Bible Strands
Numbers 32:28
So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the family leaders of the tribes of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses issues a directive concerning the Gadites and Reubenites to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the family leaders of Israel. This command occurs immediately after the two tribes pledge to cross the Jordan armed for battle before the LORD.
The words — The verb וַיְצַו (va-yṣav) means "and he commanded," marking the formal transfer of oversight. The phrase הַכֹּהֵן (ha-kōhēn) identifies Eleazar specifically as "the priest," while יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yĕhôšūaʿ) names Joshua as the military and territorial successor to Moses.
The thread — This joint leadership structure reappears in Joshua 1:13, where Moses' command to the tribes is recalled as the basis for their inheritance across the Jordan. The text consistently pairs priestly and civil authority to validate the distribution of the land.
Why it lands — The reader must recognize that territorial promises require formal oversight by designated religious and civil authorities. The text demands accountability to the appointed leaders before any land transfer is finalized.
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
King James Version
So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Cross-references
- Joshua 1:13 “Remember what Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you when he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’