| 1The descendants of Reuben and Gad had an abundance of livestock very numerous and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock. |
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אוּמִקְנֶ֣ה | רַ֗ב הָיָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֧י רְאוּבֵ֛ן וְלִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד עָצ֣וּם מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּרְא֞וּ אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ יַעְזֵר֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גִּלְעָ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמָּק֖וֹם מְק֥וֹם מִקְנֶֽה: |
| 2The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben came, and they spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the kohen and to the princes of the community, saying, |
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בוַיָּבֹ֥אוּ בְנֵי־גָ֖ד וּבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן וַיֹּֽאמְר֤וּ אֶל־משֶׁה֙ וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־נְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָֽעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 3"Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, and Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, |
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געֲטָר֤וֹת וְדִיבֹן֙ וְיַעְזֵ֣ר וְנִמְרָ֔ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֹֽן: |
| Ataroth, Dibon…: They were [part] of the land belonging to Sihon and Og. |
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עֲטָרוֹת וְדִיבֹן וגו':
מֵאֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג הָיוּ:
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| 4the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock." |
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דהָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לִפְנֵי֙ עֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֥רֶץ מִקְנֶ֖ה הִ֑וא וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מִקְנֶֽה: |
| 5They said, "If it pleases you, let this land be given to your servants as a heritage; do not take us across the Jordan." |
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הוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ אִם־מָצָ֤אנוּ חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ יֻתַּ֞ן אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ לַֽאֲחֻזָּ֑ה אַל־תַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן: |
| 6[Thereupon,] Moses said to the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben, "Shall your brethren go to war while you stay here? |
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ווַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה לִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד וְלִבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן הַֽאַחֵיכֶ֗ם יָבֹ֨אוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תֵּ֥שְׁבוּ פֹֽה: |
| Shall your brethren: This [’hey’] denotes a question. |
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הַֽאַחֵיכֶם:
לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה הוּא:
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| 7Why do you discourage the children of Israel from crossing over to the land which the Lord has given them? |
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זוְלָ֣מָּה תְנִיא֔וּן (כתיב תנואון) אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מֵֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה: |
| Why do you discourage: You turn aside and dissuade their hearts from crossing, for they will think that you are afraid to cross because of the war and the strength of the cities and the people. |
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וְלָמָּה תניאון:
תָּסִירוּ וְתַמְנִיעוּ לִבָּם מֵעֲבֹר, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁאַתֶּם יְרֵאִים לַעֲבֹר מִפְּנֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה וְחֹזֶק הֶעָרִים וְהָעָם:
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| 8This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh barnea to explore the Land. |
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חכֹּ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּשָׁלְחִ֥י אֹתָ֛ם מִקָּדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵ֖עַ לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| from Kadesh-barnea: This was its name; there were two places called Kadesh [one Kadesh-barnea and one Kadesh unmodified]. |
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מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ:
כָּךְ שְׁמָהּ, וּשְׁתֵּי קָדֵשׁ הָיוּ:
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| 9They went up to the Valley of Eshkol and saw the land, and they discouraged the children of Israel from crossing into the land which the Lord has given them. |
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טוַיַּֽעֲל֞וּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֗וֹל וַיִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּנִ֕יאוּ אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְבִלְתִּי־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה: |
| 10The anger of the Lord flared on that day, and He swore, saying, |
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יוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 11'None of the men from the age of twenty years and over who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, for they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, |
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יאאִם־יִרְא֨וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֜ים הָֽעֹלִ֣ים מִמִּצְרַ֗יִם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה אֵ֚ת הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כִּ֥י לֹֽא־מִלְא֖וּ אַֽחֲרָֽי: |
| 12except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.' |
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יבבִּלְתִּ֞י כָּלֵ֤ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה֙ הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נ֑וּן כִּ֥י מִלְא֖וּ אַֽחֲרֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| The Kenizite: He [Caleb] was the stepson of Kenaz, to whom Caleb’s mother bore Othniel [see Jud. 3:9]. — [Sotah 11b] |
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הַקְּנִזִּי:
חוֹרְגוֹ שֶׁל קְנַז הָיָה וְיָלְדָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ שֶׁל כָּלֵב אֶת עָתְנִיאֵל (סוטה י"א):
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| 13The anger of the Lord flared against Israel, and He made them wander in the desert for forty years until the entire generation who had done evil in the eyes of the Lord had died out. |
