Reuben and Gad Inherit East of Jordan

1Now 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;

2The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the leaders of the congregation, saying,

3Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

4Even the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle:

5Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

6And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here?

7And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them?

8Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.

9For 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.

10And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying,

11Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

12Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

13And 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.

14And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

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

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

17But 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 fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

18We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

19For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward.

20And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war,

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

22And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

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

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

25And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, your servants will do as my lord commands.

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

27But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says.

28So 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:

29And 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 you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

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

31And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said unto your servants, so will we do.

32We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours.

33And 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 within the borders, even the cities of the surrounding country.

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

35And Atroth Shophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah,

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

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

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

39And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it.

40And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.

41And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.

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