Numbers Chapter 32 records an excited exchange between Moses and the Hebrew leadership on the one side,
with Gad and Reuben on the other. Money was at the root of it, as Abravanel learns. “The children of
Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the
princes of the congregation, saying. Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer…. the land which God smote before
the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle.”
“And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad amassed
impressively large holding of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer
and the land of Gilead were good for livestock.”
Gad and Reuben didn’t mince words. “And they said, if we have found favor in your sight, let this land be
given unto your servants for a possession. Bring us not over the Jordan.” Abravanel fills in the blanks.
In the previous chapter, we read that God demanded an outright war against the Midianites. In short
shrift, the Hebrew warriors smote them. Laden with war trophies, the victors walked away with tons of
booty.
In that context, it appears that the children of Reuben and Gad acquired hefty quantities of livestock.
Add to Midianite war spoils more cattle that they had presumably garnered in the lands of Sihon and Og.
Bulging with bovine, the two tribes began planning for their long-term financial security. In surveying
Sihon’s and Og’s territories, they decided to ask Moses if they could stay put, having identified a region
perfect for raising herds and flocks.
Learning as Abravanel has, our narrative flows smoothly from those events described in the Midianite
Campaign. We may surmise that Reuben’s and Gad’s net worth burgeoned as a result of their most
recent Midianite windfall.
Indeed, our chapter speaks of Reuben and Gad having the Midas touch. But that is not to assume that
other tribes hadn’t also struck gold. The difference is that Reuben’s and Gad’s wealth prompted them to
submit a petition. Perhaps, their life’s ambition was to work as shepherds. Who knows, Abravanel
surmises. Maybe they had a knack and yearning for it, more than the other tribes.
Each man’s path is right in his eyes, to paraphrase the wise Solomon. Some men are driven by
materialism, delighting in amassing fantabulous fortunes. And cattle ranching provides the means to
reach those ends.
Certainly, Reuben and Gad were cut from that cloth, Abravanel argues. Of the two, Gad seems to have
been the more driven. The Torah hints at this since he is mentioned first, despite Reuben having been
Jacob’s first-born son. Moses alluded to moolah-crazed Gad when he blessed him. “…and rips the arm,
verily, the crown of the head.” Here is imagery, evoking a fearless fighter, confident of his brawn. A
scrappy slugger such as Gad feels no compunction about dwelling among enemies in Transjordan. The
same cannot be said about the other tribes, content to live near each other, concentrated in the Holy
Land.
Abravanel suggests another—more favorable—motivation for Reuben’s and Gad’s request. Reuben was
Jacob’s first-born. He watched primogenitor rights dissipate, slipping through his fingers before being
transferred to Joseph. As for kingship, that bypassed him and went to Judah.
Fed up, Reuben sought distance from his brethren. Relegated to subservience to younger brothers, with
the concomitant loss of face, was too much to handle. Dwelling in the Jordan’s East Bank suited him
best; he desired isolation, and a quiet corner. The idea of little brothers wagging tongues mortified him.
Gad, a son of his mother’s handmaid, joined him. Besides, they had been fellow travelers in the desert
flag formation. Likely they had grown close so the idea of a more permanent alliance jelled.
In sum, Abravanel supplies thoughtful material to better make sense of Gad’s and Reuben’s motivation
to stay put on Jordan’s East Bank.