Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 32:7

"And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which Jehovah hath given them?" — Numbers 32:7 (ASV)

And wherefore discourage ye the heart ... — The verb which is rendered discourage, and which occurs again in Numbers 32:9, means rather to “alienate,” or “avert.” The cognate noun occurs in Numbers 32:34, in the same connection in which it is used in Numbers 32:9. (See Note in the place cited.)