Daily Bread

The Transjordan Tribes

32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks,^(A) saw that the lands of Jazer^(B) and Gilead^(C) were suitable for livestock.^{(D) 2} So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,^(E) and said, ³ “Ataroth,^(F) Dibon,^(G) Jazer,^(H) Nimrah,^(I) Heshbon,^(J) Elealeh,^(K) Sebam,^(L) Nebo^(M) and Beon^(N)— ⁴ the land the Lord subdued^(O) before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock,^(P) and your servants have livestock. ⁵ If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.^(Q)”

⁶ Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? ⁷ Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them?^{(R) 8} This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.^{(S) 9} After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol^(T) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. ¹⁰ The Lord’s anger was aroused^(U) that day and he swore this oath:^{(V) 11} ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more^(W) when they came up out of Egypt^(X) will see the land I promised on oath^(Y) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob^(Z)— ¹² not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’^{(AA) 13} The Lord’s anger burned against Israel^(AB) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.^(AC)

¹⁴ “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.^{(AD) 15} If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.^(AE)”

¹⁶ Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens^(AF) here for our livestock^(AG) and cities for our women and children. ¹⁷ But we will arm ourselves for battle^[a] and go ahead of the Israelites^(AH) until we have brought them to their place.^(AI) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.^{(AJ) 19} We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance^(AK) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”^(AL)

²⁰ Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle^{(AM) 21} and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him^(AN)— ²² then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return^(AO) and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession^(AP) before the Lord.^(AQ)

²³ “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.^{(AR) 24} Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks,^(AS) but do what you have promised.^(AT)”

²⁵ The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands.^{(AU) 26} Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead.^{(AV) 27} But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight^(AW) before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

²⁸ Then Moses gave orders about them^(AX) to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun^(AY) and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes.^{(AZ) 29} He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,^(BA) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.^{(BB) 30} But if they do not cross over^(BC) with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.^(BD)”

³¹ The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said.^{(BE) 32} We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed,^(BF) but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.^(BG)”

³³ Then Moses gave to the Gadites,^(BH) the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh^(BI) son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites^(BJ) and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan^(BK)—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.^(BL)

³⁴ The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,^{(BM) 35} Atroth Shophan, Jazer,^(BN) Jogbehah,^{(BO) 36} Beth Nimrah^(BP) and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks.^{(BQ) 37} And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,^(BR) Elealeh^(BS) and Kiriathaim,^{(BT) 38} as well as Nebo^(BU) and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah.^(BV) They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

³⁹ The descendants of Makir^(BW) son of Manasseh went to Gilead,^(BX) captured it and drove out the Amorites^(BY) who were there. ⁴⁰ So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites,^(BZ) the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. ⁴¹ Jair,^(CA) a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair.^{[b](CB) 42} And Nobah captured Kenath^(CC) and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah^(CD) after himself.^(CE)