. 

(2) And Gilead's wife bore him sons, and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah and said to him, "You shall not inherit in our father's house for you are the son of a strange woman."

Gilead's wife had borne him sons and when they grew up, they kicked Jephthah out of their father's house and said that he would never inherit anything of their father's because he was the son of someone other than their mother, Gilead's wife.

(3) Then Jephthah fled from his brethren and dwelt in the land of Tob, and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah and went out with him.

Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in a place called Tob or perhaps it was a land belonging to a man called Tob.  There men gathered themselves to Jephthah and went around with him.  They are called vain men, the original word being "rake" meaning empty or worthless.  I don't know that they were worthless in the sense they were bad men, but they were probably poor men with no real purpose in life.

(4) And it came to pass in process of time that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.  

It was during this time that the Ammonites made war against the Israelites.

(5) And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob. (6) And they said to Jephthah, "Come and be our captain that we may fight with the children of Ammon."

When the Ammonites had made war with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah in the land of Tob and asked him to go back with them to be captain over them and fight against the Ammonites.

(7) And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me and expel me out of my father's house? And why are you come to me now when you are in distress?"

Jephthah asked the elders why they now wanted him back in their time of distress when they had once hated him and expelled him out of his father's house.

(8) And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "Therefore we turn again to you now that you may go with us and fight against the children of Ammon and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."

They were in agreement that they had acted that way against him, but they now came to him with full confidence and asked that he lead them against the Ammonites and actually be the head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

(9) And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them before me, shall I be your head?"

Jephthah asked the elders that if they brought him back home to fight against the Ammonites and the Lord indeed delivered them into his hand, would they make him head over them, meaning not just captain of their army, but chief ruler over them.

(10) And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The Lord be witness between us if we do not so according to your words."

The elders of Gilead agreed that Jephthah would indeed be their ruler, and the Lord was their witness that they had agreed to do what he had said.

(11) Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them, and Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.

Jephthah went back with the elders of Gilead where the people made him head and captain over them.  It appears that Jephthah confirmed his plans to the Lord in prayer to be sure he was acting within the will of the Lord.

(12) And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, "What have you to do with me that you are come against me to fight in my land?"

Jephthah then sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and speaking as Israel's ruler, asked why they were invading his land and making war against his people.

(13) And the king of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt from Arnon even to Jabbok and to Jordan; now therefore restore those again peaceably."

The king of Ammon sent a message back that he sought to fight against Israel because they had taken his land from the River Arnon to the Jabbok River to the Jordan River from him when they came from Egypt.  This map borrowed from Bible History shows the rivers in Old Testament Israel, and the Ammonite king's land is clearly visible by the above description:

The king told Jephthah to restore his lands peaceably.

(14) And Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon, (15) And said to him, "Thus says Jephthah, 'Israel did not take away the land of Moab nor the land of the children of Ammon, (16) But when Israel came up from Egypt and walked through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh, (17) Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, "Let me, I pray you, pass through your land," but the king of Edom would not hearken. And in like manner, they sent to the king of Moab, but he would not, and Israel abode in Kadesh.'"

Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of Ammon telling him that Israel had not taken away the land of Moab or the land of Ammon.  He explained how Israel had come from Egypt and in order to get to the land of Canaan, they sent messengers to the king of Edom asking permission to cross through the land of Edom (Numbers 20:17), but the king had refused them passage.  Likewise, the king of Moab would not allow them passage (Deuteronomy 2:30).  Therefore the children of Israel abode in Kadesh and did not attempt to force their way through either country.

(18) "'Then they went along through the wilderness and compassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab and came by the east side of the land of Moab and pitched on the other side of Arnon but did not come within the border of Moab for Arnon was the border of Moab.'"

Jephthah's messengers continued with the words of Jephthah explaining how the Israelites then went around Edom and Moab and camped on the east side of Moab on the other side of their border at the Arnon River (Numbers 21:13).

(19) "'And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, "Let us pass, we pray you, through your land into our place." (20) But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his coast, but Sihon gathered all his people together and pitched in Jahaz and fought against Israel.'"

