1. The Reubenites and Gadites had a very large number of livestock. When they surveyed the lands of Jazer and Gilead, they saw that the region was a good one for livestock.
2. So the Gadites and Reubenites came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community and said:
3. “The territory of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
4. which the Lord struck down before the community of Israel, is good land for livestock, and your servants own livestock.”
5. They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
6. But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war while you stay here?
7. Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land the Lord has given them?
8. That’s what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
9. After they went up as far as Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them.
10. So the Lord’s anger burned that day, and He swore an oath:
11. ‘Because they did not follow Me completely, none of the men 20 years old or more who came up from Egypt will see the land I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob —
12. none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, because they did follow the Lord completely.’
13. The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness 40 years until the whole generation that had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight was gone.
14. And here you, a brood of sinners, stand in your fathers’ place adding even more to the Lord’s burning anger against Israel.
15. If you turn back from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them.”
16. Then they approached him and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our dependents.
17. But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.