Numbers 32:20–32

²⁰So Moses said to them, “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before^u Yahweh for the war, ²¹and everyone of you armed cross the Jordan before^v Yahweh until he has driven out his enemies from before him, ²²and the land is subdued before^w Yahweh, then afterward you will return and be free of obligation from Yahweh and from Israel, and this land will be your property before^x Yahweh. ²³But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and know that your sin will find you. ²⁴Build for yourselves cities for your little children and sheep pens for your flocks; what has gone out from your mouth you will do.”

²⁵So the descendants^y of Gad and the descendants^z of Reuben said to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands. ²⁶Our little children, our wives, our livestock, and all of our animals^a will remain^b in the cities of Gilead, ²⁷but your servants, everyone who is armed for battle, will cross over before^c Yahweh to the war, just as my lord says.”

²⁸So Moses commanded them, Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families^d of the tribes of the Israelites.^{e 29}Moses said to them, “If the descendants^f of Gad and the descendants^g of Reuben, everyone who is armed for the war, cross over the Jordan before^h Yahweh, and the land is subdued before you, you will give them the land of Gilead as property. ³⁰But if they will not cross over with you armed, they will acquire land in your midst in Canaan.” ³¹The descendantsⁱ of Gad and the descendants of Reuben answered and said, “What Yahweh has commanded your servants, we will do. ³²We ourselves will cross over armed before^j Yahweh to the land of Canaan, and the property of our inheritance will remain with us beyond the Jordan.”