Numbers

Tells about the Israelites' 40 years in the desert, including their travels and the census of their tribes.

Chapter 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;

*Now, the kids from Reuben and the kids from Gad had many, many animals. When they saw the lands of Jazer and Gilead, they realized these places were perfect for raising animals.

2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

*The kids from Gad and the kids from Reuben talked to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the group, saying,

3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

*Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon. (Note: The original verse is a list of place names and doesn't require extensive simplification.)

4 Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

*Even the land the LORD conquered for the Israel group is good for animals, and your workers have animals there.

5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

*So, they asked, if you favor us, let this land be given to your followers as their property, and don't make us cross the Jordan River.

6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

*Moses asked the people of Gad and Reuben, "Will your family members fight while you just stay here?"

7 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?

*Why are you making the children of Israel lose hope about going to the land that the LORD has given them?

8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.

*So your ancestors did, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to check out the land.

9 For when they went up unto 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.

*When they reached the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they made the Israeli people lose hope, so they wouldn't enter the land that God had given them.

10 And the LORD’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

*And God became angry at the same time, and he swore, saying,

11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

*No man who left Egypt, aged 20 or older, will see the promised land. This is because they didn't fully obey God's commands.

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

*Save Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenezite, and Joshua, son of Nun. They completely followed the Lord.

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.

*God became very angry with Israel and made them wander in the desert for forty years. This happened until the entire bad generation, who did wrong in God's eyes, died off.

14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

*And look, you have replaced your ancestors, becoming more wicked people, increasing the intense anger of the LORD towards Israel.

15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

*If you stop following him, he will abandon them in the desert again; and you will destroy everyone there.

16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

*They approached him and said, "We will create sheep pens here for our animals and cities for our children."

17 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.

*But us, we'll go prepared with weapons ahead of the Israelites to guide them to their destination. Our young ones will live in protected cities because of the people living in that land.

18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

*We won't go back to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their rightful share of land.

19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.

*For we won't share their land beyond the Jordan River, nor go forward. Our land lies here on this side of the river, stretching towards the east.

20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war,

*And Moses told them, if you do this, if you go prepared to fight for the Lord.

21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

*All of you with weapons will cross Jordan, following the LORD, until he gets rid of his enemies.

22 And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

*When the land obeys the Lord, you can go back without blame to the Lord and Israel. This land will belong to you under the Lord's watch.

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

*But if you don't do this, know that you are sinning against God, and your sin will be discovered.

24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

*Create towns for your children and places for your sheep; and do what you have said.

25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

*The children of Gad and Reuben told Moses, "Your helpers will follow your orders."

26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

*Our children, wives, sheep, and animals will live in the cities of Gilead.

27 But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.

*But your soldiers will go, each with their weapons, to fight under the LORD, as you have said, my lord.

28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

*Moses instructed Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the main leaders of the tribes of Israel's children about what to do with them.

29 And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

*Moses told them, "If the kids of Gad and Reuben join you in fighting, helping the LORD, and win the battle, you should give them the land of Gilead to live in."

30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

*But if they don't come with weapons, they can still have property in the land of Canaan.

31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

*The children of Gad and Reuben replied, "We will do as the Lord has told your servants."

32 We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.

*We will go with weapons to meet God in the land of Canaan, so we can have our inherited land on this side of the Jordan River.

33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto 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 the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.

*Moses gave the land with its cities, including those of the surrounding area, to the children of Gad, Reuben, and half of the tribe of Manasseh. This land belonged to the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites and Bashan.

34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

*The children of Gad constructed the cities of Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer.

35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

*And Atroth, Shophan, Jaazer, and Jogbehah.

36 And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

*And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, two protected cities: and areas for keeping sheep.

37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

*And the Reuben descendants constructed Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kirjathaim.

38 And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

*Nebo, Baalmeon, and Shibmah were renamed, and they also gave new names to the cities they built.

39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

*The children of Machir, from the family of Manasseh, went to a place called Gilead. They took control of it and removed the Amorites who were living there.

40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.

*Moses gave Gilead to Machir, who was Manasseh's son, and he lived there.

41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.

*Jair, son of Manasseh, took small towns and named them Havothjair.

42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

*Nobah then went to Kenath, its nearby towns, and renamed them after himself, Nobah.

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