1. 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;

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

3. "Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

4. The land which יהוה struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle; and your servants have cattle."

5. They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; don’t bring us over the Jordan."

6. Moses  said to the children of Gad , and to the children of  Reuben , "Shall your brothers go to the war, and shall you sit here?

7. Why do you discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which יהוה has given them?

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

9. For when they went up to 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 יהוה had given them.

10.  יהוה’s anger was kindled in that day, and he swore, saying,

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

12. Save Caleb , the son of Jephunneh , the Kenizzite, and Joshua , the son of Nun ; because they have wholly followed יהוה."

13.  יהוה’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, who had done evil in the sight of יהוה, was consumed.

14. "Behold, you are risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of יהוה toward Israel.

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

16. They came near to him, and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

17. But we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

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

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

20. Moses  said to them, "If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before יהוה to the war,

21. And every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before יהוה, until he has driven out his enemies from before him,

22. And the land is subdued before יהוה; then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless towards יהוה, and towards Israel; and this land shall be to you for a possession before יהוה.

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

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

25. The children of Gad and the children of  Reuben  spoke to Moses , saying, "Your servants will do as my lord commands.

26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock, shall be there in the cities of Gilead;

27. But your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before יהוה to battle, as my lord says."

28. So Moses  gave charge concerning them to  Eleazar , the priest, and to Joshua , the son of Nun , and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.

29. Moses  said to them, "If the children of Gad and the children of  Reuben  will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed to battle, before יהוה, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you 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. The children of Gad and the children of  Reuben  answered, saying, "As יהוה has said to your servants, so will we do.

32. We will pass over armed before יהוה into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan."

33. Moses  gave to them, even to the children of Gad , and to the children of  Reuben , and to the half-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, according to the cities of it with their borders, even the cities of the land round about.

34. The children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

35. And Atrothshophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah,

36. And Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities, and folds for sheep.

37. The children of  Reuben  built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,

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

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

40. Moses  gave Gilead to Machir, the son of Manasseh ; and he lived there.

41. Jair, the son of Manasseh , went and took its towns , and called them Havvoth Jair.

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