Numbers 32:16–27

¹⁶Then they came near to him and said: “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, ¹⁷but ^twe ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones will dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ^18uWe will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has ¹received his inheritance. ¹⁹For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, ^vbecause our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”

²⁰Then ^wMoses said to them: “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war, ²¹and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, ²²and ^xthe land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward ^yyou may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel; and ^zthis land shall be your possession before the Lord. ²³But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure ^ayour sin will find you out. ^24bBuild cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do ²what has proceeded out of your mouth.”

²⁵And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying: “Your servants will do as my lord commands. ^26cOur little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead; ^27dbut your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”