1Now the tribes of Reuben and Gad owned a very large number of livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer and Gilead, they realized it was a suitable place for livestock.
2So the people of Gad and Reuben came and spoke to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community, saying,
3"The lands of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon—
4the land that Yahweh conquered before the community of Israel—is good land for livestock, and your servants have livestock."
5They continued, "If you are pleased with us, please give this land to your servants as our possession. Don't make us cross the Jordan River."
6Moses said to the people of Gad and Reuben, "Should your relatives go to war while you stay here?
7Why are you discouraging the people of Israel from going into the land that Yahweh has given them?
8Your ancestors did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land.
9For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the people of Israel so that they would not go into the land Yahweh had given them.
10Yahweh's anger burned that day, and He swore,
11'Certainly, none of the men who came out of Egypt, who were twenty years old or older, will see the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not completely followed me—'
12"—except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, because they have completely followed Yahweh."
13Yahweh's anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander back and forth in the wilderness for forty years, until everyone in that generation who had done evil in Yahweh's sight had died.
14"Look, you are now taking your fathers' place, a new generation of sinful people, only adding to Yahweh's fierce anger against Israel.
15For if you turn away from following Him, He will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people."
16They came closer to him and said, "We will build pens here for our livestock and cities for our children.
17But we ourselves will be ready and armed to go ahead of the people of Israel until we have brought them to their land. Our children will live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
18We will not return to our homes until each one of the people of Israel has received their inheritance.
19For we will not share in their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has been given to us on this side of the Jordan, to the east."
20Moses said to them, "If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to war—
21and every armed man among you crosses the Jordan before Yahweh until He has driven out His enemies from before Him—"
22and the land is conquered before Yahweh. Afterward, you may return, free from guilt towards Yahweh and towards Israel. This land will then be your possession before Yahweh.”
23“But if you don’t do this, you will have sinned against Yahweh, and you can be sure that your sin will catch up with you.
24Build towns for your children and pens for your sheep, and do what you promised.”
25The people of Gad and Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do exactly as our lord commands.
26Our children, wives, flocks, and all our livestock will stay here in the towns of Gilead,
27but your servants, every man armed for battle, will cross over before Yahweh to fight, just as our lord says.”
28So Moses gave instructions about them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the family groups of the tribes of Israel.
29Moses told them, “If the people of Gad and Reuben, every man armed for battle, cross the Jordan with you before Yahweh, and the land is conquered before you, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as their possession.
30But if they don’t cross over armed with you, they will have to settle among you in the land of Canaan.”
31The people of Gad and Reuben replied, “We will do exactly as Yahweh has told your servants.
32We will cross over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, but the land we inherit will remain ours beyond the Jordan.”
33So Moses gave them — the people of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph — the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including the land and its cities with their surrounding territories.
34The people of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
35Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
36Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran. These were fortified cities, and they also built pens for sheep.
37The people of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
38Nebo, and Baal Meon (they changed the names of these cities), and Sibmah. They gave new names to the cities they rebuilt.
39The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who lived there.
40Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he lived there.
41Jair son of Manasseh went and captured its villages, and he called them Havvoth Jair.
42Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and he named it Nobah, after himself.