| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The tribes of Reuben and Gad owned vast numbers of livestock. So when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideally suited for their flocks and herds, | 1Now the Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, surveyed the lands of Jazer and Gilead, and they saw that the region was suitable for livestock. |
| 2they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the other leaders of the community. They said, | 2So the Gadites and Reubenites came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation, and said, |
| 3“Notice the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sibmah, Nebo, and Beon. | 3“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, |
| 4The LORD has conquered this whole area for the community of Israel, and it is ideally suited for all our livestock. | 4which the LORD conquered before the congregation of Israel, are suitable for livestock—and your servants have livestock.” |
| 5If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River.” | 5“If we have found favor in your sight,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.” |
| 6“Do you intend to stay here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?” Moses asked the men of Gad and Reuben. | 6But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here? |
| 7“Why do you want to discourage the rest of the people of Israel from going across to the land the LORD has given them? | 7Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land that the LORD has given them? |
| 8Your ancestors did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land. | 8This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land. |
| 9After they went up to the valley of Eshcol and explored the land, they discouraged the people of Israel from entering the land the LORD was giving them. | 9For when your fathers went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land that the LORD had given them. |
| 10Then the LORD was very angry with them, and he vowed, | 10So the anger of the LORD was kindled that day, and He swore an oath, saying, |
| 11‘Of all those I rescued from Egypt, no one who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they have not obeyed me wholeheartedly. | 11‘Because they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years of age or older who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— |
| 12The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the LORD.’ | 12not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’ |
| 13“The LORD was angry with Israel and made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation that sinned in the LORD’s sight had died. | 13The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation who had done evil in His sight was gone. |
| 14But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing! You are making the LORD even angrier with Israel. | 14Now behold, you, a brood of sinners, have risen up in place of your fathers to further stoke the burning anger of the LORD against Israel. |
| 15If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!” | 15For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.” |
| 16But they approached Moses and said, “We simply want to build pens for our livestock and fortified towns for our wives and children. | 16Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones. |
| 17Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle until we have brought them safely to their land. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified towns we build here, so they will be safe from any attacks by the local people. | 17But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our little ones will remain in the fortified cities for protection from the inhabitants of the land. |
| 18We will not return to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their portions of land. | 18We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has taken possession of his inheritance. |
| 19But we do not claim any of the land on the other side of the Jordan. We would rather live here on the east side and accept this as our grant of land.” | 19Yet we will not have an inheritance with them across the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.” |
| 20Then Moses said, “If you keep your word and arm yourselves for the LORD’s battles, | 20Moses replied, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for battle, |
| 21and if your troops cross the Jordan and keep fighting until the LORD has driven out his enemies, | 21and if every one of your armed men crosses the Jordan before the LORD, until He has driven His enemies out before Him, |
| 22then you may return when the LORD has conquered the land. You will have fulfilled your duty to the LORD and to the rest of the people of Israel. And the land on the east side of the Jordan will be your property from the LORD. | 22then when the land is subdued before the LORD, you may return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel. And this land will belong to you as a possession before the LORD. |
| 23But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. | 23But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out. |
| 24Go ahead and build towns for your families and pens for your flocks, but do everything you have promised.” | 24Build cities for your little ones and folds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.” |
| 25Then the men of Gad and Reuben replied, “We, your servants, will follow your instructions exactly. | 25The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “Your servants will do just as our lord commands. |
| 26Our children, wives, flocks, and cattle will stay here in the towns of Gilead. | 26Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead. |
| 27But all who are able to bear arms will cross over to fight for the LORD, just as you have said.” | 27But your servants are equipped for war, and every man will cross over to the battle before the LORD, just as our lord says.” |
| 28So Moses gave orders to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the clans of Israel. | 28So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the family leaders of the tribes of Israel. |
| 29He said, “The men of Gad and Reuben who are armed for battle must cross the Jordan with you to fight for the LORD. If they do, give them the land of Gilead as their property when the land is conquered. | 29And Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, with every man armed for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession. |
| 30But if they refuse to arm themselves and cross over with you, then they must accept land with the rest of you in the land of Canaan.” | 30But if they do not arm themselves and go across with you, then they must accept their possession among you in the land of Canaan.” |
| 31The tribes of Gad and Reuben said again, “We are your servants, and we will do as the LORD has commanded! | 31The Gadites and Reubenites replied, “As the LORD has spoken to your servants, so we will do. |
| 32We will cross the Jordan into Canaan fully armed to fight for the LORD, but our property will be here on this side of the Jordan.” | 32We will cross over into the land of Canaan armed before the LORD, that we may have our inheritance on this side of the Jordan.” |
| 33So Moses assigned land to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph. He gave them the territory of King Sihon of the Amorites and the land of King Og of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and surrounding lands. | 33So Moses gave to the Gadites, to the Reubenites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the land including its cities and the territory surrounding them. |
| 34The descendants of Gad built the towns of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, | 34And the Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, |
| 35Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, | 35Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, |
| 36Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran. These were all fortified towns with pens for their flocks. | 36Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and they built folds for their flocks. |
| 37The descendants of Reuben built the towns of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, | 37The Reubenites built up Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, |
| 38Nebo, Baal-meon, and Sibmah. They changed the names of some of the towns they conquered and rebuilt. | 38as well as Nebo and Baal-meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. And they renamed the cities they rebuilt. |
| 39Then the descendants of Makir of the tribe of Manasseh went to Gilead and conquered it, and they drove out the Amorites living there. | 39The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. |
| 40So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. | 40So Moses gave Gilead to the clan of Machir son of Manasseh, and they settled there. |
| 41The people of Jair, another clan of the tribe of Manasseh, captured many of the towns in Gilead and changed the name of that region to the Towns of Jair. | 41Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured their villages and called them Havvoth-jair. |
| 42Meanwhile, a man named Nobah captured the town of Kenath and its surrounding villages, and he renamed that area Nobah after himself. | 42And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah, after his own name. |
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