Israel had then sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, in Heshbon, the royal city, and asked that they be allowed to pass through his land to get to their land in Canaan.  However, Sihon refused, and then gathered his people to fight against Israel (Numbers 21:23).

(21) "'And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they killed him, so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.'"

It was Sihon who instigated war against Israel, and the Lord delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of the Israelites so that being victors in the war, they lawfully possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country at that time.

(22) "'And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even to Jabbok and from the wilderness even to Jordan.'"

Therefore the Israelites possessed all the land of the Amorites from the Jabbok to the Arnon River, north to south, and from the Arabian wilderness to the Jordan River, east to west.

(23) "'So now the Lord God of Israel has dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel, and should you possess it?'"

Jephthah summed up his words in his message to the king of Ammon, saying that since the Lord God of Israel had lawfully dispossessed the Amorites from their land and had given it to His people Israel, could he, the Ammonite king, really expect to possess it?

(24) "'Will you now possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them we will possess.'"

Jephthah's message went on to say that although the Ammonites believed that because they had been given that land by their false god Chemosh, and they had a divine right to the land and should never have to relinquish it, Jephthah's claim was that whomever their Lord God of Israel drove out from before them was Israel's to rightfully possess.

(25) "'And now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, (26) While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that are along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? Why therefore did you not recover them within that time?'"

Jephthah posed the question of whether this king of Ammon thought he was better and wiser than his predecessor Balak, the son of Zippor, who had been the king of Moab and the former possessor of the land that the Israelites took from Sihon.  Balak had never assumed claim or entered into any dispute or war over the land Israel had possessed and inhabited which they had now inhabited for almost 300 years.  Why had he not put in his claim sooner and tried to recover the land before this time?

(27) "'Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me; the Lord the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.'"

Having explained the history of the disputed land, Jephthah pointed out that he and Israel had not sinned against the king of Ammon and his people, but the king was wrong in commencing a war with Israel when he had no just cause.  Therefore he called on the Lord God of Israel, the righteous Judge of all the earth, to be judge between Israel and the Ammonites and give victory to the party which was right.

(28) However, the king of the children of Ammon did not heed the words of Jephthah which he sent them.

However, the king of Ammon was not moved by the words of Jephthah which had been sent by messenger to him, nor did he regard the appeal Jephthah had made to the Lord God of the universe.

(29) Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over to the children of Ammon.

The Spirit of the Lord came over Jephthah and led him to pass over Gilead and Manasseh, the countries that belonged to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.  He also passed over Mizpeh in Gilead where the Israelites had originally camped against the Ammonites in Gilead (Judges 10:17) and where Jephthah had been made head and captain over the Israelites (Judges 11:11).  From there Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord.

(30) And Jephthah vowed a vow to the Lord, and said, "If You shall without fail deliver the children of Ammon into my hands, (31) Then it shall be that whatever comes forth of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."

Jephthah then vowed a vow to the Lord.  Although he had seemed assured of the justness of his cause, he appears to have had some doubt about his success, and he felt the need to make a tragic vow.  He vowed that if the Lord delivered the Ammonites into his hands, then he would offer up as a burnt offering to the Lord whatever came forth out of the door of his house to meet him when he returned from a victorious war with the Ammonites.  This seems to be a very rash, ill-considered vow, coming forth from a level of doubt or fear, as logically, what would come out of his house to meet him other than a loved one?  A dog, perhaps?  But unlikely.

(32) So Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his hands. (33) And he struck them from Aroer, even till you come to Minnith, twenty cities, and to the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

Of course, the Lord delivered the Ammonites into Jephthah's hand!  He was the one who led Jephthah to the Ammonites (verse 29).  He and his army struck the Ammonites all across their country, twenty cities and the plain, in a great slaughter, and the Ammonites were fully subdued before the Israelites.

(34) And Jephthah came to Mizpeh to his house, and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances, and she his only child; besides her, he had neither son nor daughter.

