Numbers 32:17

But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our little ones will remain in the fortified cities for protection from the inhabitants of the land.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Gadites and Reubenites address Moses at the moment they are negotiating their request to settle east of the Jordan, immediately following their proposal to build fortified cities for their families and sheepfolds for their livestock.

The words — The verb נֵחָלֵץ (ne.cha.Letz) literally means "we will arm ourselves," paired with the participle חֻשִׁ֗ים (chu.Shim), meaning "hurried" or "ready," to establish a literal timeline of immediate military mobilization.

The thread — The text records this pledge to cross ahead armed, which is later fulfilled in Joshua 4:12, reiterated in Moses' conditional warning in Numbers 32:29, and restated in Deuteronomy 3:18.

Why it lands — The verse demands a practical distinction between the tribe's long-term settlement desires and their immediate obligation to escort the rest of Israel into Canaan before claiming their own inheritance.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַאֲנַ֜חְנוּva./'a.Nach.nuand/ we נֵחָלֵ֣ץne.cha.Letzwe will equip ourselves חֻשִׁ֗יםchu.Shimhurried לִפְנֵי֙li/f.Nei<to>/ before בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsrael עַ֛ד'aduntil אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherthat אִם־'im-<if>הֲבִֽיאֹנֻ֖םha.vi.'o.Nu/mwe have brought/ them אֶל־'el-to מְקוֹמָ֑םme.ko.Ma/mplace/ their וְיָשַׁ֤בve./ya.Shavand/ it will remain טַפֵּ֙נוּ֙ta.Pe./nulittle one[s]/ our בְּעָרֵ֣יbe./'a.Reiin/ [the] cities of הַמִּבְצָ֔רha./miv.Tzar<the>/ fortification מִפְּנֵ֖יmi./pe.Nei<from>/ because of יֹשְׁבֵ֥יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of הָאָֽרֶץ׃ha./'A.retzthe/ land

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Joshua 4:12 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.
Numbers 32:29 And Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, with every man armed for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession.
Deuteronomy 3:18 At that time I commanded you: “The LORD your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor are to cross over, armed for battle, ahead of your brothers, the Israelites.