The Tribes East of the Jordan River
Numbers 32, verse 1. Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle, and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead; and they saw the place was a place for cattle. Numbers 32, verse 2. So the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the rulers of the congregation, saying, Numbers 32, verse 3. “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon, Numbers 32, verse 4. the country the Lord delivered over to the children of Israel, is a land appropriate for feeding cattle; and your servants have cattle.” Numbers 32, verse 5. Therefore they said, “If we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not make us cross over the Jordan.” Numbers 32, verse 6. Then Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, “Your brothers go to war, and shall you sit here? Numbers 32, verse 7. Now why do you pervert the minds of the children of Israel from crossing over into the land the Lord gives to them? Numbers 32, verse 8. Did not your fathers act in this way when I sent them away from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land? Numbers 32, verse 9. For they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and spied out the land; and they turned aside the heart of the children of Israel so they would not enter the land the Lord gave them. Numbers 32, verse 10. So the Lord was very angry that day, and swore an oath, saying, Numbers 32, verse 11. ‘Surely these men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above and who know good and evil, shall not see the land I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for they did not follow after Me, Numbers 32, verse 12. except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who separated himself, and Joshua the son of Nun; for they followed after the Lord.’ Numbers 32, verse 13. So the Lord was very angry with Israel; and He made them wander in the desert forty years, until all the generation that did evil before the Lord was utterly destroyed. Numbers 32, verse 14. Behold, You rose up in your fathers’ place, a body of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel. Numbers 32, verse 15. For you will turn away from Him by again leaving Him in the desert, and you will act lawlessly against this entire congregation.” Numbers 32, verse 16. They came to Moses and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our children; Numbers 32, verse 17. but we will arm ourselves as the advance guard before the sons of Israel until we bring them to their own place; and our children will dwell in the fortified cities because of the land's inhabitants. Numbers 32, verse 18. Let us not return to our homes until each of the sons of Israel should be distributed to his inheritance. Numbers 32, verse 19. Therefore, let us not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because we are receiving in full our portions on this eastern side of the Jordan.” Numbers 32, verse 20. Then Moses said to them, “If you do according to this word, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war, Numbers 32, verse 21. and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until His enemy is destroyed before His face; Numbers 32, verse 22. and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you shall return, and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord. Numbers 32, verse 23. But if you should not do so, you shall be guilty before the Lord; and you will know your sin when evils overtake you. Numbers 32, verse 24. So you shall build cities for yourselves and for your children, and walled enclosures for your cattle, and do what proceeded out of your mouth.” Numbers 32, verse 25. Then the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as our Lord commands. Numbers 32, verse 26. Our children, our wives, and all our cattle will be there in the cities of Gilead; Numbers 32, verse 27. but your servants will cross over, all armed and arrayed for battle before the Lord into the war, in the manner our lord says.” Numbers 32, verse 28. So Moses appointed for them Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and rulers of families in the tribes of Israel. Numbers 32, verse 29. Again Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for war before the Lord, and you subdue the land before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. Numbers 32, verse 30. But if they do not cross over with you armed for war, you shall carry across their children, their wives, and their cattle before you into the land of Canaan.” Numbers 32, verse 31. Then the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, saying, “Whatever our Lord says to your servants, so we will do. Numbers 32, verse 32. We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but you shall give us our possession on the other side of the Jordan.” Numbers 32, verse 33. So Moses gave to the sons of Gad, the sons of Reuben, and 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 and its cities with its borders, the cities of the surrounding country. Numbers 32, verse 34. Then the sons of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Numbers 32, verse 35. Shophan, and Jazer, which they raised up, Numbers 32, verse 36. along with Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, fortified cities and walled enclosures for sheep. Numbers 32, verse 37. The sons of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kirjathaim, Numbers 32, verse 38. and Baal Meon, encircled with walls, and Shibmah; and they named the cities they built after their names. Numbers 32, verse 39. Then the son of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and destroyed the Amorites dwelling in it. Numbers 32, verse 40. So Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt there. Numbers 32, verse 41. Also Jair the son of Manasseh went and took their farming villages, and named them Havoth Jair. Numbers 32, verse 42. Then Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and he named them Nobah, after his own name.