Book 04 Numbers (continued 1)
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
31:46. And out of the sixteen thousand persons,
31:47. Moses took the fiftieth head, and gave it to the Levites that watched in the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded.
31:48. And when the commanders of the army, and the tribunes and centurions were come to Moses, they said:
31:49. We thy servants have reckoned up the number of the fighting men, whom we had under our hand, and not so much as one was wanting.
31:50. Therefore we offer as gifts to the Lord what gold every one of us could find in the booty, in garters and tablets, rings and bracelets, and chains, that thou mayst pray to the Lord for us.
31:51. And Moses and Eleazar the priest received all the gold in divers kinds,
31:52. In weight sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty sicles, from the tribunes and from the centurions.
31:53. For that which every one had taken in the booty was his own.
31:54. And that which was received they brought into the tabernacle of the testimony, for a memorial of the children of Israel before the Lord.
Numbers Chapter 32
The tribes of Ruben and Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasses, receive their inheritance on the east side of Jordan, upon conditions approved of by Moses.
32:1. And the sons of Ruben and Gad had many flocks of cattle, and their substance in beasts was infinite. And when they saw the lands of Jazer and Galaad fit for feeding cattle,
32:2. They came to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and the princes of the multitude, and said:
32:3. Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nemra, Hesebon, and Eleale, and Saban, and Nebo, and Beon,
32:4. The land, which the Lord hath conquered in the sight of the children of Israel, is a very fertile soil for the feeding of beasts: and we thy servants have very much cattle:
32:5. And we pray thee, if we have found favour in thy sight, that thou give it to us thy servants in possession, and make us not pass over the Jordan.
32:6. And Moses answered them: What, shall your brethren go to fight, and will you sit here?
32:7. Why do ye overturn the minds of the children of Israel, that they may not dare to pass into the place which the Lord hath given them?
32:8. Was it not thus your fathers did, when I sent from Cadesbarne to view the land?
32:9. And when they were come as far as the valley of the cluster, having viewed all the country, they overturned the hearts of the children of Israel, that they should not enter into the coasts, which the Lord gave them.
32:10. And he swore in his anger, saying:
32:11. If these men, that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land, which I promised with an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: because they would not follow me,
32:12. Except Caleb the son of Jephone the Cenezite, and Josue the son of Nun: these have fulfilled my will.
32:13. And the Lord being angry against Israel, led them about through the desert forty years, until the whole generation, that had done evil in his sight, was consumed.
32:14. And behold, said he, you are risen up instead of your fathers, the increase and offspring of sinful men, to augment the fury of the Lord against Israel.
32:15. For if you will not follow him, he will leave the people in the wilderness, and you shall be the cause of the destruction of all.
32:16. But they coming near, said: We will make sheepfolds, and stalls for our cattle, and strong cities for our children:
32:17. And we ourselves will go armed and ready for battle before the children of Israel, until we bring them in unto their places. Our little ones, and all we have, shall be in walled cities, for fear of the ambushes of the inhabitants.
32:18. We will not return into our houses until the children of Israel possess their inheritance:
32:19. Neither will we seek any thing beyond the Jordan, because we have already our possession on the east side thereof,
32:20. And Moses said to them: If you do what you promise, go on well appointed for war before the Lord:
32:21. And let every fighting man pass over the Jordan, until the Lord overthrow his enemies:
32:22. And all the land be brought under him, then shall you be blameless before the Lord and before Israel, and you shall obtain the countries that you desire, before the Lord.
32:23. But if you do not what you say, no man can doubt but you sin against God: and know ye, that your sin shall overtake you.
32:24. Build therefore cities for your children, and folds and stalls for your sheep and beasts, and accomplish what you have promised.
32:25. And the children of Gad and Ruben said to Moses: We are thy servants, we will do what my lord commandeth.
32:26. We will leave our children, and our wives and sheep and cattle, in the cities of Galaad:
32:27. And we thy servants all well appointed will march on to the war, as thou, my lord, speakest.
32:28. Moses therefore commanded Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun, and the princes of the families of all the tribes of Israel, and said to them:
32:29. If the children of Gad, and the children of Ruben pass with you over the Jordan, all armed for war before the Lord, and the land be made subject to you: give them Galaad in possession.