Now the children of Reuben
and the children
of Gad
had a very
great
multitude
of cattle
: and when they saw
the land
of Jazer
, and the land
of Gilead
, that, behold, the place
was a place
for cattle
;
The children of Gad
and the children
of Reuben
came
and spake
unto Moses
, and to Eleazar
the priest
, and unto the princes
of the congregation
, saying
,
Ataroth, and Dibon
, and Jazer
, and Nimrah
, and Heshbon
, and Elealeh
, and Shebam
, and Nebo
, and Beon
,
Even the country which the LORD
smote
before
the congregation
of Israel
, is a land
for cattle
, and thy servants
have cattle
:
Wherefore, said they, if we have found
grace
in thy sight
, let this land
be given
unto thy servants
for a possession
, and bring us not over
Jordan
.
And Moses said
unto the children
of Gad
and to the children
of Reuben
, Shall your brethren
go
to war
, and shall ye sit
here?
And wherefore discourage ye the heart
of the children
of Israel
from going over
into the land
which the LORD
hath given
them?
Thus did your fathers
, when I sent
them from Kadeshbarnea
to see
the land
.
For when they went up unto the valley
of Eshcol
, and saw
the land
, they discouraged
the heart
of the children
of Israel
, that they should not go
into the land
which the LORD
had given
them.
And the LORD'S anger
was kindled
the same time
, and he sware
, saying
,
Surely none of the men
that came up
out of Egypt
, from twenty
years
old
and upward
, shall see
the land
which I sware
unto Abraham
, unto Isaac
, and unto Jacob
; because they have not wholly
followed
me:
Save Caleb the son
of Jephunneh
the Kenezite
, and Joshua
the son
of Nun
: for they have wholly
followed
the LORD
.
And the LORD'S anger
was kindled
against Israel
, and he made them wander
in the wilderness
forty
years
, until all the generation
, that had done
evil
in the sight
of the LORD
, was consumed
.
And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers
' stead, an increase
of sinful
men
, to augment
yet the fierce
anger
of the LORD
toward Israel
.
For if ye turn away from after
him, he will yet again
leave
them in the wilderness
; and ye shall destroy
all this people
.
And they came near unto him, and said
, We will build
sheepfolds
here for our cattle
, and cities
for our little ones
:
But we ourselves will go ready
armed
before
the children
of Israel
, until we have brought
them unto their place
: and our little ones
shall dwell
in the fenced
cities
because
of the inhabitants
of the land
.
We will not return unto our houses
, until the children
of Israel
have inherited
every man
his inheritance
.
For we will not inherit with them on yonder side
Jordan
, or forward
; because our inheritance
is fallen
to us on this side
Jordan
eastward
.
And Moses said
unto them, If ye will do
this thing
, if ye will go armed
before
the LORD
to war
,
And will go all of you armed
over
Jordan
before
the LORD
, until he hath driven out
his enemies
from before
him,
And the land be subdued
before
the LORD
: then afterward
ye shall return
, and be guiltless
before the LORD
, and before Israel
; and this land
shall be your possession
before
the LORD
.
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned
against the LORD
: and be sure
your sin
will find you out
.
Build you cities
for your little ones
, and folds
for your sheep
; and do
that which hath proceeded
out of your mouth
.
And the children of Gad
and the children
of Reuben
spake
unto Moses
, saying
, Thy servants
will do
as my lord
commandeth
.
Our little ones, our wives
, our flocks
, and all our cattle
, shall be there in the cities
of Gilead
:
But thy servants will pass over
, every man armed
for war
, before
the LORD
to battle
, as my lord
saith
.
So concerning them Moses commanded
Eleazar
the priest
, and Joshua
the son
of Nun
, and the chief
fathers
of the tribes
of the children
of Israel
:
And Moses said
unto them, If the children
of Gad
and the children
of Reuben
will pass with you over
Jordan
, every man armed
to battle
, before
the LORD
, and the land
shall be subdued
before
you; then ye shall give
them the land
of Gilead
for a possession
:
But if they will not pass over with you armed
, they shall have possessions
among
you in the land
of Canaan
.
And the children of Gad
and the children
of Reuben
answered
, saying
, As the LORD
hath said
unto thy servants
, so will we do
.
We will pass over
armed
before
the LORD
into the land
of Canaan
, that the possession
of our inheritance
on this side
Jordan
may be ours.
And Moses gave
unto them, even to the children
of Gad
, and to the children
of Reuben
, and unto half
the tribe
of Manasseh
the son
of Joseph
, the kingdom
of Sihon
king
of the Amorites
, and the kingdom
of Og
king
of Bashan
, the land
, with the cities
thereof in the coasts
, even the cities
of the country
round about
.
And the children of Gad
built
Dibon
, and Ataroth
, and Aroer
,
And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer
, and Jogbehah
,
And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan
, fenced
cities
: and folds
for sheep
.
And the children of Reuben
built
Heshbon
, and Elealeh
, and Kirjathaim
,
And Nebo, and Baalmeon
, (their names
being changed
,) and Shibmah
: and gave
other names
unto the cities
which they builded
.
And the children of Machir
the son
of Manasseh
went
to Gilead
, and took
it, and dispossessed
the Amorite
which was in it.
And Moses gave
Gilead
unto Machir
the son
of Manasseh
; and he dwelt
therein.
And Jair the son
of Manasseh
went
and took
the small towns
thereof, and called
them Havothjair
.
And Nobah went
and took
Kenath
, and the villages
thereof, and called
it Nobah
, after his own name
.