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
This verse addresses the two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) who had requested to settle on the east side of the Jordan River because the land was good for their livestock. Moses had agreed to this arrangement, but with the condition that their fighting men must help the other tribes conquer the land west of the Jordan before returning to their own territory.
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