民32:2So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said,

民32:3Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon-

民32:4the land the Lord subdued before the people of Israel-are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock.

民32:5If we have found favor in your eyes," they said, "let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan."

民32:6Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?

民32:7Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the Lord has given them?

民32:8This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.

民32:9After they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them.

民32:10The Lord 's anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath:

民32:11'Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-

民32:12not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.'

民32:13The Lord 's anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the desert forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.

民32:14And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.

民32:15If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the desert, and you will be the cause of their destruction."

民32:16Then they came up to him and said, "We would like to build pens here for our livestock and cities for our women and children.

民32:17But we are ready to arm ourselves and go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them to their place. Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land.

民32:18We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has received his inheritance.

民32:19We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance has come to us on the east side of the Jordan."

民32:20Then Moses said to them, "If you will do this-if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle,

民32:21and if all of you will go armed over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him-