Of course, Jephthah's daughter would run out to meet her father!  What had Jephthah been thinking when he vowed his vow?  Perhaps he expected a servant whom he was willing to sacrifice.  Apparently, it was a custom for women to go out to meet returning conquerors with musical instruments, songs, and dances.  There would have been a group of women, so any one of them could have come out first.  But it was his daughter who came out first to meet him, dancing with tambourines.  She was his only child.

(35) And it came to pass, when he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are one of them who troubles me, for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back!"

When Jephthah saw it was his only daughter who came out to meet him first, he tore his clothes in a sign of grief and anguish.  He told his daughter how much it grieved and troubled him to see her because he had opened his mouth in a rash vow concerning her, and he could not go back on his word to the Lord.  Actually, in truth, I believe he could have.  Child sacrifice was never acceptable to the Lord.  Even when the Lord tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son, once Abraham had proved his faith in the Lord, the Lord provided another sacrifice.  It would have been a great sin for Jephthah to go back on his word to the Lord, but I believe it was equally great a sin for him to kill his daughter, a sacrifice God never wanted.  However, the Lord knows the heart of man, and I'm sure he judged Jephthah righteous because he put his Lord first.  But what a tragic loss of an innocent life!  I believe this incident was meant as a lesson for us about the consequences of impulsive vows.  Making a vow to the Lord is a very serious matter, and it should only be made after serious consideration.  Words carry great power and moral responsibility, most especially words to our Lord God.  Actually, Jesus said:

"...you have heard that it has been said by those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord your oaths,' but I say to you, 'Swear not at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne, nor by the earth for it is His footstool, neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great King...But let your communication be 'Yes' for yes, and 'No' for no, for whatever is more than these comes of evil." (Matthew 5:33-35,37)

Jesus said not to swear a vow at all because any more than "yes" or "no" came from evil, or the evil one, the devil, as he would have one swear a vow as Jephthah did so that an innocent life be destroyed, because his purposes are only to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).

(36) And she said to him, "My father, you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, forasmuch as the Lord has taken vengeance for you of your enemies of the children of Ammon."

Jephthah's daughter, in remarkable submission and obedience to her father and great reverence for the Lord, agreed that her father must do as he had vowed to the Lord because the Lord had given him victory over the Ammonites as he had asked of Him.  She willingly consented to his vow.

(37) And she said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months that I may go up and down on the mountains and bewail my virginity, I and my companions."

She only asked that her father give her two months to mourn the fact that she would die unmarried and childless.  She wished for time to go up and down the mountains, probably first telling her friends she would pass on the way about her coming demise, and then perhaps they would accompany her as she bewailed her virginity.

(38) And he said, "Go." And he sent her away two months, and she went with her companions and bewailed her virginity on the mountains.

Jephthah granted his daughter's request and sent her away for two months.  She went with her companions and friends and bewailed on the mountains the fact that she would die a virgin, unmarried and childless.

(39) And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned to her father who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed, and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, (40) The daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

At the end of two months Jephthah's daughter returned to her father, and he did with her according to his vow, "and she knew no man."  Some Biblical scholars take this to mean Jephthah did not actually sacrifice his daughter, but gave her to the Lord or dedicated her to the Lord.  The verse did not state specifically that Jephthah offered her as a burnt sacrifice as was his vow (verse 31), but states that she was a virgin.  And Jephthah was listed as one of the heroes of faith in Hebrews (Hebrews 11:32).  However, because God did not approve of human sacrifice, I'm sure that act was not the object of his faith that made him one of the heroes of faith.  I believe he was listed for his faith because he did as the Lord directed him (verse 29) and delivered Israel, and it was despite his tragic vow.  The Lord would have delivered Israel, regardless.  However, as stated before, God knows the heart of man, and Jephthah's was purely toward his Lord and above his only daughter, if he did indeed sacrifice her.  Why wouldn't God have stopped Jephthah from sacrificing his daughter as he had stopped Abraham?  Well, the main reason is that God had told Abraham to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22:2).  He did no such thing in this case.  This was the sole doing of Jephthah.  If it seems cruel to allow an innocent young woman to be killed because of her father's rash vow, we must realize that if she was indeed innocent, then she was faithful in fulfilling her purpose in life, as providing an important everlasting lesson in the Bible, and she forever resides with Jesus.

