Numbers 32:16-32 - The Offer Of The Reubenites And Gadites
16 Then they came to him, and said, We will make safe places for our cattle here, and towns for our little ones; 17 But we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel till we have taken them to their place: but our little ones will be safe in the walled towns against the people of the land. 18 We will not come back to our houses till every one of the children of Israel has come into his heritage. 19 For we will not have our heritage with them on the other side of Jordan and forward; because our heritage has come to us on this side of Jordan to the east.
20 Then Moses said to them, If you will do this, arming yourselves to go before the Lord to the war, 21 Every armed man of you going across Jordan before the Lord till he has overcome and sent in flight all who are against him, 22 And the land is under the rule of the Lord: then after that you may come back, having done no wrong to the Lord and to Israel; and this land will be yours for your heritage before the Lord. 23 But if you do not do this, then you are sinners against the Lord; and you may be certain that your sin will have its reward. 24 So get to work building your towns for your little ones, and safe places for your sheep; and do as you have said.
25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben said to Moses, Your servants will do as my lord says. 26 Our little ones, our wives, and our flocks, and all our cattle, will be there in the towns of Gilead; 27 But your servants will go over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to the fight, as my lord says.
28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua, the son of Nun, and to the heads of families of the tribes of the children of Israel. 29 And Moses said to them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben go with you over Jordan, every man armed for the fight before the Lord, and all the land is given into your hands, then let them have the land of Gilead for a heritage: 30 But if they do not go over with you armed, they will have to take their heritage with you in the land of Canaan.
31 Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben said, As the Lord has said to your servants, so will we do. 32 We will go over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, and you will give us our heritage on this side of Jordan.