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But your servants are equipped for war, and every man will cross over to the battle before the LORD, just as our lord says.”
Numbers 32:27 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before Yahweh to battle, as my lord says.”
  • KJV But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.
  • NKJV but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”
  • NASB while your servants, that is, everyone who is armed for war, cross over in the presence of the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”
  • NLT But all who are able to bear arms will cross over to fight for the Lord, just as you have said.”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The men pledge to cross over armed and fight before the LORD as Moses directs. They reaffirm their full commitment to the conquest.

Overview

The tribes repeat their promise that every armed man will pass over to battle before the LORD according to Moses' word. The restatement leaves no doubt about their resolve. Their willingness to risk themselves for the inheritance of others embodies sacrificial solidarity, a pattern fulfilled supremely in Christ, who fought and won on behalf of His people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 8

  • Josh 4:12The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.
  • Num 32:17But 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.
  • Num 12:11and said to Moses, “My lord, please do not hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed.
  • 2 Tim 4:7–8I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
  • 2 Cor 10:4–5The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
  • Eph 6:10–18Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
  • Num 36:2saying, “When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, He also commanded him to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.
  • Num 11:28Joshua son of Nun, the attendant to Moses since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Numbers videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Numbers 32:27YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on NumbersMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.

How Numbers 32:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.