Numbers 32:1–19

Transjordan Settlements

32The Reubenites and Gadites had a very large number of livestock. When they surveyed the lands of Jazer ^xand Gilead, they saw that the region was a good one for livestock. ²So 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, ^yNebo, and Beon, ^z4which the Lord struck down ^abefore the community of Israel, ^bis good land for livestock, and your servants own livestock.” ⁵They 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.”

⁶But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war while you stay here? ⁷Why are you discouraging ^cthe Israelites from crossing into the land the Lord has given them? ⁸That’s what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. ^d9After 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. ¹⁰So the Lord’s anger burned that day, and He swore an oath: ^e11‘Because they did not follow Me completely, ^fnone 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— ^g12none except Caleb ^hson of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua ⁱson of Nun, because they did follow the Lord completely.’ ¹³The 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. ^j14And here you, a brood of sinners, stand in your fathers’ place adding even more to the Lord’s burning anger against Israel. ¹⁵If you turn back from following Him, ^kHe will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them.”

¹⁶Then they approached him and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our dependents. ¹⁷But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. ^lMeanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has taken possession of his inheritance. ^m19Yet we will not have an inheritance with them across the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance will be across the Jordan to the east.” ⁿ