1 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad had an exceeding great multitude of cattle. And when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that it was an apt place for cattle,
2 they came and spake unto Moses and Eleazar the priest and unto the lords of the congregation, saying,
3 "The land of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
4 which country the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle: and we thy servants have cattle.
5 Wherefore," said they, "if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants to possess, and bring us not over Jordan."
6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and of Reuben, "Shall your brethren go to war and ye tarry here?
7 Wherefore discourage ye the hearts of the children of Israel for to go over into the land which the LORD hath given them?
8 This did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.
9 And they went up even unto the river of Eshcol and saw the land, and discouraged the hearts of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
10 And the LORD was wroth the same time and sware, saying,
11 'None of the men that came out of Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, because they have not continually followed me:
12 save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed me continually.'
13 And the LORD was angry with Israel, and made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD were consumed.
14 "And behold, ye are risen up in your father's stead, the increase of sinful men, to augment the fierce wrath of the LORD to Israelward.
15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave the people in the wilderness: so shall ye destroy all this folk."
16 And they went near him and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our sheep and for our cattle, and cities for our children:
17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place. And our children shall dwell in the fenced cities, because of the inhabiters of the land.
18 And we will not return unto our houses until the children of Israel have inherited: every man his inheritance.
19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side, Jordan forward, because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side, Jordan eastward."
20 And Moses said unto them, "If ye will do this thing, that ye will go all harnessed before the LORD to war,
21 and will go all of you in harness over Jordan before the LORD, until he have cast out his enemies before him,
22 and until the land be subdued before the LORD, then ye shall return and be without sin against the LORD and against Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.
23 But and if ye will not do so, behold, ye sin against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
24 Build your cities for your children and folds for your sheep, and see ye do that ye have spoken."
25 And the Children of Gad and of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, "Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.
26 Our children, our wives, substance, and all our cattle, shall remain here in the cities of Gilead.
27 But we thy servants will go all harnessed for the war unto battle before the LORD, as my lord hath said."
28 And Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the ancient heads of the tribes of the children of Israel,
29 and said unto them, "If the children of Gad and Reuben will go with you over Jordan, all prepared to fight before the LORD: then when the land is subdued unto you, give them the land of Gilead to possess.
30 But and if they will not go over with you in harness, then they shall have their possessions among you in the land of Canaan."
31 And the children of Gad and Ruben answered, saying, "That which the LORD hath said unto thy servants we will do.
32 We will go harnessed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall be on this side the Jordan."
33 And Moses gave unto the children of Gad and of Reuben, and unto the half 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 that belonged unto the cities thereof in the coasts of the country round about.
34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth Aroer,
35 Atrothshophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
36 Bethnimra and Bethharan fenced cities, and they built folds for their sheep.
37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
38 Nebo, Baalmeon - and turned their names - and Sibmah also: and gave names unto the cities which they built.
39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and put out the Amorites that were therein.
40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh and he dwelt therein.
41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them the towns of Jair.
42 And Nobah went and took Kenath with the towns longing thereto, and called it Nobah after his own name.