Review of Conquest of Og and Distribution of the Conquered Land

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 3:1) “Then we turned and went up the way to Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei."

In the past couple of chapters and posts, Moses has been relating the history of the Israelites in the wilderness that had brought them to this point.  At the end of the last chapter he had spoken about how they had conquered Sihon.  Now he began the retelling of the events leading to the conquest of Og.  They turned from the kingdom of Sihon and went toward Bashan.  Og the king of Bashan and all his people came out against the Israelites to battle at Edrei, a city in his kingdom.  Following is a map of the kingdoms of Sihon and Og found here in Wikipedia:

(2) “And the LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into your hand; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’"

The Lord told Moses at the time not to fear Og who had come out against Israel, for He would deliver Og, his people, and his land into the hands of the children of Israel.  The Israelites would defeat Og just as they had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites.

(3) “So the LORD our God also delivered into our hands Og king of Bashan, and all his people, and we struck him until none was left remaining to him."

The Lord indeed delivered Og and all his people into their hands.  The Israelites killed them all so that none remained alive; see Numbers 21:35.

(4) “And we took all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them, sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan."

The Israelites took all the cities in the kingdom of Og, sixty cities in all, all the region of Argob, which was a district in Bashan; there was not a single city that they did not seize from Og.

(5) “All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars, besides a great many unwalled towns."

All the cities of Bashan that the Israelites took were cities well fortified with high walls, gates, and bars.  These were besides the small towns and villages in the land.

(6) “And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city."

Moses related that the children of Israel had utterly destroyed Og and his people, just as they had destroyed Sihon, utterly destroying all the men, women, and children, of every city.

(7) "But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves."

However, they did not destroy the livestock, but kept them for themselves, as well as the spoil of the cities.

(8) “And at that time we took the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were on this side of the Jordan, from the river of Arnon to Mount Hermon, (9) (Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir); (10) All the cities of the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan."

Moses related that at that time they had taken the land from two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, that were on their current side of the Jordan River, from the Arnon River, the southern border of the land of Sihon, to Mount Hermon in the north.  Verse 9 is a parenthetical statement that tells that Hermon was also called Sirion by the Sidonians, and called Shenir by the Amorites.  They took all the cities in the plain, the cities surrounding Mount Gilead, and all of Bashan, to Salchah in the east, and Edrei and beyond, as seen in the map above.

(11) “For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length and four cubits its breadth, after the standard cubit of a man."

A sort of parenthetical statement is made about Og.  He had been the last of the giants that were mentioned in the previous chapter, the Emim and Zamzummim, who had once possessed the land of the Moabites and Ammonites.  In explanation of how big he was, Moses remarked he had an iron bed, apparently needed to hold his massive frame.  It was in Rabbath, in Ammonite territory, apparently carried there either to save it or perhaps as a trophy.  It was 13.5 feet long and six feet wide, according to the standard cubit of a man; apparently a "king's cubit" was longer.

(12) “And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the River Arnon, and half the mountains of Gilead and its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites."

The land that the Israelites took possession of at that time extended from Aroer by the Arnon River on the border of Moab, land taken from Sihon, to Mount Gilead and its cities which were taken from Og.  Moses gave the land taken from Sihon and half the mountain and cities of Gilead to the Reubenites and the Gadites, per their request in Numbers 32.

(13) "And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh, all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants."

The other half of Mount Gilead with its cities, which included all the region of Argob (v. 4), with all Bashan, which had been called the land of giants (Og apparently being the last), Moses gave to the half tribe of Manasseh.  Below is a map found at FreeBibleImages.org, specifically at http://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/joshua-altar/, that shows the land of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, east of the Jordan River:

(14) “Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob to the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashan Havoth Jair, to this day."

Jair, the son of Manasseh, took all the country of Argob to the coasts of Geshur and Maachah, shown in the first map above.  He called it Bashan Havoth Jair, which literally meant "Bashan, villages of Jair".  At first I wondered which map was imprecise, as the western border of Jair's land in the map immediately above doesn't exactly match the territory of Og in the first map.  Then I read that the exact position of Maachah and of Geshur cannot be ascertained.

