1. Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock,
2. the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,
3. “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon,
4. the country which the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”
5. Therefore they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.”
6. And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: “Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?
7. Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them?
8. Thus your fathers did when I sent them away from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.
9. For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them.