15. What if you turn away from following him? Then he'll leave all of these people in the desert again. And it will be your fault when they are destroyed."
16. Then they came up to Moses. They said, "We would like to build pens here for our livestock. We would also like to build cities for our women and children.
17. "But we're ready to prepare ourselves for battle. We're even ready to go ahead of the people of Israel. We'll go with them until we've brought them to their place. While we're gone, our women and children will live in cities that have high walls around them. That will keep them safe from the people who are living in this land.
18. "We won't return to our homes until all of the people of Israel have received their share of the land.
19. "We won't receive any share with them on the west side of the Jordan River. We've already received our share here on the east side."
20. Then Moses said to them, "Do what you have promised to do. Prepare yourselves to fight for the Lord.
21. Prepare yourselves and go across the Jordan River. Fight for the Lord until he has driven out his enemies in front of him.
22. "When the land is under the Lord's control, you can come back here. Your duty to the Lord and Israel will be over. Then the Lord will give you this land as your own.
23. "But what if you fail to do your duty? Then you will be sinning against the Lord. And you can be sure that your sin will be discovered. It will be brought out into the open.
24. "So build up cities for your women and children. Make sheep pens for your flocks. But do what you have promised to do."
25. The people of Gad and Reuben spoke to Moses. They said, "We will do just as you command.
26. Our children and wives will remain here in the cities of Gilead. So will our flocks and herds.
27. But we will prepare ourselves for battle. We'll go across the Jordan River and fight for the Lord. We will do just as you have said."
28. Then Moses gave orders about them to the priest Eleazar. He gave the same orders to Joshua, the son of Nun. He also spoke to the family heads of the tribes of Israel.
29. He said, "The men of Gad and Reuben must prepare themselves for battle. They must go across the Jordan River with you. They must help you fight for the Lord. They must stay with you until the land has been brought under your control. If they do, give them the land of Gilead as their own.
30. "But what if they don't get ready for battle? What if they don't go across the Jordan with you? Then they must accept a share with you in Canaan."
31. The people of Gad and Reuben gave their answer. They said, "We will do what the Lord has said.
32. We'll get ready for battle. We'll go across the Jordan into Canaan. We'll fight for the Lord there. But the property we receive will be on this side of the Jordan River."