Numbers 32

Reuben & Gad See the Land & Make a Request

1 The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a lot of livestock. They saw that the land of Jazer and Gilead was perfect for raising animals.

2 So they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of Israel.

3 They said, “The lands of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,”

4 “The land the Lord helped Israel conquer, it is perfect for livestock, and we got plenty of animals.”

5 “If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land instead of crossing over the Jordan.”

Moses Gets Mad & Checks Them

6 Moses said, “So you all just going to sit here while your brothers go to war,”

7 “Why are you all discouraging the rest of Israel from crossing into the land the Lord gave us?”

8 “This is the same thing you all ancestors did when I sent them to spy out the land!”

9 “They saw the land but got scared and discouraged the rest of Israel from going in.”

10 “The Lord got angry and swore an oath:”

11 “‘None of the men who came out of Egypt, twenty years old and up, will ever see the land I promised, because they did not trust Me!’”

12 “Except Caleb (son of Jephunneh) and Joshua (son of Nun), because they followed the Lord completely.”

13 “That is why the Lord made us wander the wilderness for forty years, until that whole wicked generation was gone!”

14 “And now you all trying to do the same thing! Making the Lord even madder!”

15 “If you all turn away, He will leave Israel in the wilderness again, and it will be all your fault!”

Reuben & Gad Promise to Fight

16 So they came back and said, “Okay, we will build pens for our livestock and cities for our families here?”

17 “But we will march out ahead of Israel, armed for battle, and fight until everyone gets their land!”

18 “We will not go home until every tribe has received their inheritance!”

19 “Since we are settling east of the Jordan, we will not need land on the other side.”

Moses Agrees but Warns Them

20 Moses said, “If you all really go fight and lead the way,”

21 “And if you keep going until the Lord gives the land to Israel,”

22 “Then you will be free of guilt, and this land will be yours.”

23 “But if you do not keep your word, you will have sinned, and trust me, your sin will find you out!”

24 “Now go ahead, build your cities for your families and pens for your livestock, but make sure you keep your promise!”

25 The people of Reuben and Gad said, “Yes, we will do everything you told us.”

26 “Our children, wives, and livestock will stay here, but we will go to war.”

27 “Every soldier will go out to battle as the Lord commands.”

Moses Gives the Land to Reuben, Gad, & Half of Manasseh

28 Moses gave orders to Eleazar the priest, Joshua (son of Nun), and the leaders of Israel.

29 He said, “If Reuben, Gad, and their soldiers cross the Jordan and fight with you all, then give them the land of Gilead.”

30 “But if they do not fight, they will have to settle with the rest of you all in Canaan.”

31 The tribes of Reuben and Gad said, “We will do whatever the Lord has told us.”

32 “We will cross over and fight, but our families will settle in Gilead.”

They Claim the Land

33 So Moses gave Gilead to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.

34 The people of Reuben rebuilt cities like Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim.

35 Nebo, Baal-Meon (some of these names got changed), and Sibmah.

36 The people of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer.

37 Atroth-Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah.

38 Beth-Nimrah and Beth-Haran, making them strong cities with pens for their livestock.

39 The descendants of Machir (son of Manasseh) went and took Gilead from the Amorites and settled there.

40 Moses gave Gilead to them, and they lived there.

41 Jair (a descendant of Manasseh) took some nearby villages and called them Havvoth-Jair.

42 Nobah captured Kenath and its villages and named it after himself.