32 The people from the Reuven and Gad tribes had amassed a lot of livestock, and they noticed that the Yazer and Gilead regions were very suitable for livestock. 2 So their leaders went to Mosheh and the priest Eleazar and the community leaders to say, 3 The regions of Atarot, Divon, Yazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sevam, Nevo, and Beon 4 are in the land here that Yahweh has handed over to us Israelis. It’s ideal for livestock, and we, your servants, raise livestock. 5 If we’ve earnt your favour, let this land be given to your servants for us to own, rather than forcing us to cross over the Yarden river with all the other tribes.”

6 “It wouldn’t be right for your fellow Israelis to go to war while you all just stay here,” Mosheh told them. 7 “So why do you discourage Israeli enthusiasm for crossing over into the land that Yahweh has given them? 8 Your parents did that at Kadesh-Barnea when I sent them in to survey the land.[ref] 9 They went as far as the Eshkol valley and they saw the land, yet they discouraged the people from entering the land that Yahweh had given them. 10 Yahweh got very angry that day, and promised, 11 ‘From the men who came out of Egypt, no man who’s twenty or older will see the land which I promised to Abraham, Yitshak (Isaac), and Yakov (Jacob), because they’re not fully with me. 12 Only Yefunneh’s son Kalev (Caleb) and Nun’s son Yehoshua (Joshua) will enter because they have believed me.’ 13 So Yahweh got angry with Yisrael, and made us wander in the wilderness for forty years until that generation was eliminated who had been evil as per Yahweh’s judgement. 14 Now look here! You’re standing in front of me just like your parents—a brood of disobedient people who’ll make Yahweh more angry with you than he was with your parents! 15 If you all turn away from following him, he’ll abandon you all in the wilderness again, and you will have destroyed this nation.”

16 However, they stepped closer to him and said, “First we’ll build pens for our animals, and build cities for our families here. 17 Then we’ll equip ourselves for war, to go ahead of the rest of Yisrael until we’ve brought them into their place. Meanwhile our families will live in those fortified cities because there’ll still be threats from those who live in this region. 18 We won’t return to our homes until every Israeli is in possession of his inheritance. 19 We won’t take any land there on the other side of the Yarden river or beyond because this will be our inheritance here on the eastern side.”

20 “If you’re going to do that,” Mosheh responded, “then you all must equip yourselves to fight battles for Yahweh, 21 and all of your armed warriors must cross the Yarden to serve Yahweh until he’s driven his enemies out ahead of him. 22 Once the land is subdued before Yahweh, then you all can return. You’ll be free of obligation from Yahweh and from Yisrael, and this land here will be your possession from Yahweh. 23 However, if you all don’t help the rest of us, you will be disobeying Yahweh, and your disobedience will catch up with you. 24 So go ahead and build your cities for your families, and pens for your flocks, and do what you’ve committed to.”

25 “Your servants will do what you’ve said,” confirmed the leaders of the Reuven and Gad tribes. 26 “Our wives and children, and our livestock and all our animals will remain in cities here in the Gilead region, 27 but we’ll equip ourselves for battle and to cross the river to battle for Yahweh just as my master has spoken.”

28 So Mosheh gave instructions about them to the priest Eleazar, Nun’s son Yehoshua, and the Israeli tribal leaders,[ref] 29 telling them, “If the men from Gad and Reuven tribes cross over the Yarden with you and equipped ready to fight for Yahweh and that land is conquered, then you must give them the Gilead region for them to own. 30 However, if they don’t cross over with the rest of you, then they’ll have to accept land to own there in Kanaan (Canaan).”

31 “What Yahweh has told you, his servants, that’s what we’ll do,” the leaders of the Gad and Reuven tribes responded. 32 We’ll send armed men across to Kanaan, equipped to fight for Yahweh. However, our inheritance to own will be here on this side of the Yarden river.”

33 So Mosheh gave that region to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, the half-tribe of Yosef’s son Menashsheh, encompassing the kingdoms of the Amorite King Sihon and the Bashan’s King Og, plus the surrounding territories. 34 The Gadites rebuilt Divon, Atarot, Aroer, 35 Atrot-Shofan, Yazer, Yogbehah, 36 Beyt-Nimrah, and Beyt-Haran—all fortified cities with pens for their flocks. 37 The Reuvenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriatayim, 38 Nevo, Baal-Meon, and Sibmah, but they renamed some of the cities.

39 The descendants of Menashsheh’s son Makir went to Gilead and captured it—driving out the Amorites who lived there. 40 So Mosheh gave Gilead to Menashsheh’s son Makir, and his clan lived there. 41 Menashsheh’s other son Yair went and captured the Amorite villages and named them ‘Yair’s Towns’ (or ‘Havvot-Yair’). 42 A man named Novah went and captured Kenat and its villages, and renamed it to ‘Novah’ after himself.