The Tribes East of the Jordan
(Deuteronomy 3:12–22; Joshua 13:8–14)

1And much livestock was unto the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad, very numerous. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock; 2and the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, 3“Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam,† and Nebo, and Beon, 4the land that YHWH defeated before the face of the congregation of Israel, it is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”

5And they said, “If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to your servants as a possession, do not make us pass over the Jordan.”

6And Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, “Shall your⁺ brothers go to war and you⁺ sit here? 7And why do you⁺ discourage the heart of the sons of Israel from going over into the land that YHWH has given them? 8Thus did your⁺ fathers when I sent them away from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.

9And they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, and they discouraged the heart of the sons of Israel so as not to go into the land that YHWH had given them. 10And the anger of YHWH was kindled on that day, and He swore an oath, saying, 11‘Surely none shall see of the men who came up from Egypt, from a son of twenty years and above, the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—for they have not wholly followed Me— 12except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun; for they have wholly followed YHWH.’ 13And the anger of YHWH was kindled against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the finishing of all the generation that had done evil in the eyes of YHWH.

14And behold, you⁺ have risen up in place of your⁺ fathers, a brood of sinful men to add still more to the fierce anger of YHWH against Israel. 15For if you⁺ turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you⁺ will destroy all this people.”

16And they came near to him and said, “Walls for sheep we will build for our livestock here, and cities for our little ones, 17and we will be armed,† hurrying before the face of the sons of Israel, until that when we have brought them to their place, and our little ones will dwell in the cities of defense because of those dwelling in the land. 18We will not return to our homes until the sons of Israel have received, each man, his inheritance. 19For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan at the rising.”

20And Moses said to them, “If you⁺ do this thing, if you⁺ arm yourselves before the face of YHWH for the war, 21and all your⁺ armed men pass over the Jordan before the face of YHWH until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, 22and the land is subdued before the face of YHWH, then afterward you⁺ may return and be blameless before YHWH and before Israel. And this land shall be your⁺ possession before the face of YHWH. 23But if you⁺ do not do so, behold, you⁺ have sinned against YHWH; and know your⁺ sin, that it will find you⁺ out. 24Build for yourselves cities for your⁺ little ones, and folds for your⁺ sheep; and what has proceeded out of your⁺ mouth, you⁺ shall do.”

25And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as my lord is commanding. 26Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead. 27And your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the face of YHWH, to battle, as my lord has spoken.”

28And Moses gave orders concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 29And Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben pass over the Jordan with you⁺, every man armed for battle before the face of YHWH, and the land is subdued before you⁺, you⁺ shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. 30But if they do not pass over armed with you⁺, they shall have possessions among you⁺ in the land of Canaan.”

31And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, saying, “As YHWH has said to your servants, so we will do. 32We will pass over armed before the face of YHWH into the land of Canaan; and with us is the possession of our inheritance on this side of the Jordan.”

33And Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad, and to the sons of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorite, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land with its cities, within the borders, the cities of the surrounding country.

34And the sons of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35and Atroth-shophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah, 36and Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fortified cities and folds for sheep.

37And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, 38and Nebo, and Baal-meon (the names being changed), and Sibmah. And they gave by these names the names to the cities that they built.

39And the sons of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite who were in it. 40And Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he dwelt in it. 41And Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their tent villages and called them Havvoth-jair.† 42And Nobah went and took Kenath and its daughter-villages, and he called it Nobah after his own name.