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The Family Groups East of the Jordan

32 Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had very many cattle. And they saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead was a good place for cattle. So the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and said to Moses and Eleazar the religious leader and the leaders of the people, “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon, the land which the Lord won in battle in front of the people of Israel, is a land for cattle and your servants have cattle.” And they said, “If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to your servants as our own. Do not take us to the other side of the Jordan.”

But Moses said to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, “Should your brothers go to war while you sit here? Why do you take from the people of Israel the desire to cross over into the land the Lord has given them? This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. They went up to the valley of Eshcol and saw the land. Then they took the desire away from the people of Israel so that they did not go into the land the Lord had given them. 10 So the Lord’s anger burned on that day, and He swore, saying 11 ‘None of the men who came up from Egypt, twenty years old and older, will see the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For they did not follow Me with all their heart. 12 Only Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun will see it. For they have followed the Lord with all their hearts.’ 13 So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. He made them travel in the desert forty years, until all the people of that day who had sinned in the eyes of the Lord were destroyed. 14 Now see, you have grown up in your fathers’ place, children of sinful men. You add still more to the burning anger of the Lord against Israel. 15 For if you turn away from following Him, He will leave them in the desert again and you will destroy all these people.”

16 Then they came near him and said, “We will build safe places for our flocks here, and cities for our little ones. 17 But we will be ready for battle and will go with the people of Israel until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones will live within the walls of the cities because of the people who live in the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until every one of the people of Israel has received his land. 19 For we will not have any land among them on the other side of the Jordan. Our land has come to us on this side of the Jordan toward the east.”

20 So Moses said to them, “Do as you say. Get ready for war before the Lord. 21 All of you men of war cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven away those who fight against Him, 22 and has won the land in battle. Then after this you may return because you have done your duty to the Lord and to Israel. This land will be your land before the Lord. 23 But if you do not do as you say, you have sinned against the Lord. And for sure you will be punished for your sin. 24 Build cities for your little ones and places for your sheep. Then do what you have promised.” 25 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do just as my lord says. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks and all our cattle will stay there in the cities of Gilead. 27 But your servants, everyone who is ready for war, will cross over before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”

28 So Moses gave news about them to Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the families of the people of Israel. 29 Moses said to them, “The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, every man ready for battle, are to cross with you over the Jordan before the Lord, and the land will be won. After this, you must give them the land of Gilead for their own. 30 But if they will not cross over with you ready for battle, their land must be among you in the land of Canaan.” 31 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, “We will do as the Lord has said to your servants. 32 We will cross over into the land of Canaan ready for battle before the Lord. And the land on this side of the Jordan will be ours.”

33 So Moses gave the nations of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben and the half-family group of Joseph’s son Manasseh. He gave them the land, with its cities and the country around them. 34 Then the sons of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atrothshophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Bethnimrah and Beth-haran, cities with walls around them. And they made safe places for their sheep. 37 The sons of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo and Baal-meon (their names to be changed), and Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities they built. 39 The sons of Manasseh’s son Machir went to Gilead and took it. They drove away the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he lived in it. 41 Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its towns, and called them Havvoth-jair. 42 Nobah went and took Kenath and its towns, and called it Nobah after his own name.

The Transjordan Tribes

32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks,(A) saw that the lands of Jazer(B) and Gilead(C) were suitable for livestock.(D) So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,(E) and said, “Ataroth,(F) Dibon,(G) Jazer,(H) Nimrah,(I) Heshbon,(J) Elealeh,(K) Sebam,(L) Nebo(M) and Beon(N) the land the Lord subdued(O) before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock,(P) and your servants have livestock. If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.(Q)

Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them?(R) This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.(S) After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol(T) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord’s anger was aroused(U) that day and he swore this oath:(V) 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more(W) when they came up out of Egypt(X) will see the land I promised on oath(Y) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(Z) 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’(AA) 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel(AB) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.(AC)

14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.(AD) 15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.(AE)

16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens(AF) here for our livestock(AG) and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle[a] and go ahead of the Israelites(AH) until we have brought them to their place.(AI) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.(AJ) 19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance(AK) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”(AL)

20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle(AM) 21 and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him(AN) 22 then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return(AO) and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession(AP) before the Lord.(AQ)

23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.(AR) 24 Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks,(AS) but do what you have promised.(AT)

25 The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands.(AU) 26 Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead.(AV) 27 But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight(AW) before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

28 Then Moses gave orders about them(AX) to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun(AY) and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes.(AZ) 29 He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,(BA) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.(BB) 30 But if they do not cross over(BC) with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.(BD)

31 The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said.(BE) 32 We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed,(BF) but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.(BG)

33 Then Moses gave to the Gadites,(BH) the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh(BI) son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites(BJ) and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan(BK)—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.(BL)

34 The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,(BM) 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer,(BN) Jogbehah,(BO) 36 Beth Nimrah(BP) and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks.(BQ) 37 And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,(BR) Elealeh(BS) and Kiriathaim,(BT) 38 as well as Nebo(BU) and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah.(BV) They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

39 The descendants of Makir(BW) son of Manasseh went to Gilead,(BX) captured it and drove out the Amorites(BY) who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites,(BZ) the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. 41 Jair,(CA) a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair.[b](CB) 42 And Nobah captured Kenath(CC) and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah(CD) after himself.(CE)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 32:17 Septuagint; Hebrew will be quick to arm ourselves
  2. Numbers 32:41 Or them the settlements of Jair

32 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.

10 And the Lord'S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

11 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:

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.

13 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.

14 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.

15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

17 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.

18 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, or 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, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war,

21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

22 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.

23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

27 But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.

28 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:

29 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:

30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

32 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 our's.

33 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.

34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

36 And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

38 And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

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 Havothjair.

42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.