Numbers 32

1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

Now the descendants of Reuben and of Gad had large numbers of livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer and Gilead, the land was a wonderful place for livestock.

2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying,

So the descendants of Gad and Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the community. They said,

3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

“This is a list of places we have surveyed: Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon.

4 Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle:

These are the lands that Yahweh attacked before the community of Israel, and they are good places for livestock. We, your servants, have a lot of livestock.”

5 Why, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

They said, “If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to us, your servants, as a possession. Do not make us cross over the Jordan.”

6 And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brothers go to war, and shall you sit here?

Moses replied to the descendants of Gad and Reuben, “Should your brothers go to war while you settle down here?

7 And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them?

Why discourage the hearts of the people of Israel from going over into the land that Yahweh has given them?

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

Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to examine the land.

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

They went up to the Valley of Eshkol. They saw the land and then discouraged the hearts of the people of Israel so that they refused to enter the land that Yahweh had given them.

10 And the LORD’s anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying,

Yahweh's anger was kindled on that day. He took an oath and said,

11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and up, will see the land about which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not completely followed me, except for

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun. Only Caleb and Joshua have completely followed me.'

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

So Yahweh's anger was kindled against Israel. He made them wander around in the wilderness for forty years until all the generation who had done evil in his sight was destroyed.

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

Look, you have risen up in your fathers' place, like just more sinful men, to add to Yahweh's burning anger toward Israel.

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.

If you turn away from following him, he will again leave Israel in the wilderness and you will have destroyed all this people.”

16 And they came near to him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

So they came near Moses and said, “Allow us to build fences here for our cattle and cities for our families.

17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

However, we ourselves will be ready and armed to go with Israel's army until we have led them into their place. But our families will live in the fortified cities because of the other people who still live in this land.

18 We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

We will not return to our houses until every one of the people of Israel has obtained his inheritance.

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

We will not inherit the land with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance is here on the east side of the Jordan.”

20 And Moses said to them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war,

So Moses replied to them, “If you do what you say, if you arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to war,

21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him,

then every one of your armed men must cross over the Jordan before Yahweh, until he has driven out his enemies from before him

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

and the land is subdued before him. Then afterward you may return. You will be guiltless toward Yahweh and toward Israel. This land will be your possession before Yahweh.

23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

But if you do not do so, look, you will have sinned against Yahweh. Be sure that your sin will find you out.

24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth.

Build cities for your families and pens for your sheep; then do what you have said.”

25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, Your servants will do as my lord commands.

The descendants of Gad and Reuben spoke to Moses and said, “Your servants will do as you, our master, commands.

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

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will stay there in the cities of Gilead.

27 But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says.

However, we, your servants, will cross over before Yahweh to battle, every man who is armed for war, as you, our master, say.”

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:

So Moses gave instructions concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the leaders of the ancestor's clans in the tribes of the people of Israel.

29 And Moses said to them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

Moses said to them, “If the descendants of Gad and Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man who is armed to battle before Yahweh, and if the land is subdued before you, then you will give them the land of Gilead as a possession.

30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

But if they do not cross over with you armed, then they will acquire 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 has said to your servants, so will we do.

So the descendants of Gad and Reuben answered and said, “As Yahweh has said to us, your servants, this is what we will do.

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

We will cross over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, but our possessed inheritance will remain with us on this side of the Jordan.”

33 And Moses gave to 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 in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.

So to the descendants of Gad and Reuben, and also to the half tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph, Moses gave the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and of Og, king of Bashan. He gave to them the land, and distributed to them all its cities with their borders, the cities of the land around them.

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

The descendants of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,

35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,

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

Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities with pens for sheep.

37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

The descendants of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,

38 And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed, ) and Shibmah: and gave other names to the cities which they built.

Nebo, Baal Meon—their names were later changed, and Sibmah. They gave other names to the cities that they rebuilt.

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

The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it away from the Amorites who were in it.

40 And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelled therein.

Then Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and his people settled there.

41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.

Jair son of Manasseh went and captured its towns and called them Havvoth Jair.

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

Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah, after his own name.