Numbers 32

1 Now the children of Reuven and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and when they saw the land of Yazer, and the land of Gilad, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuven came and spake unto Moses (Mosheh), and to Eleazar the priest (kohen), and unto the princes of the congregation, saying:

3 “Ataroth, and Dibon, and Yazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

4 Even the country which יהוה smote before the congregation of Yisrael, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle.”

5 Wherefore, said they, “If we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan (Yarden).”

6 And Moses (Mosheh) said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuven: “Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here?

7 And wherefore discourage you the heart of the children of Yisrael from going over into the land which יהוה hath given them?

8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Qadesh Barnea to see the land.

9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Yisrael, that they should not go into the land which יהוה had given them.

10 And יהוה’s anger was kindled the same time, and He sware, saying,

11 ‘Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt (Mitsrayim), from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Avraham, unto Isaac (Yitschaq), and unto Jacob (Yaaqov); because they have not wholly followed Me,

12 Except Caleb the son of Yefunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua (Yehoshua) the son of Nun; for they have wholly followed יהוה’

13 And יהוה’s anger was kindled against Yisrael, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of יהוה, was consumed.

14 And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of יהוה toward Yisrael.

15 For if you turn away from after Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people.”

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 Yisrael, 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 Yisrael have inherited every man his inheritance.

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

20 And Moses (Mosheh) said unto them: “If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before יהוה to war,

21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan (Yarden) before יהוה, until He hath driven out his enemies from before Him,

22 And the land be subdued before יהוה: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before יהוה, and before Yisrael; and this land shall be your possession before יהוה.

23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against יהוה; 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 Reuven spake unto Moses (Mosheh), saying: “Your servants will do as my lord (adoni) commandeth.

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

27 But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before יהוה to battle, as my lord (adoni) saith.”

28 So concerning them Moses (Mosheh) commanded Eleazar the priest (kohen), and Joshua (Yehoshua) the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Yisrael:

29 And Moses (Mosheh) said unto them: “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuven will pass with you over Jordan (Yarden), every man armed to battle, before יהוה, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilad 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 Reuven answered, saying: “As יהוה hath said unto your servants, so will we do.

32 We will pass over armed before יהוה into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan (Yarden) may be ours.”

33 And Moses (Mosheh) gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuven, and unto half the tribe of Menashsheh the son of Joseph (Yosef), the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.

34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Yaazer, and Yogbehah,

36 And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities, and folds for sheep.

37 And the children of Reuven built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Qiryataim,

38 And Nebo, and Baal-Meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah; and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

39 And the children of Machir the son of Menashsheh went to Gilad, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

40 And Moses (Mosheh) gave Gilad unto Machir the son of Menashsheh; and he dwelt therein.

41 And Yair the son of Menashsheh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Chawot-Yair.

42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.