12. except Caleb and Joshua. They remained faithful to the Lord,
13. but he was so angry with the others that he forced them to wander around in the desert forty years. By that time everyone who had sinned against him had died.
14. Now you people of Reuben and Gad are doing the same thing and making the Lord even angrier.
15. If you reject the Lord, he will once again abandon his people and leave them here in the desert. And you will be to blame!
16. The men from Reuben and Gad replied:Let us build places to keep our sheep and goats, and towns for our wives and children,
17. where they can stay and be safe. Then we'll prepare to fight and lead the other tribes into battle.