(15) "And I gave Gilead to Machir."

Moses gave Gilead to Machir, another son of Manasseh, or perhaps more precisely to the Machirites, his descendants.  This map which I cut from a larger map found here at BibleQ, shows Gilead to be the southern portion of the half tribe Manasseh that settled on the eastern side of the Jordan.

(16) “And to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave from Gilead to the river Arnon half the valley, and the border to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; (17) The plain also, and Jordan, and its coast, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdoth Pisgah eastward."

To the tribes of Reuben and Gad Moses stated he gave land from Gilead to half the valley of the Arnon River.  The original word "nachlah" translated as "valley" usually more often means "stream or river" or the like.  A valley is the middle of a river, but in this case, most Biblical scholars agree that the middle (or half) meant in the length of the river.  Their land extended from the Arnon River (half of it) northward to the Jabbok River which bordered the Ammonites.  This area is better illustrated on the map earlier that showed the kingdoms of Sihon and Og.  All the plain and the coastland along the Jordan River from Chinnereth to the Salt Sea (or Dead Sea) was included.  Ashdoth Pisgah actually translates "slopes" or "springs" of Pisgah.  Their land went eastward from the Jordan and Salt Sea to the eastern slopes and springs of Mount Pisgah.  This portion of a map shows Mount Pisgah in relation to Heshbon and Nebo seen on the map above this one:

(18) "And I commanded you at that time, saying, ‘The LORD your God has given you this land to possess; you shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all who are meet for the war.'"

Part of the agreement that Moses made with the tribes of Reuben and Gad for the land they requested east of the Jordan, was that they would pass over the Jordan with the rest of the tribes, all who were able being armed to assist them in the conquest of Canaan (Numbers 32:29).

(19) "‘But your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that you have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you, (20) Until the LORD has given rest to your brethren, as well as to you, and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God has given them beyond Jordan; and then shall you return every man to his possession, which I have given you.'"

When the tribes east of the Jordan went over to fight with their brothers to gain possession of the promised land west of the Jordan, they were to leave their wives and children and livestock in the cities they had been given.  Once the Lord brought victory and gave peace to the children of Israel in their promised land, then the two and a half tribes could return to their possessions east of Jordan.

(21) “And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so will the LORD do to all the kingdoms through which you pass. (22) You shall not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself shall fight for you.'"

Moses related what he had told Joshua at the time.  After the victories over Sihon and Og, and the assignment of territories to the two and a half tribes east of Jordan, and Moses knowing that he would soon die, he gave charge to Joshua his successor.  He told him that he had seen all that the Lord had done to deliver victories over Sihon and Og, and that the Lord would continue to do just that to all the kingdoms they would pass through to possess their promised land.  There was no need to fear any of the peoples because the Lord Himself would fight for the children of Israel.

(23) "And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, (24) ‘O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god in heaven or on earth can do according to your works and according to your might?'"

Moses reflected that he had pleaded with the Lord at that time, first showing that he recognized how great and mighty his Lord was, that no other false god or idol could do what He had done.

(25) "‘I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that pleasant mountain, and Lebanon.’"

The subject of Moses's plea was that he be allowed to cross over the Jordan River to see the promised land.

(26) “But the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and would not hear me; and the LORD said to me, 'Let it suffice; speak no more to me of this matter.'"

Moses related that the Lord had been angry with him and would not listen to his plea.  Moses said what the Lord had been angry with him about was for the sake of the people.  It was the time at the rock at Meribah, when he spoke for the sake of the people, but spoke ill-advisedly and did not act in the way the Lord had commanded him, and he did not sanctify the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel.  Apparently the Lord had answered Moses's prayer and plea by telling him not to speak of it anymore.  The Lord had already spoken to Moses on the matter, and more pleas would not change His mind.

(27) "‘Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east, and behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.'"

The Lord continued to tell Moses at the time that he would be allowed to go to the top of Mount Pisgah and look all around him, and he would be allowed to see the promised land, but he would not be allowed to cross over the Jordan into it.