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יגוַיִּחַר־אַ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְנִעֵם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה עַד־תֹּם֙ כָּל־הַדּ֔וֹר הָֽעֹשֶׂ֥ה הָרָ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| He made them wander: He moved them about from place to place, as in נָע וָנָד “a wanderer and an exile” (Gen. 4:12). |
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וַיְנִעֵם:
וַיְטַלְטְלֵם, מִן "נָע וָנָד" (בראשית ד):
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| 14And behold, you have now risen in place of your fathers as a society of sinful people, to add to the wrathful anger of the Lord against Israel. |
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ידוְהִנֵּ֣ה קַמְתֶּ֗ם תַּ֚חַת אֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תַּרְבּ֖וּת אֲנָשִׁ֣ים חַטָּאִ֑ים לִסְפּ֣וֹת ע֗וֹד עַ֛ל חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| to add: לִסְפּוֹת like “add (סְפוּ) year to year” (Isa. 29:1), and “add (סְפוּ) your burnt offerings” (Jer. 7:21); it denotes addition. |
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לִסְפּוֹת:
כְּמוֹ "סְפוּ שָׁנָה עַל שָׁנָה" (ישעיהו כ"ט), "עֹלוֹתֵיכֶם סְפוּ" וְגוֹ' (ירמיהו ז'), לְשׁוֹן תּוֹסֶפֶת:
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| 15If you turn away from following Him, He will leave you in the desert again, and you will destroy this entire people." |
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טוכִּ֤י תְשׁוּבֻן֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרָ֔יו וְיָסַ֣ף ע֔וֹד לְהַנִּיח֖וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְשִֽׁחַתֶּ֖ם לְכָל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה: |
| 16They approached him and said, "We will build sheepfolds for our livestock here and cities for our children. |
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טזוַיִּגְּשׁ֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ גִּדְרֹ֥ת צֹ֛אן נִבְנֶ֥ה לְמִקְנֵ֖נוּ פֹּ֑ה וְעָרִ֖ים לְטַפֵּֽנוּ: |
| We shall build sheepfolds for our livestock here: They were more concerned about their possessions than about their sons and daughters, since they mentioned their livestock before [mentioning] their children. Moses said to them, “Not so! Treat the fundamental as a fundamental, and the matter of secondary importance as a matter of secondary importance. First ‘build cities for your children,’ and afterwards 'enclosures for your sheep’” (verse 24) - [Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 7] |
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נִבְנֶה לְמִקְנֵנוּ פֹּה:
חָסִים הָיוּ עַל מָמוֹנָם יוֹתֵר מִבְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ מִקְנֵיהֶם לְטַפָּם. אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה "לֹא כֵן, עֲשׂוּ הָעִקָּר עִקָּר וְהַטָּפֵל טָפֵל, בְּנוּ לָכֶם תְּחִלָּה עָרִים לְטַפְּכֶם וְאַחַר כֵּן גְּדֵרוֹת לְצֹאנְכֶם" (תנחומא):
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| 17We will then arm ourselves quickly [and go] before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place. Our children will reside in the fortified cities on account of the inhabitants of the land. |
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יזוַֽאֲנַ֜חְנוּ נֵֽחָלֵ֣ץ חֻשִׁ֗ים לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִם־הֲבִֽיאֹנֻ֖ם אֶל־מְקוֹמָ֑ם וְיָשַׁ֤ב טַפֵּ֨נוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַמִּבְצָ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֖י יֽשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| We will then arm ourselves quickly: We will speedily arm ourselves, as in, “the booty speeds, the spoil hastens (חָשׁ)” (Isa. 8:3); “Let Him hurry, let Him hasten (יָחִישָׁה)” (ibid. 5:19). |
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וַֽאֲנַחְנוּ נֵֽחָלֵץ חֻשִׁים:
נִזְדַּיֵּן מְהִירִים, כְּמוֹ "מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז" (ישעיהו ח'), "יְמַהֵר יָחִישָׁה" (שם ה'):
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| before the children of Israel: At the head of the troops, because they were mighty warriors, for concerning Gad it says, “tearing the arm [of his prey, together] with the head” (Deut. 33:20). Moses too, explained this to them a second time in [the portion of] Eleh Hadevarim: “And I commanded you at that time saying, “…pass over, armed, before your brothers, the children of Israel, all who are warriors” (ibid. 3:18), and concerning Jericho it is written, “the armed force went ahead of them” (Josh. 6:13). These were [the tribes of] Gad and Reuben, who were fulfilling their condition. |
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לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
בְּרָאשֵׁי גְּיָסוֹת, מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁגִּבּוֹרִים הָיוּ, שֶׁכֵּן נֶאֱמַר בְּגָד (דברים ל"ג) "וְטָרַף זְרוֹעַ אַף קָדְקֹד"; וְאַף מֹשֶׁה חָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ לָהֶם בְּאֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים (דברים ג') "וָאֲצַו אֶתְכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא וְגוֹ' חֲלוּצִים תַּעַבְרוּ לִפְנֵי אֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל בְּנֵי חָיִל", וּבִירִיחוֹ כְּתִיב (יהושע ו') "וְהֶחָלוּץ עוֹבֵר (הֹלֵךְ) לִפְנֵיהֶם" — זֶה רְאוּבֵן וְגָד שֶׁקִּיְּמוּ תְנָאָם:
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| Our children will reside: while we are still with our brethren. |
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וְיָשַׁב טַפֵּנוּ:
בְּעוֹדֵנוּ אֵצֶל אַחֵינוּ:
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| in the fortified cities: which we shall build now. |
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בְּעָרֵי הַמִּבְצָר:
שֶׁנִּבְנֶה עַכְשָׁו:
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| 18We shall not return to our homes until each of the children of Israel has taken possession of his inheritance. |
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יחלֹ֥א נָשׁ֖וּב אֶל־בָּתֵּ֑ינוּ עַ֗ד הִתְנַחֵל֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֖ישׁ נַֽחֲלָתֽוֹ: |
| 19For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on the east bank of the Jordan." |
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יטכִּ֣י לֹ֤א נִנְחַל֙ אִתָּ֔ם מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן וָהָ֑לְאָה כִּ֣י בָ֤אָה נַּֽחֲלָתֵ֨נוּ֙ אֵלֵ֔ינוּ מֵעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן מִזְרָֽחָה: |
| on the other side of the Jordan and beyond: On the western bank. |
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מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן וָהָלְאָה:
בָּעֵבֶר הַמַּעֲרָבִי:
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| for our inheritance has come to us: We have already received it on the eastern side. |
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כִּי בָאָה נַּֽחֲלָתֵנוּ:
כְּבָר קִבַּלְנוּהָ בָּעֵבֶר הַמִּזְרָחִי:
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