Liber Numeri 32
1 filii autem Ruben et Gad habebant pecora multa et erat illis in iumentis infinita substantia cumque vidissent Iazer et Galaad aptas alendis animalibus
The people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad had much livestock. They saw that the land near Jazer [city] and the Gilead [region east of the Jordan River] had good [grass] for the animals [to graze on].
2 venerunt ad Mosen et ad Eleazarum sacerdotem et principes multitudinis atque dixerunt
So their leaders came to Eleazar and the other leaders of the people and Moses/me. They said,
3 Atharoth et Dibon et Iazer et Nemra Esbon et Eleale et Sabam et Nebo et Beon
“We have a great amount of livestock.
4 terram quam percussit Dominus in conspectu filiorum Israhel regionis uberrimae est ad pastum animalium et nos servi tui habemus iumenta plurima
Yahweh has enabled us Israelis to capture some land that is very good for animals [to graze on]—the land near Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon [towns].
5 precamurque si invenimus gratiam coram te ut des nobis famulis tuis eam in possessionem ne facias nos transire Iordanem
If it pleases you, we would like this land to be ours, instead of land on the other side of the Jordan River.”
6 quibus respondit Moses numquid fratres vestri ibunt ad pugnam et vos hic sedebitis
Moses/I replied to the leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben, “It is not right for [RHQ] your fellow Israelis to go to fight in wars and you stay here!
7 cur subvertitis mentes filiorum Israhel ne transire audeant in locum quem eis daturus est Dominus
[If you do that], you will cause the other Israelis to be discouraged, with the result that they will not cross [the Jordan River] to the land that Yahweh is giving to them [RHQ].
8 nonne ita egerunt patres vestri quando misi de Cadesbarne ad explorandam terram
Your ancestors did the same kind of thing. I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to see what the land [of Canaan] was like.
9 cumque venissent usque ad vallem Botri lustrata omni regione subverterunt cor filiorum Israhel ut non intrarent fines quos eis Dominus dedit
They went as far as Eshcol Valley, but when they saw [the huge people in] the land, [they returned and] caused the Israeli people to be discouraged, saying ‘We should not try to enter the land that Yahweh said that he is giving to us.’
10 qui iratus iuravit dicens
So Yahweh became very angry with them, and he solemnly declared this:
11 si videbunt homines isti qui ascenderunt ex Aegypto a viginti annis et supra terram quam sub iuramento pollicitus sum Abraham Isaac et Iacob et noluerunt sequi me
‘From all the people who came out of Egypt, the only ones who are at least 20 years old who will see the land that I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are Jephunneh’s son Caleb and Nun’s son Joshua, because they trusted me completely. None of the other people who came out of Egypt will even see that land, because they have not completely believed in my [power].’
12 praeter Chaleb filium Iepphonne Cenezeum et Iosue filium Nun isti impleverunt voluntatem meam
13 iratusque Dominus adversum Israhel circumduxit eum per desertum quadraginta annis donec consumeretur universa generatio quae fecerat malum in conspectu eius
So Yahweh was angry with the Israeli people, and [as a result] he has caused us to wander in this desert for 40 years. Finally, all the people who had sinned against Yahweh [by refusing to trust him] died, [one by one].
14 et ecce inquit vos surrexistis pro patribus vestris incrementa et alumni hominum peccatorum ut augeretis furorem Domini contra Israhel
And you are acting like your ancestors did! You sinful Israeli people are going to cause Yahweh to be more angry with you [than he was with our ancestors]
15 qui si nolueritis sequi eum in solitudine populum derelinquet et vos causa eritis necis omnium
If you stop trusting him, he will cause you and all your fellow Israelis to stay longer in the desert, and he will get rid of all of you!”
16 at illi prope accedentes dixerunt caulas ovium fabricabimus et stabula iumentorum parvulis quoque nostris urbes munitas
Then the [leaders of the tribes of Reuben and Gad] said to Moses/me, “First we will build pens for our animals and build cities for our families here.
17 nos autem ipsi armati et accincti pergemus ad proelium ante filios Israhel donec introducamus eos ad loca sua parvuli nostri et quicquid habere possumus erunt in urbibus muratis propter habitatorum insidias
Then our families will live in strong cities with walls around them, and they will be safe from the people who live in this land. Then we will get ready to fight battles. We will help the other Israelis to get land [on the other side of the river].
18 non revertemur in domos nostras usquequo possideant filii Israhel hereditatem suam
We will not return to our homes until every Israeli has received some land.
19 nec quicquam quaeremus trans Iordanem quia iam habemus possessionem nostram in orientali eius plaga
We will not take any land on the west side of the Jordan [River]; our land will be here on the east side.”
20 quibus Moses ait si facitis quod promittitis expediti pergite coram Domino ad pugnam
So Moses/I told them, “[Okay, I will tell you] what you all must do. You must get ready to fight battles for Yahweh.
