the country which the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”
Parallel translations
- WEB the land which Yahweh struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock.”
- KJV Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:
- BSB which the LORD conquered before the congregation of Israel, are suitable for livestock—and your servants have livestock.”
- NASB the land which the Lord conquered before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”
- NLT The Lord has conquered this whole area for the community of Israel, and it is ideally suited for all our livestock.
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
They argued the land the Lord had subdued was ideal for livestock, and they were herdsmen.
Overview
They reasoned that since God had given Israel this territory and they owned much livestock, it suited them well. Their logic was practical, but it overlooked the danger of settling short of the Promised Land. The episode warns against letting present advantage eclipse God's larger purposes for His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Num 21:34Yahweh said to Moses, “Don’t fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, with all his people, and his land. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”
- Deut 2:24–35“Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the valley of the Arnon: behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
- Num 21:24Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 32:4 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
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