Numbers 32:16–27

¹⁶Then they came near to him and said, “We will build here sheepfolds for our livestock and cities for our little ones;

^17abut we ourselves will be armed ready to go before the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place, and our little ones live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

¹⁸“^aWe will not return to our homes until every one of the sons of Israel has possessed his inheritance.

¹⁹“For we will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond because our inheritance has fallen to us ^aon this side of the Jordan east.”

^20aSo Moses said to them, “If you will do ¹this, if you will arm yourselves before Yahweh for the war,

²¹and all of you armed men cross over the Jordan before Yahweh until He has dispossessed His enemies from before Him,

^22aand the land is subdued before Yahweh, then afterward you shall return and be free of obligation toward Yahweh and toward Israel, and this land shall be yours for a possession before Yahweh.

²³“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and be sure ^ayour sin will find you out.

²⁴“Build yourselves cities for your little ones and sheepfolds for your sheep, and ^ado ¹what you have promised.”

²⁵And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands.

²⁶“^aOur little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall ¹remain there in the cities of Gilead;

²⁷but your servants, everyone who is armed for war, will ^across over in the presence of Yahweh to battle, just as my lord says.”