Numbers 32

1 The tribes of Reuben and Gad had large numbers of livestock and saw that the land of Jazer and Gilead was a good place to rear them.

Now 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.

2 So they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the Israelite leaders and said,

So the Gadites and Reubenites came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation, and said,

3 “The towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,

“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,

4 which the Lord conquered in full view of the Israelites, are well-suited for the livestock that we your servants own.”

which the LORD conquered before the congregation of Israel, are suitable for livestock—and your servants have livestock.”

5 They continued, “Please respond to our request favorably: give us this land. Don't make us cross the Jordan.”

“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 In reply Moses asked the tribes of Gad and Reuben, “Are you expecting your brothers to go and fight while you just sit here?

But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here?

7 Why discourage the Israelites from crossing into the country that the Lord has given them?

Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land that the LORD has given them?

8 This is just what your fathers did when I sent them out from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land.

This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land.

9 After your fathers traveled up the valley of Eshcol and explored the land, they discouraged the Israelites, persuading them not to enter the country that the Lord had given them.

For 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.

10 As a result, they made the Lord very angry that day, and he swore this oath,

So the anger of the LORD was kindled that day, and He swore an oath, saying,

11 ‘Not a single one of those I saved from Egypt who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they were not completely committed to me—

‘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—

12 no one except Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua, son of Nun, because they were completely committed to me.’

not 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 around in the desert for forty years, until the whole generation who had done evil in his sight had died.

The 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.

14 Now look at you, you brood of sinners who have come to take your fathers' place to make the Lord even angrier with Israel!

Now 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.

15 If you give up following him, he will abandon these people in the desert once again, and their deaths will be your fault!”

For 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.”

16 Then the tribes of Gad and Reuben came to Moses and told him, “We would plan to build stone walls to keep our livestock safe and towns for our children.

Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones.

17 But we will still get ourselves ready for battle, and we will be prepared to lead the Israelites until they can safely occupy their land. In the meantime, our children will stay behind, living in the fortified towns to protect them from the local people.

But 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.

18 We won't return to our homes until every Israelite is in possession of their allotted land.

We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has taken possession of his inheritance.

19 However, we won't own any land on the other side of the Jordan because we've received this land to own on this eastern side of the Jordan.”

Yet 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.”

20 Moses responded, “If this is what you will actually do, if you will get yourselves ready for battle under the Lord's direction,

Moses replied, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for battle,

21 and if all your troops cross the Jordan with the Lord until he has driven out his enemies ahead of him,

and if every one of your armed men crosses the Jordan before the LORD, until He has driven His enemies out before Him,

22 then once the country is conquered with the Lord's help then you may return, and you will have fulfilled your obligations to the Lord and to Israel. You will own this land, granted to you by the Lord.

then 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.

23 But if you fail to do this, you will clearly be sinning against the Lord, and the consequences of your sin will catch up with you.

But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.

24 Go ahead and build towns for your children and stone walls for your flocks, but make sure you do what you've promised!”

Build cities for your little ones and folds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”

25 The tribes of Gad and Reuben promised Moses, “Sir, we your servants will do just as you have ordered.

The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “Your servants will do just as our lord commands.

26 Our wives and children, our livestock and all our animals, will all remain here in the towns of Gilead.

Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead.

27 But we your servants are ready for battle, and all our troops will cross over to fight with the Lord's help, just as you have said, sir.”

But your servants are equipped for war, and every man will cross over to the battle before the LORD, just as our lord says.”

28 Moses gave the following instructions about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua, son of Nun, and to the family leaders of the tribes of Israel.

So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the family leaders of the tribes of Israel.

29 Moses told them, “If the tribes of Gadites and Reuben cross the Jordan with you, with all their troops ready for battle with the Lord's help, and the land is conquered as you advance, then give them the land of Gilead to own.

And 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.

30 But if they don't get themselves ready for battle and cross over with you, then they must accept their allotted land among you in the country of Canaan.”

But if they do not arm themselves and go across with you, then they must accept their possession among you in the land of Canaan.”

31 The tribes of Gad and Reuben responded, “We will do just as the Lord has told us, your servants.

The Gadites and Reubenites replied, “As the LORD has spoken to your servants, so we will do.

32 We will cross over and enter the country of Canaan ready for battle with the Lord's help, so that we may have our allotted share of land on this side of the Jordan.”

We will cross over into the land of Canaan armed before the LORD, that we may have our inheritance on this side of the Jordan.”

33 So Moses gave to the tribes of Gad and Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan. This land included its towns and their surrounding area.

So 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.

34 The people of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,

And the Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,

35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,

Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,

36 Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran as fortified towns, and they built stone walls for their flocks.

Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and they built folds for their flocks.

37 The people of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,

The Reubenites built up Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,

38 as well as Nebo and Baal-meon (changing their names), and Sibmah. In fact they renamed those towns they rebuilt.

as well as Nebo and Baal-meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. And they renamed the cities they rebuilt.

39 The descendants of Machir, son of Manasseh, attacked Gilead and captured it. They drove out the Amorites who were living there.

The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.

40 So Moses gave Gilead to the family of Machir, son of Manasseh, and they settled there.

So Moses gave Gilead to the clan of Machir son of Manasseh, and they settled there.

41 Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, attacked their villages and captured them. He named them the Villages of Jair.

Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured their villages and called them Havvoth-jair.

42 Nobah attacked Kenath and captured it, along with its villages. He named it Nobah after himself.

And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah, after his own name.