(28) "'But charge Joshua, encourage him, and strengthen him, for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.’"

The Lord continued instructing Moses that because he would not be able to cross over Jordan, he was to charge Joshua as his successor, encouraging and strengthening him because he would be the one to lead the people to inherit the promised land that Moses would be allowed to see.

(29) "So we abode in the valley opposite Beth Peor."

This chapter ended with Moses stating the people abode in the valley, the plains of Moab, opposite Beth Peor, which literally meant "house of Peor", probably named for a temple of the god Peor who was worshiped there.

Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, made an interesting observation.  He wrote that the promised land was symbolic of heaven, and Moses represented the law.  The law itself could not bring the people to possession of their kingdom of heaven.  Moses was a great leader, and as good a man as there was at his time, but no one is good enough under the law to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Joshua, whose name is the same as Jesus, Yehoshua, the name meaning "salvation", was appointed to bring the people into the rest God had provided for them.  I love how we can find the promise of Jesus in every book of the Old Testament!

Assignment of Conquered Lands to Reuben, Gad, and the Half Tribe of Manasseh

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Numbers 32:1) 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, (2) The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying, (3) “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon, (4) The country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle." (5) Therefore they said, “If we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession, and do not bring us over Jordan."

Israel was still camped in the plains of Moab.  In the last chapter and post, the Israelites had warred with the Midianites to avenge themselves and their Lord.  They had not even yet crossed over into their promised land, but had acquired land and more livestock as a result of their victorious wars thus far.  The tribes of Reuben and Gad apparently had herds of cattle that had grown very large, and they liked the place where they were, thinking it was a good place for their cattle.  They came to Moses, Eleazar, and the princes of the congregation, naming the places they had conquered, giving glory to God that He had been the conqueror.  They reasoned to them that these lands were great places for cattle, and since they had cattle, they asked that they be allowed to have these lands for their possession, and not have them go over the Jordan River to the promised land with the rest of the tribes.

Imagine that!  Forty years had been spent wandering the wilderness until the time when they finally reached their promised land flowing with milk and honey, that marvelous gift of God that had been anticipated since Abraham, and they were content to just stay where they were.  They did not have the proper respect and honor for Israel as a whole and for the promise of their Lord.  They seemed to have a more selfish regard for themselves and for what served their own purposes.  Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, in the Scofield Reference Notes, called them "world-borderers, carnal Christians".  The apostle Paul spoke in Philippians 2:21 of men seeking their own things and not the things of Jesus Christ.  These tribes were more interested in their own worldly interests than in the heavenly Canaan.  Is that not a perfect example for us today?  How often do we settle for what satisfies us immediately and miss out on the greater plan of God?

(6) And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, “Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here?"

Moses was not at all happy with their request.  He asked them if they intended to sit there in peace and quiet in their fruitful land while their brothers went to war to dispossess their enemies of their land before they could settle in it.  It probably seemed to Moses that this was a selfish and cowardly request.  It showed disrespect for God's promised land and perhaps even a lack of faith in the power of God to displace the Canaanites.  It showed dishonor and neglect for their brethren, as well.

(7) "And therefore you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them?"

Moses argued that this act of theirs might discourage the other tribes in that they would have less assistance in fighting to conquer the lands, and in the possibility that they might begin to question whether they too should take what was known rather than trusting in what they saw as unknown, encouraging a lack of faith.

(8) “Thus your fathers did when I sent them away from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. (9) For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them."

Moses continued to rebuke these two tribes, saying this request of theirs would discourage the rest of the children of Israel just as their previous generation had discouraged the people with their spies' ill report, telling them that there were giants in the land, and that the people were strong, and their cities walled, and that the children of Israel were not able to go up against them and overcome them.

(10) "And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and He swore, saying, (11) 'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me.'"

Moses reminded them that the Lord's anger had been roused at the same time as the spies returned with their bad report.  At that time the Lord said that none of the men who came out of Egypt from twenty years and upward (except Caleb and Joshua) would see the promised land because they had not trusted and followed Him when He told them to go possess the land.

(12) "'Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.’"

