32 The people from the Re’uven 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 (Moses) and the priest Eleazar and the community leaders to say, 3 The regions of Atarot, Divon, Yazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, El’aleh, Sevam, Nevo, and Be’on 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 (Jordan) 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 Mitsrayim (Egypt), no man who’s twenty or older will see the land which I promised to Avraham, Yitshak (Isaac), and Ya’akov (Jacob), because they’re not fully with me. 12 Only Yefuneh’s son Kalev (Caleb) and Nun’s son Yehoshua (Joshua) will enter because they have believed me.’ 13 So Yahweh got angry with Yisrael (Israel), 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 (Jordan) river or beyond because this will be our inheritance here on the eastern side.”

20 “If you’re going to do that,” Mosheh (Moses) 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 Re’uven 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 (Moses) gave instructions about them to the priest Eleazar, Nun’s son Yehoshua (Joshua), and the Israeli tribal leaders, 29 telling them, “If the men from Gad and Re’uven tribes cross over the Yarden (Jordan) 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.[ref] 30 However, if they don’t cross over with the rest of you, then they’ll have to accept land to own there in Kena’an (Canaan).”

31 ⇔“What Yahweh has told you, his servants, that’s what we’ll do,” the leaders of the Gad and Re’uven tribes responded. 32 We’ll send armed men across to Kena’an, 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 Re’uven and Gad, the half-tribe of Yosef’s (Joseph’s) son Menasheh (Manasseh), encompassing the kingdoms of the Amori King Sihon and the Bashan’s King Og, plus the surrounding territories. 34 The Gadim rebuilt Divon, Atarot, Aroer, 35 Atrot-Shofan, Yazer, Yagebehah, 36 Beyt-Nimrah, and Beyt-Haran—all fortified cities with pens for their flocks. 37 The Re’uvenim rebuilt Heshbon, El’aleh, Kiryatayim, 38 Nevo, Ba’al-Me’on, and Sivmah, but they renamed some of the cities.

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

12 “So we captured that land at that time—from Aroer by the Arnon river, and half of the hill country of Gilead including its cities. I allocated those areas to the tribes of Re’uven and Gad. 13 Then the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan which had been Og’s kingdom, I allocated to half of the tribe of Menasheh (Manasseh).”

(That whole area is called the land of the Refaim. 14 Menasheh’s son Yair had captured the Argov region as far as the borders with the Geshurim and Ma’akatim, renaming Bashan to Havot-Ya’ir as it’s still called to this day.)

15 “Then I allocated Gilead to Makir (a clan descended from Menasheh), 16 and I gave the southern part of Gilead to the tribes of Re’uven and Gad, extending from the Arnon river (with the middle of it being the boundary) to the Yabok river which borders against the Amonim. 17 The border extends from the plain along the east side of the Yarden (Jordan) valley, from Lake Kineret in the north to the Aravah lake (the Salt Sea or Dead Sea) in the south and to the slopes of Mt. Pisgah on the east.

18 “Then at that time, I commanded you saying, ‘Your god Yahweh has given this land to you to possess it, however your brave warriors must cross over with the other Israeli tribes to help them conquer the western lands.[ref] 19 Leave your wives and children and cattle (yes, I know you have many cattle) back here in the cities that I’ve given you 20 until Yahweh gives peace to your brother tribes like you have here. Once they’ve taken possession of the land that your god Yahweh is given them across the river, then you’ll all be able to return her to your own inheritance that I’ve allocated to you.’

21 “I also instructed Yehoshua (Joshua) at that time, saying, ‘You’ve seen everything that your god Yahweh has done to those two kings. Yahweh will do similar things to all the kingdoms that you’ll be passing through over there. 22 Don’t be afraid of them, because your god Yahweh will be the one fighting for you all.