Chapter 32

Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw⁴ the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place [was] a place for cattle;

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came⁴ and spake⁴ unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,²

Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

[Even] the country which the LORD smote⁵² before the congregation of Israel, [is] a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

Wherefore, said⁴ they, if we have found¹ grace in thy sight, let this land be given⁹³ unto thy servants for a possession, [and] bring us not over⁵⁵ Jordan.

And Moses said⁴ unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go⁴ to war, and shall ye sit⁴ here?

And wherefore discourage^{55 5106 4} ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over² into the land which the LORD hath given¹ them?

Thus did¹ your fathers, when I sent² them from Kadeshbarnea to see² the land.

For when they went up⁴ unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw⁴ the land, they discouraged⁵⁵ the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go² into the land which the LORD had given¹ them.

And the LORD'S anger was kindled⁴ the same time, and he sware,¹¹ saying,²

Surely none of the men that came up⁶ out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see⁴ the land which I sware⁸ unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly¹⁴ followed me:

Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly¹⁴ followed the LORD.

And the LORD'S anger was kindled⁴ against Israel, and he made them wander⁵⁵ in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done⁶ evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.²

And, behold, ye are risen up¹ in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment² yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

For if ye turn away⁴ from after him, he will yet again¹ leave⁵³ them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy¹⁴ all this people.

And they came near⁴ unto him, and said,⁴ We will build⁴ sheepfolds ⁶⁶²⁹ here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

But we ourselves will go ready⁷ armed¹¹ before the children of Israel, until we have brought⁵² them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell¹ in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants⁶ of the land.

We will not return⁴ unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited⁹⁹ every man his inheritance.

For we will not inherit⁴ with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen¹ to us on this side Jordan eastward.

And Moses said⁴ unto them, If ye will do⁴ this thing, if ye will go armed¹¹ before the LORD to war,

And will go all of you armed⁷ over¹ Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out⁵³ his enemies⁶ from before him,

And the land be subdued⁸ before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return,⁴ and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

But if ye will not do⁴ so, behold, ye have sinned¹ against the LORD: and be sure³ your sin will find you out.⁴

Build³ you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do⁴ that which hath proceeded⁶ out of your mouth.

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake⁴ unto Moses, saying,² Thy servants will do⁴ as my lord commandeth.¹⁸

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

But thy servants will pass over,⁴ every man armed⁷ for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.⁶

So concerning them Moses commanded¹⁷ Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

And Moses said⁴ unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over⁴ Jordan, every man armed⁷ to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued⁸ before you; then ye shall give¹ them the land of Gilead for a possession:

But if they will not pass over⁴ with you armed,⁷ they shall have possessions⁸ among you in the land of Canaan.

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered,⁴ saying,² As the LORD hath said¹⁴ unto thy servants, so will we do.⁴

We will pass over⁴ armed⁷ before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan [may be] ours.

And Moses gave⁴ unto them, [even] to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the 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, with the cities thereof in the coasts, [even] the cities of the country round about.

And the children of Gad built⁴ Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

And the children of Reuben built¹ Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,)⁹⁴ and Shibmah: and gave⁴ other names ⁸⁰³⁴ unto the cities which they builded.¹

And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went⁴ to Gilead, and took⁴ it, and dispossessed⁵⁵ the Amorite which [was] in it.

And Moses gave⁴ Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt⁴ therein.

And Jair the son of Manasseh went¹ and took⁴ the small towns thereof, and called⁴ them Havothjair.

And Nobah went¹ and took⁴ Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called⁴ it Nobah, after his own name.