16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens(A) here for our livestock(B) and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle[a] and go ahead of the Israelites(C) until we have brought them to their place.(D) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.(E) 19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance(F) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”(G)

20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle(H) 21 and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him(I) 22 then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return(J) and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession(K) before the Lord.(L)

23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.(M) 24 Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks,(N) but do what you have promised.(O)

25 The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands.(P) 26 Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead.(Q) 27 But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight(R) before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

28 Then Moses gave orders about them(S) to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun(T) and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes.(U) 29 He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,(V) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.(W) 30 But if they do not cross over(X) with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.(Y)

31 The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said.(Z) 32 We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed,(AA) but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.(AB)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 32:17 Septuagint; Hebrew will be quick to arm ourselves

16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.

20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war,

21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

22 And the land be subdued before the Lord: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.

23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

27 But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.

28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

29 And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

32 We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be our's.

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12 The men of Reuben,(A) Gad(B) and the half-tribe of Manasseh(C) crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites,(D) as Moses had directed them.(E)

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12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

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13 About forty thousand armed for battle(A) crossed over(B) before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

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13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

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Eastern Tribes Return Home

22 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded,(A) and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you. Now that the Lord your God has given them rest(B) as he promised, return to your homes(C) in the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan.(D) But be very careful to keep the commandment(E) and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord(F) your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands,(G) to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.(H)

Then Joshua blessed(I) them and sent them away, and they went to their homes. (To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan,(J) and to the other half of the tribe Joshua gave land on the west side(K) of the Jordan along with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them,(L) saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth—with large herds of livestock,(M) with silver, gold, bronze and iron,(N) and a great quantity of clothing—and divide(O) the plunder(P) from your enemies with your fellow Israelites.”

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22 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:

Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.

And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side Jordan.

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.

Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,

And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.

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