Numbers 32:15
New International Version
If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.”

New Living Translation
If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!”

English Standard Version
For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.”

Berean Standard Bible
For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.”

Berean Literal Bible
For if you? turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you? will destroy all this people.”

King James Bible
For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

New King James Version
For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

New American Standard Bible
For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

NASB 1995
“For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

NASB 1977
“For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all these people.”

Legacy Standard Bible
For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

Amplified Bible
For if you turn back from following Him [completely], He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

Berean Annotated Bible
For if you? turn away from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you? will be the cause of their destruction.

Christian Standard Bible
If you turn back from following him, he will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If you turn back from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them.”

American Standard Version
For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye will destroy all this people.

Contemporary English Version
If you reject the LORD, he will once again abandon his people and leave them here in the desert. And you will be to blame!

English Revised Version
For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If you turn away from him, he will abandon all these people in the desert. You would be responsible for their destruction."

Good News Translation
If you people of Reuben and Gad refuse to follow him now, he will once again abandon all these people in the wilderness, and you will be responsible for their destruction."

International Standard Version
If you stop following him, he will once again abandon them in the wilderness. You'll end up destroying this entire people."

NET Bible
For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction."

New Heart English Bible
For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people."

Webster's Bible Translation
For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and he will destroy all this people.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.”

World English Bible
For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all these people.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
when you turn back from after Him, then He has added yet to leave him in the wilderness, and you have done corruptly to all this people.”

Berean Literal Bible
For if you? turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you? will destroy all this people.”

Young's Literal Translation
when ye turn back from after Him, then He hath added yet to leave him in the wilderness, and ye have done corruptly to all this people.'

Smith's Literal Translation
When ye shall turn back from after him, and he will add yet to leave him in the desert; and ye will destroy all this people.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For if you will not follow him, he will leave the people in the wilderness, end you shall be the cause of the destruction of all.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if you are not willing to follow him, he will leave the people behind in the wilderness, and you will have been the cause of all our deaths.”

New American Bible
If you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will bring about the ruin of this entire people.”

New Revised Standard Version
If you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For if you turn away from after the LORD, he will again make you wander in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if you turn from LORD JEHOVAH, He will increase again your wandering in the wilderness, and for this you are destroying all the people.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For if ye turn away from after Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and so ye will destroy all this people.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For ye will turn away from him to desert him yet once more in the wilderness, and ye will sin against this whole congregation.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Tribes East of the Jordan
14Now behold, you, a brood of sinners, have risen up in place of your fathers to further stoke the burning anger of the LORD against Israel. 15For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.” 16Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones.…

Cross References
For if you turn away from following Him,

Joshua 22:16-18
“This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day? / Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD. / And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

1 Samuel 12:20-21
“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. / Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

2 Chronicles 15:2
So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

He will once again leave this people in the wilderness,

Numbers 14:33-34
Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. / In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation.

Deuteronomy 1:35-36
“Not one of the men of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your fathers, / except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”

Hebrews 3:17-19
And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? / So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.

and you will be the cause of their destruction.”

1 Kings 14:15-16
For the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that He gave their fathers, and He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking the LORD to anger. / So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”

2 Kings 17:21-23
When the LORD had torn Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam led Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin. / The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam had committed and did not turn away from them. / Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day.

Joshua 7:1
The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.
Deuteronomy 1:26-28
But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. / You grumbled in your tents and said, “Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be annihilated. / Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’”

Psalm 106:24-26
They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise. / They grumbled in their tents and did not listen to the voice of the LORD. / So He raised His hand and swore to cast them down in the wilderness,

Hebrews 3:16-19
For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? / And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? …

Deuteronomy 9:23-24
And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh-barnea, He said, “Go up and possess the land that I have given you.” But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You neither believed Him nor obeyed Him. / You have been rebelling against the LORD since the day I came to know you.

1 Corinthians 10:5-11
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. / These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. / Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” …

Nehemiah 9:16-17
But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments. / They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.

Ezekiel 20:8-13
But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt. / But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to Israel by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. / So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. …


Treasury of Scripture

For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people.

if ye turn

Leviticus 26:14-18
But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; …

Deuteronomy 28:15
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Deuteronomy 30:17-19
But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; …

he will yet

Numbers 14:35
I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

Numbers 14:30-35
Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun…

ye shall

Jeremiah 38:23
So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.

Matthew 18:7
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Romans 14:15,20,21
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died…

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Numbers 32
1. The Reubenites and Gadites ask for inheritance on the east side of Jordan
6. Moses reproves them
16. They offer him conditions with which he is content
33. Moses assigns them the land
39. They conquer it.












For if you turn away from following Him,
This phrase serves as a warning against apostasy and disobedience. In the context of Numbers 32, the tribes of Reuben and Gad requested to settle east of the Jordan River, which could be seen as a reluctance to fully enter the Promised Land. Turning away from God is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, often leading to dire consequences. This echoes the warnings given in Deuteronomy 28 about the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. It also reflects the human tendency to stray from God, as seen in the story of the Israelites' repeated cycles of sin and repentance in the Book of Judges.

He will once again leave this people in the wilderness,
This phrase recalls the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness as a result of the Israelites' lack of faith and disobedience after the Exodus from Egypt. The wilderness represents a place of testing and judgment, as well as a period of divine discipline. The threat of returning to the wilderness underscores the seriousness of the consequences of turning away from God. It serves as a reminder of the previous generation that perished in the wilderness due to their unbelief, as recorded in Numbers 14. The wilderness experience is also a type of spiritual journey, symbolizing the trials believers face before reaching their ultimate rest in God.

and you will be the cause of their destruction.”
This phrase highlights the communal responsibility and the potential impact of individual actions on the larger community. The decision of the tribes of Reuben and Gad could lead to discouragement and division among the Israelites, ultimately resulting in their downfall. This reflects the biblical principle that sin and disobedience can have far-reaching effects, not just on the individual but on the entire community. The concept of corporate responsibility is seen throughout Scripture, such as in the sin of Achan in Joshua 7, which brought trouble upon all Israel. It also points to the importance of unity and collective faithfulness in achieving God's purposes.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, who is addressing the tribes of Reuben and Gad regarding their request to settle on the east side of the Jordan River.

