15. If you quit following him, it will add to their stay in the desert, and you will destroy all these people.”
16. Then the Reubenites and Gadites came up to Moses and said, “We will build pens for our animals and cities for our children here.
17. Then our children will be in strong, walled cities, safe from the people who live in this land. Then we will prepare for war. We will help the other Israelites get their land,
18. and we will not return home until every Israelite has received his land.
19. We won’t take any of the land west of the Jordan River; our part of the land is east of the Jordan.”
20. So Moses told them, “You must do these things. You must go before the Lord into battle
21. and cross the Jordan River armed, until the Lord forces out the enemy.
22. After the Lord helps us take the land, you may return home. You will have done your duty to the Lord and Israel, and you may have this land as your own.
23. “But if you don’t do these things, you will be sinning against the Lord; know for sure that you will be punished for your sin.
24. Build cities for your children and pens for your animals, but then you must do what you promised.”
25. The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We are your servants, and we will do what you, our master, command.
26. Our children, wives, and all our cattle will stay in the cities of Gilead,
27. but we, your servants, will prepare for battle. We will go over and fight for the Lord, as you, our master, have said.”
28. So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the leaders of the tribes of Israel.
29. Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites prepare for battle and cross the Jordan River with you, to go before the Lord and help you take the land, give them the land of Gilead for their own.
30. But if they do not go over armed, they will not receive it; their land will be in Canaan with you.”
31. The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “We are your servants, and we will do as the Lord said.
32. We will cross over into Canaan and go before the Lord ready for battle. But our land will be east of the Jordan River.”
33. So Moses gave that land to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh. (Manasseh was Joseph’s son.) That land had been the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, as well as all the cities and the land around them.