For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond: As in verse 15, the Hebrew particle ki rendered For is an emphatic marker here, so it may be translated “Indeed,” “Surely,” or “You may be sure.” The Hebrew verbal construction translated we will not inherit is stronger than this rendering suggests. Better models are “we do not claim” (New Living Translation) or “we do not wish to inherit” (Ashley, page 611). On the other side of the Jordan and beyond refers to the land of Canaan, west of the Jordan River. Instead of and beyond, it may be helpful to translate “and further” (Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap), “or still further away” (De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling), or even “or anywhere else further.” It seems that it is part of the negotiation strategy of the Gadites and Reubenites to make it sound far-fetched that they would possess any land west of the Jordan.

Because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east: Also as part of their negotiation strategy, the Gadites and Reubenites make it sound as if they have already received the land east of the Jordan as their full inheritance. The Hebrew particle ki rendered because is a logical connector here. For inheritance see verse 18. Good News Translation renders on this side of the Jordan to the east as “here east of the Jordan,” which makes it more explicit that the two tribes are now referring to the eastern side of the Jordan. This is where they were as they spoke.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .