1. Josué 22:4 (NEG79)
  2. Explication du texte

Why did Moses give these tribes land on the other (eastern) side of the Jordan?

Josué 22:4 (NEG79)

4 Maintenant que l'Eternel, votre Dieu, a accordé du repos à vos frères, comme il le leur avait dit, retournez et allez vers vos tentes, dans le pays qui vous appartient, et que Moïse, serviteur de l'Eternel, vous a donné de l'autre côté du Jourdain.

Numbers 32:1–42 provides details regarding the land east of the Jordan being given to Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. These three groups of people made a request for this particular piece of land because they had a large number of livestock and they saw that the land was suitable for grazing livestock (Numbers 32:1). Initially, Moses interpreted their request as an attempt to excuse themselves from battle (Numbers 32:6)—cowardice similar to that shown by the spies (Numbers 13:1–33). However, once they committed to fighting with the rest of the tribes, the land was promised to them (Numbers 32:22; Deuteronomy 3:18).