This sheet on Numbers 32 was written by Shira Hecht-Koller for 929 and can also be found here
When the grass is greener on the other side, requests to stay on that side seem reasonable. Such is the petition put forth by the tribes Reuben, Gad and ½ Menashe as the Israelites plan for settlement in the promised land. They approach Moses with what is a seemingly legitimate request: Israel has recently conquered the land of Sihon in the central Transjordan; it is excellent grazing land; they have a large number of livestock; therefore, it makes sense for them to settle here.
Though the request is sensible, Moses reacts surprisingly harshly. Their request had consisted of three verses; Moses’s response takes up ten. He not only criticizes them explicitly and directly, but claims that their actions are comparable to those of the spies, who had condemned an entire generation to death in the desert. For an innocent request, this seems to be entirely unwarranted. What exactly was wrong with their request that brought such censure upon their heads?
A careful analysis of Moses’s words demonstrates that the threat to which he reacts is not a perceived lack of love for Israel, but rather a sense that these tribes are undermining the entire program. If they remain in Transjordan, Moses is concerned that the rest of the people will opt to not go to war and simply join their movement. He is worried that they are acting in a way that will cause not only themselves, but the entire nation, to give up the quest for the land at this stage.
Moses’s prime concern is that they are threatening to dissuade the rest of Israel from entering the promised land.
His message seems to be clear: there are legitimate pragmatic considerations involved in a tribe’s choice of territory, and these may trump the ideal of living in Israel. But this is only acceptable if the choice of other territory is accompanied by ardent support for those who do wish to live in Israel. Reuben and Gad can live wherever they want – even in land that was not divinely intended to be Israelite land – if they do all they can to ensure that the other tribes are able to cross the Jordan and establish life there.
When Reuben and Gad explain that they never meant to bow out at this stage, but would in fact lead the fight to conquer the land of Israel and not return home until it was settled, Moses assents, assured now that the national presence in Israel was not threatened by the Jewish presence outside of Israel. Perhaps, he may have thought, they will one day be mutually beneficial.
Though the request is sensible, Moses reacts surprisingly harshly. Their request had consisted of three verses; Moses’s response takes up ten. He not only criticizes them explicitly and directly, but claims that their actions are comparable to those of the spies, who had condemned an entire generation to death in the desert. For an innocent request, this seems to be entirely unwarranted. What exactly was wrong with their request that brought such censure upon their heads?
A careful analysis of Moses’s words demonstrates that the threat to which he reacts is not a perceived lack of love for Israel, but rather a sense that these tribes are undermining the entire program. If they remain in Transjordan, Moses is concerned that the rest of the people will opt to not go to war and simply join their movement. He is worried that they are acting in a way that will cause not only themselves, but the entire nation, to give up the quest for the land at this stage.
Moses’s prime concern is that they are threatening to dissuade the rest of Israel from entering the promised land.
His message seems to be clear: there are legitimate pragmatic considerations involved in a tribe’s choice of territory, and these may trump the ideal of living in Israel. But this is only acceptable if the choice of other territory is accompanied by ardent support for those who do wish to live in Israel. Reuben and Gad can live wherever they want – even in land that was not divinely intended to be Israelite land – if they do all they can to ensure that the other tribes are able to cross the Jordan and establish life there.
When Reuben and Gad explain that they never meant to bow out at this stage, but would in fact lead the fight to conquer the land of Israel and not return home until it was settled, Moses assents, assured now that the national presence in Israel was not threatened by the Jewish presence outside of Israel. Perhaps, he may have thought, they will one day be mutually beneficial.
(א) וּמִקְנֶ֣ה ׀ רַ֗ב הָיָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֧י רְאוּבֵ֛ן וְלִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד עָצ֣וּם מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּרְא֞וּ אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ יַעְזֵר֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גִּלְעָ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמָּק֖וֹם מְק֥וֹם מִקְנֶֽה׃
(1) The Reubenites and the Gadites owned cattle in very great numbers. Noting that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were a region suitable for cattle,
Shira Hecht-Koller is the Director of Education for 929 English.
929 is the number of chapters in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, the formative text of the Jewish heritage. It is also the name of a cutting-edge project dedicated to creating a global Jewish conversation anchored in the Hebrew Bible. 929 English invites Jews everywhere to read and study Tanakh, one chapter a day, Sunday through Thursday together with a website with creative readings and pluralistic interpretations, including audio and video, by a wide range of writers, artists, rabbis, educators, scholars, students and more. As an outgrowth of the web-based platform, 929 English also offers classes, pop-up lectures, events and across North America. We invite you to learn along with us and be part of our dynamic community.
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