21 et omnis vir bellator armatus Iordanem transeat donec subvertat Dominus inimicos suos
You all must cross the Jordan [River] carrying your weapons.
22 et subiciatur ei omnis terra tunc eritis inculpabiles et apud Dominum et apud Israhel et obtinebitis regiones quas vultis coram Domino
After Yahweh helps us to take that land [from the people who live there], you will be permitted to return to your homes. You will have done what you have promised Yahweh and the Israeli people that you would do, and you may keep this land to be your own, given to you by Yahweh.
23 sin autem quod dicitis non feceritis nulli dubium quin peccetis in Dominum et scitote quoniam peccatum vestrum adprehendet vos
“But if you do not do these things, you will be sinning against Yahweh, and he will punish you for [that] sin.
24 aedificate ergo urbes parvulis vestris et caulas ac stabula ovibus ac iumentis et quod polliciti estis implete
Now you can build cities for your families and pens for your animals, but after doing that, you must do what you have promised.”
25 dixeruntque filii Gad et Ruben ad Mosen servi tui sumus faciemus quod iubet dominus noster
The leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben replied, “We will do what you have asked us to do [MTY], because you are our leader.
26 parvulos nostros et mulieres et pecora ac iumenta relinquemus in urbibus Galaad
Our wives and children and our cattle and sheep and goats will stay here in the cities in the Gilead area,
27 nos autem famuli tui omnes expediti pergemus ad bellum sicut tu domine loqueris
but we will prepare to go to battle. We will take our weapons and go across [the Jordan River] and fight for Yahweh, just as you, our leader, have said.”
28 praecepit ergo Moses Eleazaro sacerdoti et Iosue filio Nun et principibus familiarum per tribus Israhel et dixit ad eos
So Moses/I gave instructions about them to Eleazar, Joshua, and the leaders of the Israeli tribes.
29 si transierint filii Gad et filii Ruben vobiscum Iordanem omnes armati ad bellum coram Domino et vobis fuerit terra subiecta date eis Galaad in possessionem
Moses/I said to them, “If the men from the tribes of Gad and Reuben prepare for battle and cross the Jordan [River] with you, in order to do what Yahweh desires and help you to take that land, give them the Gilead area to belong to them.
30 sin autem noluerint transire vobiscum in terram Chanaan inter vos habitandi accipiant loca
But if they do not take their weapons and go with you prepared to fight, they will not receive this land. They will need to accept some land in Canaan, like the rest of you will do.”
31 responderuntque filii Gad et filii Ruben sicut locutus est Dominus servis suis ita faciemus
The [leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben] replied, “We will do what you have said and what Yahweh has said.
32 ipsi armati pergemus coram Domino in terram Chanaan et possessionem iam suscepisse nos confitemur trans Iordanem
We will cross the river into Canaan land, and we will do what Yahweh desires and be prepared for battle. But our land will be [here] on the east side of the Jordan [River].”
33 dedit itaque Moses filiis Gad et Ruben et dimidiae tribui Manasse filii Ioseph regnum Seon regis Amorrei et regnum Og regis Basan et terram eorum cum urbibus suis per circuitum
So Moses/I agreed to give that land to the tribes of Gad and Reuben and to half of the tribe of Joseph’s son Manasseh. That land was previously the land where Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, ruled, and the land where Og, the king of Bashan [region], ruled, including its cities and surrounding land.
34 igitur extruxerunt filii Gad Dibon et Atharoth et Aroer
The people of the tribe of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
35 Etrothsophan et Iazer Iecbaa
Atroth-Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
36 et Bethnemra et Betharan urbes munitas et caulas pecoribus suis
Beth-Nimrah, and Beth-Haran cities. Those were cities with strong walls around them. And they also built pens for their sheep.
37 filii vero Ruben aedificaverunt Esbon et Eleale et Cariathaim
The people of the tribe of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
38 et Nabo et Baalmeon versis nominibus Sabama quoque inponentes vocabula urbibus quas extruxerant
Nebo, Baal-Meon, and Sibmah cities. When they rebuilt Nebo and Baal-Meon, they gave new names to those cities.
39 porro filii Machir filii Manasse perrexerunt in Galaad et vastaverunt eam interfecto Amorreo habitatore eius
The descendants of Manasseh’s son Makir went to the Gilead [region] and compelled the people of the Amor people-group to leave that area.
40 dedit ergo Moses terram Galaad Machir filio Manasse qui habitavit in ea
So Moses/I gave Gilead to the family of Makir, and they started to live there.
41 Iair autem filius Manasse abiit et occupavit vicos eius quos appellavit Avothiair id est villas Iair
Jair, who was also a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured the small towns in that region, and he named them the Towns of Jair.
42 Nobe quoque perrexit et adprehendit Canath cum viculis suis vocavitque eam ex nomine suo Nobe
A man named Nobah went and captured Kenath [city] and the nearby towns, and then he put his own name to be the new name of that area.
