Numbers Chapter 32

Numbers Chapter 32
1 Now the children of Reuben, and the
children of Gad had an exceeding great
multitude of cattle: and they saw the land
of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that it
was an apt place for cattle.
2 Then the children of Gad, and the
children of Reuben came, and spake unto
Moses and to Eleazar the priest, and
unto the princes of the congregation,
saying,
3 The land of Ataroth, and Dibon, and
Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and
Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and
Beon,
4 Which country the Lord smote before
the congregation of Israel, is a land meet
for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:
5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found
grace in thy sight, let this land be given
unto thy servants for a possession, and
bring us not over Jordan. 6 And Moses
said unto the children of Gad, and to the
children of Reuben, Shall your brethren
go to war, and ye tarry here?
7 Wherefore now discourage ye the
heart of the children of Israel, to go over
into the land, which the Lord hath given
them?
8 Thus did your fathers when I sent them
from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
9 For when they went up even unto the
river of Eshcol, and saw the land: they
discouraged the heart of the children of
Israel, that they would not go into the
land, which the Lord had given them.
10 And the Lord’s wrath was kindled the
same day, and he did swear, saying, 11
None of the men that came out of Egypt
from twenty year old and above, shall
see the land for the which I swear unto
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,
because they have not wholly followed
me:
12 Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh
the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun:
for they have constantly followed the
Lord.
13 And the Lord was very angry with
Israel, and made them wander in the
wilderness forty years, until all the
generation that had done evil in the sight
of the Lord were consumed.
14 And behold, ye are risen up in your
fathers’ stead as an increase of sinful
men, still to augment the fierce wrath of
the Lord, toward Israel. 15 For if ye turn
away from following him, he will yet
again leave the people in the
wilderness, and ye shall destroy all this
folk.
16 And they went near to him, and said,
We will build sheep folds here for our
sheep, and for our cattle, and cities for
our children. 17 But we ourselves will
be ready armed to go before the children
of Israel, until we have brought them
unto their place: but our children shall
dwell in the defended 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 Neither will we inherit with them
beyond Jordan and on that side, because
our inheritance is fallen to us on this
side Jordan eastward.
20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will
do this thing, and go armed before the
Lord to war:
21 And will go every one of you in
harness over Jordan before the Lord,
until he hath cast out his enemies from
his sight:
22 And until the land be subdued before
the Lord, then ye shall return and be
innocent toward the Lord, and toward
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, that your sin will find you out.
24 Build you then cities for your
children and folds for your sheep, and
do that ye have spoken.
25 Then the children of Gad and the
children of Reuben spake unto Moses,
saying, Thy servants will do as my lord
commandeth:
26 Our children, our wives, our sheep,
and all our cattle shall remain there in
the cities of Gilead,
27 But thy servants will go every one
armed to war before the Lord for to
fight, 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 go with you over Jordan,
all armed to fight before the Lord, then
when the land is subdued before you, ye
shall give them the land of Gilead for a
possession:
30 But if they will not go over with you
armed, then they shall have their
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 go armed before the Lord
into the land of Canaan: that the
possession of our inheritance may be to
us on this side Jordan. 33 So Moses
gave unto them, even to the children of
Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and
to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of
Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon King of the
Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, King
of Bashan, the land with the cities
thereof and coasts, even the cities of the
country round about.
34 Then the children of Gad built Dibon,
and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35 And Atroth,
Shophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah,
36 And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran,
defensed cities: also sheep folds. 37
And the children of Reuben built
Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
38 And Nebo, and Baal-meon, and
turned their names, and Shibmah: and
gave other names unto the cities which
they built.
39 And the children of Machir the son of
Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it,
and put out the Amorites that dwelt
therein.
40 Then Moses gave Gilead unto Machir
the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt
therein.
41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went
and took the small towns thereof, and
called them Havoth Jair.
42 Also Nobah went and took Kenath,
with the villages thereof and called it
Nobah, after his own name.