1The children of Ruben and the children of Gad, had an exceeding great multitude of cattle. And when they saw the land of Jaeser and the land of Gilead that it was an apt place for cattle,
2they came and spake unto Moses and Eleazer the priest and unto the lords of the congregation saying:
3The land of Ataroth, Dibo and Beon,
4which country the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel: is a land for cattle and we thy servants have cattle
5wherefore (said they) if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants to possess, and bring us not over Jordan.
6And Moses said unto the children of Gad and of Ruben: shall your brethren go to war and ye tarry here?
7Wherefore discourage ye the hearts of the children of Israel for to go over into the land which the LORD hath given them?
8This did your fathers, when I sent them from Cades bernea to see the land.
9And they went up even unto the river of Escol and saw the land, and discouraged the hearts of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
10And the LORD was wroth the same time and sware saying:
11None of the men that came out of Egypt from twenty year old and above, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, because they have not continually followed me:
12save Caleb the son of Jephune the Kenesite, and Josua the son of Nun, for they have followed me continually.
13And the LORD was angry with Israel, and made them wander in the wilderness forty year, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD were consumed.
14And behold, ye are risen up in your father's stead, the increase of sinful men, to augment the fierce wrath of the LORD to Israelward.
15For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave the people in the wilderness, so shall ye destroy all this folk.
16And they went near him and said: we will build sheepfolds here for our sheep and for our cattle, and cities for our children:
17But we our selves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place. And our children shall dwell in the strong(fenced) cities, because of the inhabiters of the land.
18And we 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 yonder side Jordan forward, because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.
20And Moses said unto them: If ye will do this thing, that ye will go all harnessed before the LORD to war,
21and will go all of you in harness over Jordan before the LORD, until he have cast out his enemies before him,
22and until the land be subdued before the LORD, then ye shall return and be without sin against the LORD and against Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.
23But and if ye will not do so, behold, ye sin against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
24Build your cities for your children and folds for your sheep, and see ye do that ye have spoken.
25And the Children of Gad and of Ruben spake unto Moses saying: thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.
26Our children, our wives, substance and all our cattle shall remain here in the cities of Gilead.
27But we thy servants will go all harnessed for the war unto battle before the LORD, as my lord hath said.
28And Moses commanded Eleazer the priest: and Josua the son of Nun and the ancient heads of the tribes of the children of Israel,
29and said unto them: If the children of Gad and Ruben will go with you over Jordan, all prepared to fight before the LORD: then when the land is subdued unto you, give them the land of Gilead to possess,
30but and if they will not go over with you in harness, then they shall have their possessions among you in the land of Canaan.
31And the children of Gad and Ruben answered saying: that which the LORD hath said unto thy servants we will do.
32We will go harnessed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall be on this side the Jordan.
33And Moses gave unto the children of Gad and of Ruben and unto half the tribe of Manasse the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sehon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Basan, the land that longed unto the cities thereof in the coasts of the country round about.
34And the children of Gad built Dibo, ataroth Aroer,
35Atroth, Sophan, Jaeser, Jegabea,
36Bethnimra and Betharan strong(fenced) cities, and they built folds for their sheep.
37And the children of Ruben built Hesebon, Elalea, Kiriathaim,
38Nebo, Baal Meon and turned their names, and Sibama also: and gave names unto the cities which they built.
39And the children of Machir the son of Manasse went to Gilead and took it, and put out the Amorites that were therein.
40And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasse and he dwelt therein.
41And Jahir the son of Manasse went and took the small towns thereof, and called them the towns of Jair.
42And Nobah went and took kenath with the towns longing thereto, and called it Nobah after his own name.