New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 The tribes of Reuben and Gad owned vast numbers of livestock. So when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideally suited for their flocks and herds,
1
The families of Reuben and Gad had huge herds of livestock. They saw that the country of Jazer and Gilead was just the place for grazing livestock.
2 they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the other leaders of the community. They said,
2
And so they came, the families of Gad and of Reuben, and spoke to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the leaders of the congregation, saying,
3 “Notice the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sibmah, Nebo, and Beon.
3
"Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon
4 The LORD has conquered this whole area for the community of Israel, and it is ideally suited for all our livestock.
4
- the country that God laid low before the community of Israel - is a country just right for livestock, and we have livestock."
5 If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River.”
5
They continued, "If you think we've done a good job so far, give us this country for our inheritance. Don't make us go across the Jordan."
6 “Do you intend to stay here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?” Moses asked the men of Gad and Reuben.
6
Moses answered the families of Gad and Reuben: "Do you mean that you are going to leave the fighting that's ahead to your brothers while you settle down here?
7 “Why do you want to discourage the rest of the people of Israel from going across to the land the LORD has given them?
7
Why would you even think of letting the People of Israel down, demoralizing them just as they're about to move into the land God gave them?
8 Your ancestors did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land.
8
That's exactly what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to survey the country.
9 After they went up to the valley of Eshcol and explored the land, they discouraged the people of Israel from entering the land the LORD was giving them.
9
They went as far as the Valley of Eshcol, took one look and quit. They completely demoralized the People of Israel from entering the land God had given them.
10 Then the LORD was very angry with them, and he vowed,
10
And God got angry - oh, did he get angry! He swore:
11 ‘Of all those I rescued from Egypt, no one who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they have not obeyed me wholeheartedly.
11
'They'll never get to see it; none of those who came up out of Egypt who are twenty years and older will ever get to see the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They weren't interested in following me - their hearts weren't in it.
12 The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the LORD .’
12
None, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun; they followed me - their hearts were in it.'
13 “The LORD was angry with Israel and made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation that sinned in the LORD ’s sight had died.
13
"God's anger smoked against Israel. He made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until that entire generation that acted out evil in his sight had died out.
14 But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing! You are making the LORD even angrier with Israel.
14
"And now here you are, just one more mob of sinners stepping up to replace your ancestors, throwing fuel on the already blazing anger of God against Israel.
15 If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!”
15
If you won't follow him, he'll do it again. He'll dump them in the desert and the disaster will be all your fault."
16 But they approached Moses and said, “We simply want to build pens for our livestock and fortified towns for our wives and children.
16
They came close to him and said, "All we want to do is build corrals for our livestock and towns for our families.
17 Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle until we have brought them safely to their land. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified towns we build here, so they will be safe from any attacks by the local people.
17
Then we'll take up arms and take the front lines, leading the People of Israel to their place. We'll be able to leave our families behind, secure in fortified towns, safe from those who live in the land.
18 We will not return to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their portions of land.
18
But we won't go back home until every Israelite is in full possession of his inheritance.
19 But we do not claim any of the land on the other side of the Jordan. We would rather live here on the east side and accept this as our grant of land.”
19
We won't expect any inheritance west of the Jordan; we are claiming all our inheritance east of the Jordan."
20 Then Moses said, “If you keep your word and arm yourselves for the LORD ’s battles,
20
Moses said, "If you do what you say, take up arms before God for battle
21 and if your troops cross the Jordan and keep fighting until the LORD has driven out his enemies,
21
and together go across the Jordan ready, before God, to fight until God has cleaned his enemies out of the land,
22 then you may return when the LORD has conquered the land. You will have fulfilled your duty to the LORD and to the rest of the people of Israel. And the land on the east side of the Jordan will be your property from the LORD .
22
then when the land is secure you will have fulfilled your duty to God and Israel. Then this land will be yours to keep before God.
23 But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
23
"But if you don't do what you say, you will be sinning against God; you can be sure that your sin will track you down.
24 Go ahead and build towns for your families and pens for your flocks, but do everything you have promised.”
24
So, go ahead. Build towns for your families and corrals for you livestock. Do what you said you'd do."
25 Then the men of Gad and Reuben replied, “We, your servants, will follow your instructions exactly.
25
The families of Gad and Reuben told Moses: "We will do as our master commands.
26 Our children, wives, flocks, and cattle will stay here in the towns of Gilead.
26
Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will stay behind here in the towns of Gilead.
27 But all who are able to bear arms will cross over to fight for the LORD, just as you have said.”
27
But we, every one of us fully armed, will cross the river to fight for God, just as our master has said."
28 So Moses gave orders to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the clans of Israel.
28
So Moses issued orders for them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the ancestral tribes of the People of Israel.
29 He said, “The men of Gad and Reuben who are armed for battle must cross the Jordan with you to fight for the LORD . If they do, give them the land of Gilead as their property when the land is conquered.
29
Moses said, "If the families of Gad and Reuben cross the Jordan River with you and before God, all armed and ready to fight, then after the land is secure, you may give them the land of Gilead as their inheritance.
30 But if they refuse to arm themselves and cross over with you, then they must accept land with the rest of you in the land of Canaan.”
30
But if they don't cross over with you, they'll have to settle up with you in Canaan."
31 The tribes of Gad and Reuben said again, “We are your servants, and we will do as the LORD has commanded!
31
The families of Gad and Reuben responded: "We will do what God has said.
32 We will cross the Jordan into Canaan fully armed to fight for the LORD, but our property will be here on this side of the Jordan.”
32
We will cross the Jordan before God, ready and willing to fight. But the land we inherit will be here, to the east of the Jordan."
33 So Moses assigned land to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph. He gave them the territory of King Sihon of the Amorites and the land of King Og of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and surrounding lands.
33
Moses gave the families of Gad, Reuben, 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 land, its towns, and all the territories connected with them - the works.
34 The descendants of Gad built the towns of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
34
The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
35
Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
36 Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran. These were all fortified towns with pens for their flocks.
36
Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities; they also built corrals for their animals.
37 The descendants of Reuben built the towns of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
37
The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,
38 Nebo, Baal-meon, and Sibmah. They changed the names of some of the towns they conquered and rebuilt.
38
also Nebo and Baal Meon and Sibmah. They renamed the cities that they rebuilt.
39 Then the descendants of Makir of the tribe of Manasseh went to Gilead and conquered it, and they drove out the Amorites living there.
39
The family of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who lived there.
40 So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there.
40
Moses then gave Gilead to the Makirites, the descendants of Manasseh. They moved in and settled there.
41 The people of Jair, another clan of the tribe of Manasseh, captured many of the towns in Gilead and changed the name of that region to the Towns of Jair.
41
Jair, another son of Manasseh, captured some villages and named them Havvoth Jair (Jair's Tent-Camps).
42 Meanwhile, a man named Nobah captured the town of Kenath and its surrounding villages, and he renamed that area Nobah after himself.
42
Nobah captured Kenath and its surrounding camps. He renamed it after himself, Nobah.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.