Numbers 32 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Now the of and had massive herds of livestock — huge numbers of them. When they looked at the land of and they could see it was perfect cattle country.
So the descendants of Gad and Reuben came to Moses, the and the community leaders and said:
and —
the land that down before the Israelite community — it's ideal livestock territory, and your servants have livestock."
They continued, "If we've with you, let this land be given to your servants as our Don't make us cross the Jordan."
Moses said to the descendants of Gad and Reuben, "Are your brothers supposed to go to war while you sit here?
Why would you the Israelites from crossing into the land Yahweh has given them?
This is exactly what your fathers did when I sent them from to scout out the land.
They went up to the and saw the land, then they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land Yahweh had given them.
Yahweh's that day, and he swore an oath:
"None of the men twenty years old or older who came up from Egypt will ever see the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they did not me —
none except of the and Joshua of Nun, because they did follow Yahweh wholeheartedly."
anger burned against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until that entire generation who had done what was in had died off.
"And now look at you — a of from the same as your fathers, making Yahweh's fierce anger toward Israel burn even hotter!
If you turn away from following him, he'll leave them in the wilderness again—and you'll have destroyed this entire people!"
But they stepped forward and said, "We'll build here for our livestock and fortified cities for our families.
But we ourselves will up and at the of the Israelites until we've brought them to their place. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified cities, safe from the people already living in the land.
We won't return to our homes until every Israelite has received their
We won't claim any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan or beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan."
Moses said to them, "If you'll actually do this — if you'll arm up for battle in
and if every one of your armed men will cross the Jordan in Yahweh's presence until he's out his enemies ahead of him,
and if the land is subdued in Yahweh's presence — then after that you may return and be of to Yahweh and to Israel. And this land will be yours as a permanent possession in Yahweh's presence.
But if you don't do this — understand, you will have And know that will you down.
"Build cities for your families and pens for your flocks, and do what you've promised."
The descendants of Gad and Reuben said to Moses, "Your servants will do exactly what my commands.
Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our animals will stay here in the cities of Gilead.
But your servants—every man armed for battle—will cross over to fight in Yahweh's presence, just as my lord says."
So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the of the Israelite tribes.
Moses told them, "If the descendants of Gad and Reuben cross the Jordan with you—every man armed for battle in Yahweh's presence—and the land is subdued ahead of you, then give them the land of Gilead as their permanent possession.
But if they don't cross over armed with you, they must accept land among you in
The descendants of Gad and Reuben answered, "Whatever Yahweh has told your servants, we'll do.
We ourselves will cross over armed in Yahweh's presence into Canaan, and our inherited possession will be on this side of the Jordan."
So Moses gave to the descendants of Gad, the descendants of Reuben, and the of son of Joseph the kingdom of of the and the kingdom of Og of — the land with its cities and the territory surrounding those cities.
The descendants of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran — with stone pens for their flocks.
The descendants of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
Nebo, Baal-meon (their were and Sibmah. They gave new to the cities they rebuilt.
The descendants of of went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were living there.
So Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he settled there.
a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured their villages, and he called them
went and captured and its surrounding villages, and he called it after himself.