ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Tokonaki Siulai 10, 2021

‘oua ‘e ‘ave kimautolu ki tu‘a Soatani

Do not take us over the Jordan

Nomipa 32 (Numbers 32)

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

We have here the record of what without doubt was a wrong committed by two and a half tribes, of Moses' failure in judgment, and, consequently, of a grave mistake.

Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh looked on the lands which recently had been depopulated by the conflict and desired immediate settlement therein. The distinctly avowed purpose of Jehovah for His people was that they should go over Jordan. The request of these two and a half tribes was of the nature of compromise.

There is no account of Moses seeking divine guidance as he had so constantly done. His own first judgment was against granting the request in this matter. He pointed out to the two and a half tribes that in essence it was of the same spirit which their fathers had manifested forty years before and which had resulted in the long and wearying discipline of the wilderness.

They, however, persisted in urging their plea, promising that they would cross the Jordan to help in the conflict there. Moses yielded to them and so permitted their settlement on that side of the river. Subsequent events reveal how wrong the compromise was.

No desire of our own for early and easy realization of peace ought to be allowed to interfere with the declared will of God. No policy of compromise can ever justify a modification of a divine method toward the accomplishment of divine purpose.

David Guzik :: Study Guide for Numbers 32

(v. 5-7) Pea nau pehē, Ka kuo mau ta‘imālie ‘ofa ‘i ho ‘ao, pea ke vahe ‘a e fonua ni ki ho‘o kau tamaio‘eiki ko kimautolu ke mau tofi‘a ‘aki; ‘oua ‘e ‘ave kimautolu ki tu‘a Soatani.

Pea me‘a ‘a Mōsese ki ha‘a Kata mo ha‘a Lūpeni, ‘O ‘alu koā homou kāinga ki he tau, ka mau nofo pē ‘i heni? Pea koe‘uma‘ā ho‘omou fakavaivai‘i ‘a e loto ‘o ha‘a ‘Isileli, ke nau ta‘efie laka atu ai ki he fonua kuo foaki kiate kinautolu ‘e Sihova?

(v. 5-7) Therefore they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.” And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: “Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here? Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them?

Israel had conquered the Moabites and the Midianites, and the ideal grazing lands on the east side of the Jordan River were laid out before them. The tribal leaders of Reuben and Gad were content with these lands, and asked to be given them as their tribal inheritance.

Though this had been the longing of the children of Israel for some 400 years, ever since Jacob moved the family into Egypt to find relief from famine, now these two tribes were be content to stay where they are. It seemed good enough for them.

"That any Israelite tribe should consider settling outside the land promised to Abraham showed a disturbing indifference to the divine word, the word on which Israel's existence entirely depended." (Wenham)

And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: "Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here? Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them?

Why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Moses feared that the attitude of the tribes of Reuben and Gad would keep the other tribes from going into the Promised Land. Their attitude said, "We've fought enough and suffered enough already. Let's just settle down where we're at."

Moses' fear had a foundation. If you want to press on with the things of the LORD and go deeper and further with Him, there is a sure way to discourage that desire - start hanging around believers who are content with where they are, and who don't want to press on with the LORD. Complacency is contagious.

Moses wanted them to know that there was a battle to fight and that they were all in it together. Just because these tribes were content with where they were at did not relieve them of the responsibility to keep the battle going.