2. Reuben and Gad
Two tribes of Israel who requested to settle in the land of Gilead, east of the Jordan, instead of crossing into the Promised Land.

3. The Wilderness
The place where the Israelites wandered for 40 years due to their disobedience and lack of faith.

4. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

5. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were delivered from Egypt and were on their journey to the Promised Land.
Teaching Points
Faithfulness to God’s Commands
The importance of remaining faithful to God's commands is emphasized. Turning away from God can lead to dire consequences, not only for individuals but for the entire community.

The Consequences of Disobedience
Disobedience can result in prolonged hardship and delay in receiving God's promises. The Israelites' 40-year journey in the wilderness serves as a stark reminder.

Community Responsibility
The actions of a few can impact the whole community. The tribes of Reuben and Gad were reminded that their decision could lead to the destruction of the entire nation.

Trust in God’s Promises
Trusting in God's promises requires action and sometimes sacrifice. The tribes were challenged to trust God by entering the Promised Land rather than settling for immediate comfort.

Spiritual Vigilance
Believers are called to be vigilant in their spiritual walk, ensuring that they do not turn away from following God, as this can lead to spiritual wilderness.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Numbers 32:15?

2. How does Numbers 32:15 warn against turning away from God's commands today?

3. What consequences did Moses highlight for disobedience in Numbers 32:15?

4. How can Numbers 32:15 guide us in maintaining faithfulness to God?

5. Compare Numbers 32:15 with Hebrews 3:12. What similarities exist in their warnings?

6. How can we ensure our actions don't "abandon them again in the wilderness"?

7. How does Numbers 32:15 reflect on the consequences of disobedience to God?

8. What historical context surrounds the events in Numbers 32:15?

9. How does Numbers 32:15 relate to the theme of collective responsibility?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Numbers 32?

11. In Psalm 103:8-10, God is portrayed as merciful--how do we reconcile this with Old Testament accounts of severe divine judgment?

12. Ezekiel 33:17 - If God's ways are truly just, why do we see instances of collective punishment and suffering elsewhere in Scripture?

13. In Nehemiah 9:29-31, why does God repeatedly rescue a people who continually rebel, and how does this align with other biblical texts suggesting divine judgment upon persistent disobedience?

14. If God is just, why were thousands punished for the actions of a few in Numbers 16:49?
What Does Numbers 32:15 Mean
For if you turn away from following Him

• Moses speaks plainly: obedience to the LORD is not optional but essential. The little word “if” highlights personal responsibility and genuine choice.

• “Turn away” pictures a deliberate shift of allegiance—much like the first generation that “refused to go up” (Deuteronomy 1:26).

• Scripture repeatedly warns believers not to drift: “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12).

• The call is to follow, not merely admire, the LORD. Jesus echoes the same heart centuries later: “My sheep listen to My voice, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).


He will once again leave this people in the wilderness

• “Once again” reaches back to Numbers 14:33-35, when unbelief sentenced Israel to forty years of wandering. History can repeat itself if hearts repeat old sins.

• God’s presence is conditional on loyalty. When Judah rebelled, the glory departed (Ezekiel 10:18-19). When the churches neglect their first love, He warns, “I will come and remove your lampstand” (Revelation 2:5).

• Wilderness life is not God’s ideal; it is discipline. Yet even there He sustains—“These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7). Mercy endures, but fellowship and forward progress stall.


and you will be the cause of their destruction

• Sin never stays private. Gad and Reuben’s reluctance would discourage the whole nation just as the ten spies did (Numbers 13-14). Achan’s hidden greed led to Israel’s defeat at Ai (Joshua 7).

• The New Testament presses the same truth: “Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block in your brother’s way” (Romans 14:13). Jesus pronounces severe warning: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck” (Mark 9:42).

• Leadership carries weight. By choosing comfort east of the Jordan, these tribes risked becoming the domino that toppled the entire covenant community.


summary

Numbers 32:15 is a sober reminder that obedience brings blessing, while deliberate withdrawal from God’s path invites discipline not only on the individual but on the community. Turning back risks another generation lost in the wilderness, and the one who triggers that retreat bears responsibility before the LORD.

Verse 15. - He will yet again leave them in the wilderness. Properly speaking, Israel had already emerged from the wilderness; but until they had fairly made good their possession of Canaan, their desert wanderings could not be considered at an end.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For if
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you turn away
תְשׁוּבֻן֙ (ṯə·šū·ḇun)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

from following Him,
מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו (mê·’a·ḥă·rāw)
Preposition-m | third person masculine singular
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

He will once again
וְיָסַ֣ף (wə·yā·sap̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3254: To add, augment

leave
לְהַנִּיח֖וֹ (lə·han·nî·ḥōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3240: Bestow, cast down, lay down, up, leave off, let alone remain, pacify, place,

this
הַזֶּֽה׃ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

people
הָעָ֥ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

in the wilderness,
בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר (bam·miḏ·bār)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

and you will be the cause of their destruction.”
וְשִֽׁחַתֶּ֖ם (wə·ši·ḥat·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7843: Perhaps to go to ruin


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OT Law: Numbers 32:15 For if you turn away from after (Nu Num.)
Numbers 32:14
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