Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 32

1The descendants of Reuben and Gad had an abundance of livestock, very numerous, and they saw the land of Ya’zer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place suitable for livestock.   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 spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the princes of the community, saying,   בוַיָּבֹ֥אוּ בְנֵי־גָ֖ד וּבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן וַיֹּֽאמְר֤וּ אֶל־משֶׁה֙ וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־נְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָֽעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר:
3“Atarot, Divon, Ya’zer, Nimrah, Cheshbon, El’aleh, Sevam, Nebo, and Be’on—   געֲטָר֤וֹת וְדִיבֹן֙ וְיַעְזֵ֣ר וְנִמְרָ֔ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֹֽן:
עֲטָרוֹת וְדִיבֹן וגו' - Atarot, Divon…. were from the land of Sichon and Og.   עֲטָרוֹת וְדִיבֹן וגו'.  מֵאֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג הָיוּ:
4the land that God struck down before the community of Israel, is a land suitable for livestock, and your servants possess livestock.”   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 an estate; do not take us across the Jordan River.”   הוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ אִם־מָצָ֤אנוּ חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ יֻתַּ֞ן אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ לַֽאֲחֻזָּ֑ה אַל־תַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן:
6Moses said to the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben, “Should your brethren go to war while you stay here?   ווַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה לִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד וְלִבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן הַֽאַחֵיכֶ֗ם יָבֹ֨אוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תֵּ֥שְׁבוּ פֹֽה:
הַֽאַחֵיכֶם - Should your brethren. This denotes a rhetorical question.   הַֽאַחֵיכֶם.  לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה הוּא:
7Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over to the land that God has given them?   זוְלָ֣מָּה תְנִיא֔וּן (כתיב תנואון) אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מֵֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה:
וְלָמָּה תניאון - Why do you discourage - i.e., prevent and dishearten them from crossing, for they will think you are afraid of crossing because of the danger of battle and the powerful towns and people.   וְלָמָּה תניאון.  תָּסִירוּ וְתַמְנִיעוּ לִבָּם מֵעֲבֹר, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁאַתֶּם יְרֵאִים לַעֲבֹר מִפְּנֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה וְחֹזֶק הֶעָרִים וְהָעָם:
8This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnei’a to explore the land.   חכֹּ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּשָׁלְחִ֥י אֹתָ֛ם מִקָּדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵ֖עַ לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ:
מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ - From Kadesh Barne’a. Elsewhere this is called simply “Kadesh,” but this was its full name; and there were two places called Kadesh.   מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ.  כָּךְ שְׁמָהּ, וּשְׁתֵּי קָדֵשׁ הָיוּ:
9They went up to the Valley of Eshkol and saw the land, and they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land that God has given them.   טוַיַּֽעֲל֞וּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֗וֹל וַיִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּנִ֕יאוּ אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְבִלְתִּי־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה:
10God became angry that day, and He swore, saying,   יוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע לֵאמֹֽר:
11‘None of the men 20 years old 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,   יאאִם־יִרְא֨וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֜ים הָֽעֹלִ֣ים מִמִּצְרַ֗יִם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה אֵ֚ת הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כִּ֥י לֹֽא־מִלְא֖וּ אַֽחֲרָֽי:
12except for Caleb son of Yefuneh, the Kenizite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed God wholeheartedly.’   יבבִּלְתִּ֞י כָּלֵ֤ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה֙ הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נ֑וּן כִּ֥י מִלְא֖וּ אַֽחֲרֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
הַקְּנִזִּי - The Kenizite. He was the stepson of Kenaz, to whom the mother of Caleb bore Otni’el.   הַקְּנִזִּי.  חוֹרְגוֹ שֶׁל קְנַז הָיָה וְיָלְדָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ שֶׁל כָּלֵב אֶת עָתְנִיאֵל (סוטה י"א):