The Lord had indeed made it a point to make an exception for Caleb and Joshua because they were men who had wholly followed Him, trusting that what He had told them to do, they would definitely be able to do.  That reminds me of Romans 4:20-22 that spoke of the great faith of Abraham, that he was "fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform."  What a wonderful reminder for us all!  No matter how things look, we must trust God!  Also in the same passage in Romans that spoke of Abraham's great faith, Romans 4:17 spoke of God as calling "things which be not as though they were."  Abraham didn't look at the way things appeared to be, but trusted in what God said they would be, and that's what Caleb and Joshua had done.  They didn't look at the "giants" and walled cities and decide they could not overcome them, but trusted God who had said "go up and possess it", and believed that if God told them to do it, He would make it happen.

(13) "And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed."

Moses continued speaking about the time the spies had come back with the bad report, saying that the Lord's anger was so aroused by their lack of faith that He made them wander in the wilderness forty years until the generation of people who had not trusted Him were gone (except for Caleb and Joshua).

(14) "And, behold, you have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel."

Moses returned to the subject of the current situation, that he saw the request of the children of Gad and the children of Reuben as distrust of their Lord to bring them fully to their promised land.  They, the next generation of men that the Lord promised to bring into the promised land, were just as their fathers were, and would rouse the anger of the Lord even more against Israel.

(15) “For if you turn away from following Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

Moses reasoned that if they turned away from following the Lord into the promised land, they would discourage all the children of Israel from going forth into it, and the Lord would again leave them in the wilderness till that current generation of people was destroyed.

(16) And they came near to him, and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones, (17) But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones will dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land."

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came near to Moses and told him they would build enclosures for their livestock and fortified cities for their families, but the men themselves would be ready and armed to go before the children of Israel to bring them into their promised land.  They wanted their families and livestock first protected from the inhabitants of the land, and then they would be happy to go forth with their brethren into the promised land, showing they had no cowardice nor lack of faith which might discourage the rest of the children of Israel.

(18) “We will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has received his inheritance. (19) For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”

The tribes of Gad and Reuben vowed to not return to their homes until every one of the children of Israel had received his inheritance.  They themselves would not inherit land on the other side of the Jordan River and beyond, because they had accepted that eastern side of the Jordan as their inheritance.

(20) And Moses said to them, “If you do this thing, if you go armed before the LORD to war, (21) And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, (22) And the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward you shall return and be guiltless before the LORD and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD."

Moses, apparently being more satisfied with the reasonableness of their request, then said to them if they would do what they said and go armed before the Lord over the Jordan until He drove out the enemies before Him, and the land was subdued before Him and the Israelites, then they could return to what they wished to be considered their homes, and they would be considered blameless before the Lord, and that land would indeed be their possession before the Lord.

(23) "But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out."

However, Moses told them, if they did not do as they said they would do, that would be considered a sin against the Lord, and their sin would surely catch up with them, implying that their sin would eventually bring punishment.

(24) “Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what has proceeded out of your mouth.”

Moses agreed and told them to go ahead and build their cities for their families and enclosures for their livestock, and do what they said they would do.

(25) And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as my lord commands."

The tribes of Gad and Reuben told Moses they would do as he had agreed to have them do.  Showing respect for Moses, they proclaimed they would do according to his command regarding their march before the Lord to battle, and with respect to their provision for their families and livestock.

(26) "Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead; (27) But your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, just as my lord says.”

Indeed, they specified exactly what they intended to do.  Their wives and children, and all their livestock, would be there in the cities of Gilead, but the men themselves, all armed for war, would cross over the Jordan to go before the Lord to battle, just as Moses had agreed they do.

(28) So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel.

Moses then proceeded to command Eleazar the priest, Joshua, and the chief fathers of the rest of the tribes of Israel concerning what had been decided regarding the tribes of Gad and Reuben.

(29) And Moses said to them, “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession."

He explained to them that it had been decided that if the children of Gad and the children of Reuben crossed over the Jordan River, armed for battle, and the land became subdued for them all, then they were to agree to give them the land of Gilead for their inheritance and possession.

