Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;
Your wives, your children, and your livestock will stay in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan River. But you must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites, armed and ready for battle, all you strong warriors, and help them conquer the land.
Joshua is telling the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh that while their families can settle in the land they've already received, their warriors must still help the other tribes conquer the Promised Land.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context, the Israelites were preparing to conquer the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership after Moses' death, as God had commanded them to take possession of the territory west of the Jordan River. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh had already received their allotted land on the east side of the Jordan from Moses, based on their agreement to help the other tribes first. Joshua was reminding these tribes of their commitment to arm themselves and assist their fellow Israelites in the battles ahead, ensuring the entire nation could settle the land as promised.
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