13God became angry with Israel, and He made them wander in the desert for 40 years, until the entire generation who had done evil in the eyes of God had died out.   יגוַיִּחַר־אַ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְנִעֵם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה עַד־תֹּם֙ כָּל־הַדּ֔וֹר הָֽעֹשֶׂ֥ה הָרָ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיְנִעֵם - means: He made them wander, of the same root as נָע וָנָד “a perpetual wanderer.” 1   וַיְנִעֵם.  וַיְטַלְטְלֵם, מִן "נָע וָנָד" (בראשית ד):
14And behold, you have now risen in place of your fathers as a society of sinful people, to add to the wrathful anger of God against Israel.   ידוְהִנֵּ֣ה קַמְתֶּ֗ם תַּ֚חַת אֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תַּרְבּ֖וּת אֲנָשִׁ֣ים חַטָּאִ֑ים לִסְפּ֣וֹת ע֗וֹד עַ֛ל חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
לִסְפּוֹת - To add. A similar usage to: “add (סְפוּ) year by year,” 2 and: “add (סְפוּ) your ascent offerings…,” 3 meaning “adding.”   לִסְפּוֹת.  כְּמוֹ "סְפוּ שָׁנָה עַל שָׁנָה" (ישעיהו כ"ט), "עֹלוֹתֵיכֶם סְפוּ" וְגוֹ' (ירמיהו ז'), לְשׁוֹן תּוֹסֶפֶת:
15If you turn away from following Him, He will leave Israel in the desert again, and you will destroy this entire people.”   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.   טזוַיִּגְּשׁ֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ גִּדְרֹ֥ת צֹ֛אן נִבְנֶ֥ה לְמִקְנֵ֖נוּ פֹּ֑ה וְעָרִ֖ים לְטַפֵּֽנוּ:
נִבְנֶה לְמִקְנֵנוּ פֹּה - We will build…for our livestock here. They cared more for their possessions than their sons and daughters, for they mentioned their livestock before their young ones. So Moses said to them: “Do not do so; make that which is more important foremost, and that which is less important secondary. First build yourselves cities for your young ones, and only afterwards pens for your flock.”   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):
17We will then arm ourselves quickly and serve as the front lines of the Israelites until we have brought them to their place. Our children will reside in the cities fortified against the inhabitants of the land.   יזוַֽאֲנַ֜חְנוּ נֵֽחָלֵ֣ץ חֻשִׁ֗ים לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִם־הֲבִֽיאֹנֻ֖ם אֶל־מְקוֹמָ֑ם וְיָשַׁ֤ב טַפֵּ֨נוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַמִּבְצָ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֖י יֽשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ:
וַֽאֲנַחְנוּ נֵֽחָלֵץ חֻשִׁים - means: We will arm ourselves swiftly, similar to: “to hurry the spoil and speed up (חָשׁ) the plunder,” 4 and “let him hurry and hasten (יָחִישָׁה).” 5   וַֽאֲנַחְנוּ נֵֽחָלֵץ חֻשִׁים.  נִזְדַּיֵּן מְהִירִים, כְּמוֹ "מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז" (ישעיהו ח'), "יְמַהֵר יָחִישָׁה" (שם ה'):
לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - (lit.) Ahead of the Israelites - i.e., as the heads of each of the troops, since they were strong, for about Gad it says: “he tears off the arm together with the head.” 6 Moses also stipulated to them later, in parashat Eleh HaDevarim: 7 “I commanded you at that time…all who are warriors must cross over, armed, before your brothers, the Israelites.” And at the conquest of Jericho it states: “and the armed ones went before them” 8 – referring to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who carried out their agreement.   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:
וְיָשַׁב טַפֵּנוּ - Our children will reside - while we are still with our brothers.   וְיָשַׁב טַפֵּנוּ.  בְּעוֹדֵנוּ אֵצֶל אַחֵינוּ:
בְּעָרֵי הַמִּבְצָר - (lit.) in the fortified cities. which we will build now.   בְּעָרֵי הַמִּבְצָר.  שֶׁנִּבְנֶה עַכְשָׁו:
18We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has taken possession of his inheritance.   יחלֹ֥א נָשׁ֖וּב אֶל־בָּתֵּ֑ינוּ עַ֗ד הִתְנַחֵל֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֖ישׁ נַֽחֲלָתֽוֹ:
19For we will not inherit with them in the territory extending from the far side of the Jordan River and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us east of this side of the Jordan River.”   יטכִּ֣י לֹ֤א נִנְחַל֙ אִתָּ֔ם מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן וָהָ֑לְאָה כִּ֣י בָ֤אָה נַּֽחֲלָתֵ֨נוּ֙ אֵלֵ֔ינוּ מֵעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן מִזְרָֽחָה:
מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן וָהָלְאָה - From the far side of the Jordan River…. i.e., on the western side.   מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן וָהָלְאָה.  בָּעֵבֶר הַמַּעֲרָבִי:
כִּי בָאָה נַּֽחֲלָתֵנוּ - Because our inheritance has come to us - i.e., we will then have already received it on the eastern side.   כִּי בָאָה נַּֽחֲלָתֵנוּ.  כְּבָר קִבַּלְנוּהָ בָּעֵבֶר הַמִּזְרָחִי: