Numbers 32:16-32 - The Offer Of The Reubenites And Gadites
16 Then they approached him and said, "Here's where we're going to build corrals for our cattle and cities for our families, 17 but we will keep ourselves armed and stay ready to go with the Israelis until we've brought them to their own places. Our families intend to live in fortified cities in the presence of the inhabitants of the land, 18 but we won't return to our homes until every Israeli has taken possession of each of their inheritances, 19 since our inheritance will not be with them across the Jordan River and beyond. Instead, our inheritance is on this side of the Jordan River, facing eastward."
20 "If you do this," Moses replied to them, "that is, if you equip yourselves for war in the LORD's presence 21 and every one of your armed soldiers crosses over the Jordan River in the presence of the LORD until he has dispossessed his enemies ahead of him 22 and subjugated the land before him, then afterwards when you return, you'll be able to stand blameless before the LORD and before Israel. This land will then be your possession before the LORD. 23 "But if you won't do so, look out! You will be sinning against the LORD. Be certain of this, that your sin will catch up to you! 24 So after you've built cities for your families and corrals for your cattle, be sure to keep your promises."
25 Then the descendants of Gad and descendants of Reuben spoke up. "Your servants will do exactly what our master has commanded." They said. 26 "Our children, wives, flocks, and all our cattle will be settled in the cities of Gilead, 27 but every soldier that we've equipped for battle will cross the Jordan River in the presence of the LORD, as our master has spoken."
28 So Moses instructed Eleazar the priest and Nun's son Joshua, and the officers of the ancestral tribes of the Israelis, 29 telling them, "If the descendants of Gad and descendants of Reuben cross over the Jordan River with you, that is, all of their soldiers who've been equipped for battle in the LORD's presence, so that the land is subjugated right before your eyes, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as their possession. 30 But if the armed men don't cross over with you, then they won't have any possession in the land of Canaan."
31 "We'll do just what the LORD told your servants," the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben responded. 32 "We are to cross over in battle array in the LORD's presence into the land of Canaan, and afterwards the possession of our inheritance will be on this side of the Jordan River."