The Bible gives no stated reason for their eastern settlement in the passage Les discusses; it simply lists Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as the exception.
Les does not speculate about their motive in the provided clips. Instead, he uses the tribal arrangements to show that Reuben lost his place as firstborn to Judah because of his sin, and he notes that Israel entered Canaan from the east side of the Jordan. The eastern tribes are named as a geographic fact rather than as a puzzle to be solved.
Joshua 3:15 — The Jordan overflowing its banks sets the scene for Israel entering from the east side of the river.
Joshua 24:2 — Joshua's 'other side of the flood' language locates the forefathers east of the Euphrates, not the settlement of the eastern tribes.
The book of Joshua places Israel on the east bank of the Jordan before they entered the land. The Jordan was at flood stage: Joshua 3:15 says the river overfloweth all his banks at harvest time, and the nation crossed near Jericho, which sat just north of the Dead Sea. Joshua later reminded Israel that their fathers had lived on the other side of the flood (Joshua 24:2), a phrase that, from the land of Israel, pointed east to the Euphrates. In the portion of the narrative Les is teaching, the two and a half tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh are simply presented as dwelling on the east side of the Jordan. No explanatory motive is attached to their location in this passage; the text states the fact without giving a rationale.
Les does not speculate in these clips about why Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh chose to remain east of the Jordan. Instead, he gives the surrounding context that helps a reader understand the tribal geography. He explains that Reuben was the firstborn but was displaced from leadership because of his immorality, and that God in His sovereignty elevated Judah, the tribe of Christ, to the leading position. In the tabernacle order, Judah camped at the east gate and led the march, while Reuben, Simeon, and Gad were on the south side (Clips 1, 2, 4). He also describes Israel coming out of the wilderness through Moab and standing on the east bank of a flooded Jordan before crossing into Canaan near Jericho (Clip 7). This east-side approach is the same region where the two and a half tribes later had their territory. Les presents these details as geography and tribal history, but the clips do not include a specific reason for the eastern settlement itself.
Les Feldick teaches that Reuben was the firstborn and should have led, but because of his immorality, God in His sovereignty moved leadership to Judah. He points out that Christ came from the tribe of Judah and that the scepter belongs to Judah. In the tabernacle arrangement, Judah camped at the east gate and led the march, while Reuben, Simeon, and Gad were placed on the south side.
Les's makeshift map shows the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River running south to the Dead Sea, and Jericho just north of the Dead Sea's northern tip. He stresses that Israel came in from the east side of the Jordan after the wilderness journey and that the river was in flood stage in the spring. This is the region that lay east of the river, the same side on which Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh were established.
In the passage Les is discussing, no reason is given. The text simply identifies Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as dwelling on the east side of the Jordan, while the rest of Israel moved into the land west of the river. Les does not add a motivation for their choice in the provided clips.
Why Israel Rejected God as King — 1 Samuel 8 Explained
Welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a 30-minute walk through the Scriptures, teaching in-depth Bible truths that change people's lives. Now, here's your host, Les Feldick. Again, For all of you out in television, we've in the last month or two also gone on satellites, so we realize it's a possibility for someone joining us almost from coast to coast, from Canada to Central America.
Tribal Order Around the Tabernacle
Les outlines the tribal order around the tabernacle, placing Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south, and notes that Reuben lost his right as eldest while Judah took leadership because Christ would come from Judah.
Reuben's Lost Leadership
Les explicitly teaches that Reuben was the oldest but sinned, so God in His sovereignty gave Judah the place Reuben should have enjoyed.
What the Tabernacle Reveals About Christ Most People Miss
When we left off with our last program, I got as far through the tabernacle as the labor of cleansing, but in the break time, we had a gentleman come up and said, well, now, he said, you've got 12 tribes around the perimeter, and you haven't got Levi. That's 13. Well, he's so right, and I didn't make a point of it.
Judah Leads the March
Les repeats that Reuben was eldest but was bypassed; Judah, camped at the east gate, led whenever the cloud moved, pointing to Christ from Judah.
Israel’s Title Deed: Understanding God's Covenant in Genesis 15
And all of these tribes geographically at that time, the Parasites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. Now we know from archaeology and ancient history that all these tribes, now I'll have to erase some of this in order to give me some room for a little bit more of geography. But now you are acquainted with the Middle East of the last few months.
The Other Side of the River
Les points out that Joshua's phrase the other side of the river meant the east side of the Euphrates from Israel's perspective, providing orienting geography.
Crossing the Jordan from the East
Les uses a makeshift map to show Israel coming in from the east side of the Jordan, with Jericho just north of the Dead Sea, and notes the river was at flood stage.
Joshua 24:2: And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.
Les cites Joshua's words to show that 'the other side of the river' meant the east side of the Euphrates, giving readers an orienting clue for biblical geography.
Joshua 3:15: And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
Les notes the Jordan was at flood stage when Israel crossed, and this verse records that the river overflowed its banks at harvest time.
Yes. Les points out that Reuben was the eldest, but because of his sin, God brought Judah into the place of leadership. Reuben's tribe was placed on the south side of the tabernacle encampment rather than leading the march.
Les says it was springtime and the river was in flood stage. This matches Joshua 3:15, which says the Jordan overflowed all its banks at harvest time.
Les teaches that Judah always led when the cloud lifted and the nation journeyed, which points to Christ coming from the tribe of Judah. The east-facing gate meant Judah was first out of camp.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected God as King — 1 Samuel 8 Explained