ל״ב
א׳וּמִקְנֶ֣ה ׀ רַ֗ב הָיָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֧י רְאוּבֵ֛ן וְלִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד עָצ֣וּם מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּרְא֞וּ אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ יַעְזֵר֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גִּלְעָ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמָּק֖וֹם מְק֥וֹם מִקְנֶֽה׃
1The Reubenites and the Gadites owned cattle in very great numbers. Noting that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were a region suitable for cattle,
ב׳וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ בְנֵֽי־גָ֖ד וּבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־נְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
2the Gadites and the Reubenitesathe Gadites and the Reubenites Or their leaders, on the tribes’ behalf. came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chieftains of the community, and said,
ג׳עֲטָר֤וֹת וְדִיבֹן֙ וְיַעְזֵ֣ר וְנִמְרָ֔ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֹֽן׃
3“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon—
עטרות ודיבן וגו'. מֵאֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג הָיוּ:
עטרות ודיבון וגו׳ ATOROTH AND DIBON etc. — These belonged to the land of Sihon and Og.
ד׳הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לִפְנֵי֙ עֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֥רֶץ מִקְנֶ֖ה הִ֑וא וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מִקְנֶֽה׃ {ס}
4the land that GOD has conquered for the community of Israel—is cattle country, and your servants have cattle.
ה׳וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אִם־מָצָ֤אנוּ חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ יֻתַּ֞ן אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ לַאֲחֻזָּ֑ה אַל־תַּעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃
5It would be a favor to us,” they continued, “if this land were given to your servants as a holding; do not move us across the Jordan.”
ו׳וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד וְלִבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן הַאַֽחֵיכֶ֗ם יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תֵּ֥שְׁבוּ פֹֽה׃
6Moses replied to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here?
האחיכם. לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה הוּא:
האחיכם SHALL YOUR BRETHREN — This denotes a question. (i.e., the ה prefixed is the interrogative particle).
ז׳וְלָ֣מָּה (תנואון) [תְנִיא֔וּן] אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מֵֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה׃
7Why will you turn the minds of the Israelites from crossing into the land that GOD has given them?
ולמה תניאון. תָּסִירוּ וְתַמְנִיעוּ לִבָּם מֵעֲבֹר, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁאַתֶּם יְרֵאִים לַעֲבֹר מִפְּנֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה וְחֹזֶק הֶעָרִים וְהָעָם:
ולמה תניאון means AND WHY WILL YE TURN ASIDE AND WITHHOLD their heart from passing over? — because they will think that you are afraid to pass over on account of the prospect of war and the strength of the cities and the peoples.
ח׳כֹּ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּשׇׁלְחִ֥י אֹתָ֛ם מִקָּדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵ֖עַ לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
8That is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to survey the land.
מקדש ברנע. כָּךְ שְׁמָהּ, וּשְׁתֵּי קָדֵשׁ הָיוּ:
מקדש ברנע FROM KADESH-BARNEA — this was its name. There were two places called Kadesh (therefore this one is distinguished from the other by being called Kadesh-Barnea).
ט׳וַֽיַּעֲל֞וּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֗וֹל וַיִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּנִ֕יאוּ אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְבִלְתִּי־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה׃
9After going up to the wadi Eshcol and surveying the land, they turned the minds of the Israelites from invading the land that GOD had given them.
י׳וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע לֵאמֹֽר׃
10Thereupon GOD was incensed and swore,
י״אאִם־יִרְא֨וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים הָעֹלִ֣ים מִמִּצְרַ֗יִם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה אֵ֚ת הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֑ב כִּ֥י לֹא־מִלְא֖וּ אַחֲרָֽי׃
11‘None of those involvedbthose involved I.e., the militia; see note at 14.29. from twenty years up who came out of Egypt shall see the land that I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they did not remain loyal to Me—
י״בבִּלְתִּ֞י כָּלֵ֤ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה֙ הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וִיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נ֑וּן כִּ֥י מִלְא֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃
12none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they remained loyal to GOD.’
