Numbers 32:33

“And Moses gave unto them, etc.] By word of mouth, in the presence of the court, or rather by some instrument drawn up and signed by him and the sanhedrim, or witnessed by them: [even] to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph; no mention is made of this half tribe joining with the other two tribes in the request to settle on this side Jordan, and therefore it is generally thought that they were encouraged, by the success of the two tribes, to make a like motion; or else Moses and the princes, observing that there was too much land for the said tribes, joined this half tribe with them, the land being suitable for them: the…”

“half the tribe of Manasseh--It is nowhere explained in the record how they were incorporated with the two tribes, or what broke this great tribe into two parts, of which one was left to follow the fortunes of its brethren in the settled life of the western hills, while the other was allowed to wander as a nomadic tribe over the pasture lands of Gilead and Bashan. They are not mentioned as accompanying Reuben and Gad in their application to Moses [Num 32:1]; neither were they included in his first directions (Num 32:25); but as they also were a people addicted to pastoral pursuits and possessed as immense flocks as the other two, Moses invited the half of them to remain, in consequence,…”

“Half the tribe of Manasseh - That is, (compare Numbers 32:39; Joshua 17:1) the families of Machir. Moses, when assigning to the pastoral tribes the inheritance which they desired, appropriated to these Manassites especially the district they had already subdued, as a reward for their valour and exploits. Thus the whole of the conquered country was provisionally disposed of, and the forwardness anti valour of the Machirites rewarded. It seems clear from Numbers 32:39 and Joshua 17:1, that the claims of the Machirites arose simply out of their exploits. return to 'Top of Page'”

“32:33-42 The tribes of Gad and Reuben, along with half the tribe of Manasseh, settled east of the Jordan (e.g., Deut 3:12-13; 4:43; 29:7-8). These tribes occupied territory and towns taken from King Sihon the Amorite and King Og of Bashan (Num 32:33; see 21:21-35). • Half the tribe of Manasseh suddenly appears in the discussion of territorial distribution. Part of Manasseh settled east of the Jordan River, while another part of the tribe settled in Canaan, west of the Jordan (cp. Josh 17:1-12; 22:7).”

“Moses: Num 32:1; Deu 3:12-17, Deu 29:8; Jos 12:6, Jos 13:8-14, Jos 22:4 half the: Num 34:14; Ch1 5:18, Ch1 12:31, Ch1 26:32 the kingdom: Num 21:23-35; Deu 2:30-33, Deu 3:1-8; Psa 135:10, Psa 135:11, Psa 136:18-21 Numbers 32:34”

“Moses then gave to the sons of Gad and Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, namely, "the land according to its towns, in (its) districts, (namely) the towns of the land round about," i.e., the whole of the land with its towns and the districts belonging to them, or surrounding the towns. It appears strange that the half-tribe of Manasseh is included here for the first time at the close of the negotiations, whereas it is not mentioned at all in connection with the negotiations themselves. This striking fact may easily be explained, however, on the supposition that it was by the two tribes of Reuben and Gad alone that the…”