The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock. (Number 32:1) Two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh) got to looking around on the east side of the Jordan, came to Moses and said, Gilead been veddy veddy goood to me. (Okay, this is a very, very obscure 1970s Saturday Night Live reference - you'd have to be really sad and strange to get it.)
At first, Moses was incensed, thinking these three tribes were abandoning the rest of the nation just as they were about to cross into Canaan to drive out the inhabitants of the land. This didn't set well with Moses until they assured him they would participate in the battle campaigns for Canaan, and then return to their wives and children in Gilead.
While Moses gave his blessing to the request of these three tribes, it really didn't end well. There was never really a strong connection between these transJordan tribes and the rest of Israel. As we continue to read, we will find the references to them are few and far between.
I hadn't really given much thought to the way that river became such a dividing point in their long-term unity. Hm... Actually, the part in this that had me going 'huh?' was the instruction that they keep the young girls for themselves as a part of the loot. Aside from my personal squickiness on the whole concept of a girl being classified with loot, what happened to the 'don't intermarry' clause? You can bet those girls didn't spend their entire lives as virgin chambermaids... I really don't get that.
ReplyDelete- Amy