Now the sons of Reuben
and the sons
of Gad
had
an aexceedingly
large
number
of livestock
. So when they saw
the land
of bJazer
and the land
of Gilead
, that 1it was indeed
a place
suitable
for livestock
,
the sons of Gad
and the sons
of Reuben
came
and spoke
to Moses
and to Eleazar
the priest
and to the leaders
of the congregation
, saying
,
" aAtaroth, Dibon
, Jazer
, Nimrah
, Heshbon
, Elealeh
, Sebam
, Nebo
and Beon
,
the land awhich
the LORD
1conquered
before
the congregation
of Israel
, is a land
for livestock
, and your servants
have livestock
."
They said, "If
we have found
favor
in your sight
, let this
land
be given
to your servants
as a possession
; do not take
us across
the Jordan
."
But Moses said
to the sons
of Gad
and to the sons
of Reuben
, "Shall your brothers
go
to war
while you yourselves
sit
here
?
" aNow why are you 1discouraging
the sons
of Israel
from crossing
over
into the land
which
the LORD
has given
them?
" 1This is what
your fathers
did
when I sent
them from aKadesh-barnea
to see
the land
.
"For when they went up to athe 1valley
of Eshcol
and saw
the land
, they 2discouraged
the sons
of Israel
so that they did not go
into the land
which
the LORD
had given
them.
"So athe LORD'S anger
burned
in that day
, and He swore
, saying
,
` aNone of the men
who came
up from Egypt
, from twenty
years
old
and upward
, shall see
the land
which
I swore
to Abraham
, to Isaac
and to Jacob
; for they did not follow
Me fully
,
except Caleb
the son
of Jephunneh
the Kenizzite
and Joshua
the son
of Nun
, afor they have followed
the LORD
fully
.'
" aSo the LORD'S anger
burned
against Israel
, and He made them wander
in the wilderness
forty
years
, until
the entire
generation
of those who had done
evil
in the sight
of the LORD
was destroyed
.
"Now behold, you have risen
up in your fathers'
place
, a brood
of sinful
men
, to add
still
more
to the burning
aanger
of the LORD
against
Israel
.
"For if you aturn away
from following
Him, He will once
more
abandon
them in the wilderness
, and you will destroy
all
these
people
."
Then they came near
to him and said
, "We will build
here
sheepfolds
for our livestock
and cities
for our little
ones
;
abut we ourselves will be armed
ready
to go before
the sons
of Israel
, until
we have brought
them to their place
, while our little
ones
live
in the fortified
cities
because
of the inhabitants
of the land
.
" aWe will not return to our homes
until
every
one
of the sons
of Israel
has possessed
his inheritance
.
"For we will not have an inheritance
with them on the other
side
of the Jordan
and beyond
, because
our inheritance
has fallen
to us aon this side
of the Jordan
toward the east
."
aSo Moses said
to them, "If
you will do
1this
, if
you will arm
yourselves before
the LORD
for the war
,
and all of you armed
men cross
over
the Jordan
before
the LORD
until
He has driven
His enemies
out from before
Him,
aand the land is subdued
before
the LORD
, then afterward
you shall return
and be free
of obligation
toward
the LORD
and toward
Israel
, and this
land
shall be yours for a possession
before
the LORD
.
"But if you will not do
so
, behold
, you have sinned
against the LORD
, and be sure
ayour sin
will find
you out.
"Build yourselves cities
for your little
ones
, and sheepfolds
for your sheep
, and ado
1what you have promised
."
The sons of Gad
and the sons
of Reuben
spoke
to Moses
, saying
, "Your servants
will do
just
as my lord
commands
.
" aOur little ones
, our wives
, our livestock
and all
our cattle
shall 1remain
there
in the cities
of Gilead
;
while your servants, everyone
who is armed
for war
, will across
over
in the presence
of the LORD
to battle
, just
as my lord
says
."
So Moses gave
command
concerning them to Eleazar
the priest
, and to Joshua
the son
of Nun
, and to the heads
of the fathers'
households of the tribes
of the sons
of Israel
.
Moses said
to them, "If
the sons
of Gad
and the sons
of Reuben
, everyone
who is armed
for battle
, will cross
with you over
the Jordan
in the presence
of the LORD
, and the land
is subdued
before
you, then you shall give
them the land
of Gilead
for a possession
;
but if they will not cross
over
with you armed
, they shall have
possessions
among
you in the land
of Canaan
."
The sons of Gad
and the sons
of Reuben
answered
, saying
, "As the LORD
has said
to your servants
, so
we will do
.
"We ourselves will cross
over
armed
in the presence
of the LORD
into the land
of Canaan
, and the possession
of our inheritance
shall remain with us across
the Jordan
."
aSo Moses gave
to them, to the sons
of Gad
and to the sons
of Reuben
and to the half-tribe
of Joseph's
son
Manasseh
, the kingdom
of Sihon
, king
of the Amorites
and the kingdom
of Og
, the king
of Bashan
, the land
with its cities
with their 1territories
, the cities
of the surrounding
land
.
The sons of Gad
built
Dibon
and Ataroth
and aAroer
,
and Atroth-shophan and Jazer
and Jogbehah
,
and aBeth-nimrah and Beth-haran
as fortified
cities
, and sheepfolds
for sheep
.
The sons of Reuben
built
Heshbon
and Elealeh
and Kiriathaim
,
and aNebo and Baal-meon
--their names
being changed
--and Sibmah
, and they gave
other names
to the cities
which
they built
.
The sons of aMachir
the son
of Manasseh
went
to Gilead
and took
it, and dispossessed
the Amorites
who
were in it.
So Moses gave
aGilead
to Machir
the son
of Manasseh
, and he lived
in it.
Jair the son
of Manasseh
went
and took
its 1towns
, and called
them 2 aHavvoth-jair
.
Nobah went
and took
Kenath
and its villages
, and called
it Nobah
after ahis own name
.