And now herewithall Moses sayeth, That he gave that Country to the Children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, that is to say, to their Tribes, and to the half Tribe of Manasseh. Not that Moses offered them that Country in partition: but they did sue for it, as is written more plainly in the two and thirty Chapter of Numeri. In so much as it is said there, that Moses was angry when he saw them so hasty to be aforehand, for it was reason that the whole land should first have been conquered, ere any partition had bin made. But therewithal it is said, that the two Tribes of Gad and Reuben, excused themselves for that they had much Cattle, & it was a Country fit for grassing: & their desiring to be settled, was not to separate themselves from their brethren, or to be in better taking than they. For they protested that they would go with the rest of the people, to fight with them against all their enemies, and that they would never rest in the land that was assigned them, until all the residue were settled as well as they. Upon the making of this promise, Moses agreed unto them. For before, he said unto them, behold, ye increase the heap for your sin. For heretofore when ye spied out the land, ye would not enter into it at such time as the way was opened for you. And now ye bring new lets: it should seem ye seek nothing but to resist God, and to shut his grace out of the door. Moses then spake sharply after this sort against the children of Reuben and Gad, until they had showed that their meaning was not to forsake their brethren, but to hold themselves still in the unity of the body, and in the mean while to leave their Cattle at a stay, to the end they might not be too much cumbered with their wives and children. And even in this we have to mark the goodness of God. For had not he been the defender of them that were to dwell in that Country, what had come of it? Behold, a sort of women and young children are left behind with their Cattle. Now we know that all the neighbours thereabouts were desirous to destroy the people of Israel, and a general hatred or rather burning fire was kindled every ⟨p. 92⟩where against them. Therefore if the women and children had not been preserved under the hand of God, and under his protection: had they not perished a hundred times? And yet being so forsaken, they were not troubled by any man.
And nowe herewithall Moses saieth, That hee gaue that Countrey to the Children of Ruben, and to the children of Gad, that is to say, to their Tribes, and to the halfe Tribe of Manasses. Not that Moses offered them that Countrie in partition: but they did sue for it, as is written more plainely in the two and thirtie Chapter of Numeri. In so much as it is saide there, that Moses was angrie when he sawe them so hastie to bee aforehand, for it was reasō that the whole land should first haue bene conquered, ere any partition had bin made. But therewithall it is saide, that the two Tribes of Gad and Ruben, excused themselues for yt they had much Cattel, & it was a Countrie fit for grasing: & their desiring to be setled, was not to separate thēselues frō their brethrē, or to be in better taking thā they. For they protested that they would goe with the rest of the people, to fight with them against all their enemies, and that they would neuer rest in the land that was assigned them, vntil all the residue were setled as well as they. Vpon the making of this promise, Moses agreed vnto them. For before, he said vnto them, behold, ye increase the heape for your sinne. For heretofore when ye spied out the land, ye would not enter into it at such time as the way was opened for you. And nowe ye bring new lets: it should seeme ye seeke nothing but to resist God, and to shut his grace out of the doore. Moses then spake sharpely after this sort against the children of Ruben and Gad, vntill they had shewed that their meaning was not to forsake their brethren, but to holde themselues still in the vnitie of the bodie, and in the meane while to leaue their Cattell at a stay, to the ende they might not bee too much combered with their wiues and children. And euen in this wee haue to marke the goodnesse of God. For had not he beene the defender of them that were to dwell in that Countrie, what had come of it? Behold, a sort of women and yong children are left behinde with their Cattell. Nowe we know that al the neighbours thereaboutes were desirous to destroy the people of Israel, and a generall hatred or rather burning fire was kindled euery ⟨p. 92⟩where against them. Therefore if the women and children had not bene preserued vnder the hand of God, and vnder his protection: had they not perished a hundred times? And yet being so forsaken, they were not troubled by any man.