הקנזי. חוֹרְגוֹ שֶׁל קְנַז הָיָה וְיָלְדָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ שֶׁל כָּלֵב אֶת עָתְנִיאֵל (סוטה י"א):
הקנזי [CALEB THE SON OF JEPHUNNEH] THE KENEZITE — He (Caleb) was the stepson of Kenaz (and therefore he is termed here the Kenezite), and Caleb's mother bore Othniel to him (to Kenaz) (and for this reason Othniel, the son of Kenaz is described in Joshua 15:17 as Caleb’s brother) (Sotah 11b).
י״גוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְנִעֵם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה עַד־תֹּם֙ כׇּל־הַדּ֔וֹר הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃
13Incensed at Israel, GOD made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until the whole generation that had provoked GOD’s displeasure was gone.
וינעם. וַיְטַלְטְלֵם, מִן "נָע וָנָד" (בראשית ד):
וינעם means, AND HE MOVED THEM ABOUT; the word is of the same root as נע in (Genesis 4:12) “a wanderer (נע) and a vagabond”.
י״דוְהִנֵּ֣ה קַמְתֶּ֗ם תַּ֚חַת אֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תַּרְבּ֖וּת אֲנָשִׁ֣ים חַטָּאִ֑ים לִסְפּ֣וֹת ע֗וֹד עַ֛ל חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
14And now you, a breed of sinful men,ca breed of sinful men Or “increasing [the ranks of] sinful men.” have replaced your fathers, to add still further to GOD’s wrath against Israel.
לספות. כְּמוֹ "סְפוּ שָׁנָה עַל שָׁנָה" (ישעיהו כ"ט), "עֹלוֹתֵיכֶם סְפוּ" וְגוֹ' (ירמיהו ז'), לְשׁוֹן תּוֹסֶפֶת:
לספות is similar in meaning to the verbs in (Isaiah 29:1): “add (ספו) year to year”; ( 7:21): “add (ספו) your burnt-offerings” — an expression denoting adding (The translation is: to add even more to the Lord’s fierce anger against Israel).
ט״וכִּ֤י תְשׁוּבֻן֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו וְיָסַ֣ף ע֔וֹד לְהַנִּיח֖וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְשִֽׁחַתֶּ֖ם לְכׇל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס}
15If you turn away from [God], who then abandons them once more in the wilderness, you will bring calamity upon all this people.”
ט״זוַיִּגְּשׁ֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ גִּדְרֹ֥ת צֹ֛אן נִבְנֶ֥ה לְמִקְנֵ֖נוּ פֹּ֑ה וְעָרִ֖ים לְטַפֵּֽנוּ׃
16Then they stepped up to him and said, “We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks and towns for our dependents.
נבנה למקננו פה. חָסִים הָיוּ עַל מָמוֹנָם יוֹתֵר מִבְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ מִקְנֵיהֶם לְטַפָּם. אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה "לֹא כֵן, עֲשׂוּ הָעִקָּר עִקָּר וְהַטָּפֵל טָפֵל, בְּנוּ לָכֶם תְּחִלָּה עָרִים לְטַפְּכֶם וְאַחַר כֵּן גְּדֵרוֹת לְצֹאנְכֶם" (תנחומא):
נבנה למקננו פה WE WILL BUILD [SHEEP FOLDS] FOR OUR CATTLE HERE — They paid more regard to their property than to their sons and daughters, because they mentioned their cattle before their children. Moses said to them, “Not so! Make the chief thing the chief thing and what is subordinate subordinate. First build cities for your little ones and afterwards enclosures for your flocks” (cf. v. 24) (Midrash Tanchuma, Matot 7).