(30) “But if they do not cross over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”

However, Moses continued, if they did not go with them across the Jordan armed for battle, then they must accept their inheritance in the land of Canaan, and would not be allowed to keep Gilead for themselves.

(31) And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, “As the LORD has said to your servants, so we will do. (32) We will cross over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours."

The children of Gad and of Reuben answered Moses's statement with their own vow that what Moses had said, being as from the Lord, they would indeed do accordingly.  They would cross over the Jordan armed with their brethren so that the possession they desired on the current side of the Jordan would be declared theirs.

(33) And Moses gave to the children of Gad, to the children of Reuben, and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders, the cities of the surrounding country.

Therefore Moses gave to the children of Gad and the children of Reuben the lands with the cities within its borders, that had previously belonged to Sihon and Og, but had been conquered by Israel.  He also gave a portion of it to half of the tribe of Manasseh, the son of Joseph.  No mention was made of half of the tribe of Manasseh wanting to join the tribes of Gad and Reuben in possessing the land of Gilead.  Later in this chapter, and even later in Joshua, when the land was divided among the tribes, we learn that the Machirites, named for the firstborn son of Manasseh, had been key in dispossessing the Amorites from the region of Gilead, and were thus given part of it as an inheritance.

(34) And the children of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer, (35) And Atroth-Shophan, Jaazer, and Jogbehah, (36) And Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, fenced cities, and folds for sheep.

The children of Gad rebuilt the cities named above that had been demolished in the wars with Sihon and Og.  They restored them to fortified cities for their families and built enclosures for their livestock.

(37) And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, (38) And Nebo and Baal Meon (their names being changed), and Shibmah; and gave other names to the cities which they built.

The children of Reuben rebuilt the cities of Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kirjathaim.  They also rebuilt the cities of Nebo, Baal Meon, and Shibmah, but gave new names to some of the cities they rebuilt.  In the case of Nebo, that was the name of an idol; and Baal Meon literally meant "Baal's habitation".  They rebuilt existing cities but some were given different names, although we are not told here what they were called.

(39) And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. (40) And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt in it.

It appears by this statement that the Reubenites and Gadites had been given the already conquered parts of Gilead that they desired; and that the Machirites, that half tribe of Manasseh, went and dispossessed the Amorites who were still in the remaining parts of Gilead.  Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, wrote that this was northern Gilead.  He also stated that the phrase "went to Gilead and took it" should have more properly read "had gone to Gilead and had taken it".  Thus they were given that part of Gilead as a reward for something they had done previously.  I'm not sure that has to be the case.  After all, up until this time, all the tribes were expected to have their inheritances across the Jordan.  It wasn't until the tribes of Reuben and Gad decided they were content with what had already been conquered, that there was any thought to giving lands on the current side of the Jordan.  I don't believe that would have been a reward.  It seems the better reward would be to be given the best God had to offer which was His promised land on the other side of the Jordan River.  I tend to believe the half tribe of Manasseh drove the Amorites out of the rest of Gilead after, or at the same time, that Moses had agreed to give Gad and Reuben their possessions and they were rebuilding.  Therefore, Moses then gave that region to the half tribe of Manasseh and they dwelt there.

(41) And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its small towns, and called them Havoth Jair.

Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, wrote that Jair of the tribe of Manasseh, was actually the son of Segub, who was the son of Hezron of the tribe of Judah, but that Hezron had married a daughter of Machir, the son of Manasseh.  This is confirmed in 1 Chronicles 2:21.  Apparently Jair identified with his mother's tribe and took the smaller towns of that part of Gilead that was given to the Machirites and named them for himself.  Havoth Jair literally meant the "villages of Jair".

(42) And Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah, after his own name.

Nobah, evidently a descendant of Manasseh, took the town of Kenath and its surrounding villages, and called it Nobah after his own name.

Once again, I can't help but think about how these tribes settled for less than what God had planned for them.  Moses agreed to let them have what they desired, just as God does allow us to get what we want at times, although it is not what is His best plan for us.  Events will play out in future chapters that demonstrate how this indeed was not the best choice for their possessions, but for this time, they got what they desired.