Numbers 32:16-42

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. 17But we will arm ourselves for battle Septuagint; Hebrew will be quick 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. 18We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.

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.” 20Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for battle 21and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the LORD until he has driven his enemies out before him—

22then when the land is subdued before the LORD, you may return and be free from your obligation to the LORD and to Israel. And this land will be your possession before the LORD . 23“But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD ; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

24Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks, but do what you have promised.” 25The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands. 26Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead.

27But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight before the LORD, just as our lord says.” 28Then Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes. 29He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the LORD, then when the land is subdued before you, you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.

30But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.” 31The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the LORD has said.

32We will cross over before the LORD into Canaan armed, but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.”

33Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them. 34The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks. 37And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh and Kiriathaim,

38as well as Nebo and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah. They gave names to the cities they rebuilt. 39The descendants of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. 41Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair. Or them the settlements of Jair 42And Nobah captured Kenath and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah after himself.