Study Desk

Moses sent them, 1,000 from each family group, to the war. Phinehas the son of Eleazar the religious leader went to the war with them. In his hand were the holy objects and the horns for blowing the sound of coming danger.

But keep alive for yourselves all the girls who have not had a man.

Stay away from the tents for seven days. If you have killed any person or have touched any dead body, you must make yourself and those you have taken clean, on the third day and on the seventh day.

everything that can last through fire. Pass it through the fire, and it will be clean. But it must be made pure with the water for cleaning. Whatever cannot last through fire you must pass through the water.

Then take a tax for the Lord from the men of war who went out to battle. Take one out of 500 of the persons and the cattle and the donkeys and the sheep.

We have brought as a gift to the Lord what each man found, objects of gold, things to be worn on the arms and fingers and ears and necks. They are to pay for our sins before the Lord."

For the men of war had taken things from the battle, every man for himself.

Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had very many cattle. And they saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead was a good place for cattle.

the land which the Lord won in battle in front of the people of Israel, is a land for cattle and your servants have cattle."

‘None of the men who came up from Egypt, twenty years old and older, will see the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For they did not follow Me with all their heart.

Only Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun will see it. For they have followed the Lord with all their hearts.'

For if you turn away from following Him, He will leave them in the desert again and you will destroy all these people."

Then they came near him and said, "We will build safe places for our flocks here, and cities for our little ones.

But we will be ready for battle and will go with the people of Israel until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones will live within the walls of the cities because of the people who live in the land.

For we will not have any land among them on the other side of the Jordan. Our land has come to us on this side of the Jordan toward the east."

So Moses said to them, "Do as you say. Get ready for war before the Lord.

But if you do not do as you say, you have sinned against the Lord. And for sure you will be punished for your sin.

Build cities for your little ones and places for your sheep. Then do what you have promised."

But your servants, everyone who is ready for war, will cross over before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says."

Moses said to them, "The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, every man ready for battle, are to cross with you over the Jordan before the Lord, and the land will be won. After this, you must give them the land of Gilead for their own.