י״זוַאֲנַ֜חְנוּ נֵחָלֵ֣ץ חֻשִׁ֗ים לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִם־הֲבִֽיאֹנֻ֖ם אֶל־מְקוֹמָ֑ם וְיָשַׁ֤ב טַפֵּ֙נוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַמִּבְצָ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֖י יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
17And we will hastendhasten Meaning of Heb. ḥushim uncertain. as shock-troops in the van of the Israelites until we have established them in their home, while our dependents stay in the fortified towns because of the inhabitants of the land.
ואנחנו נחלץ חשים. נִזְדַּיֵּן מְהִירִים, כְּמוֹ "מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז" (ישעיהו ח'), "יְמַהֵר יָחִישָׁה" (שם ה'):
ואנחנו נחלץ חשים means, AND WE SHALL ARM OURSELVES SPEEDILY, the last word being the same as in (Isaiah 8:3): “the spoil hasteth, the prey speedeth (חש)” and in (Isaiah 5:19), “Let Him make haste, let Him speed."
לפני בני ישראל. בְּרָאשֵׁי גְּיָסוֹת, מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁגִּבּוֹרִים הָיוּ, שֶׁכֵּן נֶאֱמַר בְּגָד (דברים ל"ג) "וְטָרַף זְרוֹעַ אַף קָדְקֹד"; וְאַף מֹשֶׁה חָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ לָהֶם בְּאֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים (דברים ג') "וָאֲצַו אֶתְכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא וְגוֹ' חֲלוּצִים תַּעַבְרוּ לִפְנֵי אֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל בְּנֵי חָיִל", וּבִירִיחוֹ כְּתִיב (יהושע ו') "וְהֶחָלוּץ עוֹבֵר (הֹלֵךְ) לִפְנֵיהֶם" — זֶה רְאוּבֵן וְגָד שֶׁקִּיְּמוּ תְנָאָם:
לפני בני ישראל BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL - i.e. at the head of the troops, because they were mighty men; for thus is it said of Gad, (Deuteronomy 30:20): “He teareth the arm, with the crown of the head”. Moses distinctly stated this to them in Sedrah אלה הדברים (Deuteronomy 3:18): “And I commanded you at that time … Ye shall pass over armed before the children of Israel, all ye men of valour”. And regarding the siege of Jericho it is written, (Joshua 6:13): “And the armed men (החלוץ) went before them”— this refers to the tribes of Reuben and Gad who thus fulfilled the conditions they had laid down.
וישב טפנו. בְּעוֹדֵנוּ אֵצֶל אַחֵינוּ:
וישב טפנו AND OUR LITTLE ONES SHALL STAY, so long as we are with our brethren waging war,
בערי המבצר. שֶׁנִּבְנֶה עַכְשָׁו:
בערי המבצר IN THE FORTIFIED CITIES which we will now build (cf. v. 16 with v. 36).
י״חלֹ֥א נָשׁ֖וּב אֶל־בָּתֵּ֑ינוּ עַ֗ד הִתְנַחֵל֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֖ישׁ נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃
18We will not return to our homes until the other Israelites are in possession of their portion.
י״טכִּ֣י לֹ֤א נִנְחַל֙ אִתָּ֔ם מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן וָהָ֑לְאָה כִּ֣י בָ֤אָה נַחֲלָתֵ֙נוּ֙ אֵלֵ֔ינוּ מֵעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן מִזְרָֽחָה׃ {פ}
19But we will not have a share with them in the territory beyond the Jordan, for we have received our share on the east side of the Jordan.”
מעבר לירדן והלאה. בָּעֵבֶר הַמַּעֲרָבִי:
מעבר לירדן וגו׳ ON THE SIDE OF THE JORDAN AND YONDER — i.e., on the western side.
כי באה נחלתנו. כְּבָר קִבַּלְנוּהָ בָּעֵבֶר הַמִּזְרָחִי:
כי באה נחלתנו FOR OUR INHERITANCE HAS COME [TO US] — This means: by that time we shall have already received it on the eastern side.