The Tribes East of the Jordan
(Deuteronomy 3:12–22; Joshua 13:8–14)

1Nowe the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad had an exceeding great multitude of cattell: and they sawe the lande of Iazer, and the lande of Gilead, that it was an apt place for cattel. 2Then the children of Gad, and the childre of Reuben came, and spake vnto Moses and to Eleazar the Priest, and vnto the princes of the Congregation, saying, 3The land of Ataroth, and Dibon, and Iazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4Which countrey the Lorde smote before the Congregation of Israel, is a lande meete for cattell, and thy seruants haue cattell: 5Wherefore, said they, if we haue foud grace in thy sight, let this lande be giuen vnto thy seruants for a possession, & bring vs not ouer Iorde.

6And Moses said vnto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren goe to warre, and ye tary heere? 7Wherefore now discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel, to goe ouer into the lande, which the Lorde hath giuen them? 8Thus did your fathers when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the lande. 9For when they went vp euen vnto the riuer of Eshcol, and sawe the land: they discouraged the heart of the childre of Israel, that they woulde not goe into the lande, which the Lorde had giuen them. 10And the Lordes wrath was kindled the same day, and he did sweare, saying, 11None of the men that came out of Egypt from twentie yeere olde and aboue, shall see the land for the which I sware vnto Abraha, to Izhak, and to Iaakob, because they haue not wholly followed me: 12Except Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenesite, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun: for they haue constantly followed the Lorde. 13And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and made them wander in the wildernesse fourty yeeres, vntill all the generation that had done euill in the sight of the Lorde were consumed. 14And behold, ye are risen vp in your fathers steade as an encrease of sinfull men, still to augment the fierce wrath of the Lord, toward Israel. 15For if ye turne away from following him, he will yet againe leaue the people in the wildernesse, and ye shall destroy all this folke.

16And they went neere to him, and said, We will builde sheepe foldes here for our sheepe, and for our cattell, and cities for our children. 17But we our selues will be readie armed to go before the children of Israel, vntill we haue brought them vnto their place: but our childre shall dwell in the defenced cities, because of the inhabitants of the lande. 18We will not returne vnto our houses, vntil the children of Israel haue inherited, euery man his inheritance. 19Neither wil we inherite with them beyond Iorden and on that side, because our inheritance is fallen to vs on this side Iorden Eastwarde.

20And Moses saide vnto them, If ye will doe this thing, and goe armed before the Lord to warre: 21And will goe euery one of you in harnesse ouer Iorden before the Lorde, vntill he hath cast out his enemies from his sight: 22And vntill the land be subdued before the Lorde, then ye shall returne and be innocent toward the Lorde, and toward Israel: and this land shalbe your possession before the Lorde. 23But if ye will not doe so, beholde, ye haue sinned against the Lorde, and be sure, that your sinne will finde you out. 24Builde you then cities for your children & folds for your sheepe, and do that ye haue spoke.

25Then the children of Gad & the children of Reuben spake vnto Moses, saying, Thy seruats will doe as my lorde commandeth: 26Our childre, our wiues, our sheepe, & al our cattell shall remaine there in the cities of Gilead, 27But thy seruants will goe euery one armed to warre before the Lorde for to fight, as my lorde saith.

28So concerning them, Moses commanded Eleazar the Priest, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and the chiefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: 29And Moses said vnto them, If the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben, will go with you ouer Iorden, all armed to fight before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you, ye shall giue the the lad of Gilead for a possessio: 30But if they will not goe ouer with you armed, then they shall haue their possessions amog you in the land of Canaan. 31And the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lorde hath said vnto thy seruants, so will we doe. 32We will goe armed before the Lorde into the lande of Canaan: that the possession of our inheritance may be to vs on this side Iorden.

33So Moses gaue vnto them, euen to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to halfe the tribe of Manasseh the sonne of Ioseph, the kingdome of Sihon King of the Amorites, and the kingdome of Og King of Bashan, the lande with the cities thereof & coastes, euen the cities of the countrey round about. 34Then the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35And Atroth, Shophan, and Iazer, and Iogbehah, 36And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, defenced cities: also sheepe foldes. 37And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, 38And Nebo, and Baal-meon, and turned their names, and Shibmah: and gaue other names vnto the cities which they built. 39And the children of Machir the sonne of Manasseh went to Gilead, and tooke it, and put out the Amorites that dwelt therein. 40Then Moses gaue Gilead vnto Machir the sonne of Manasseh, and he dwelt therein. 41And Iair the sonne of Manasseh went and tooke the small townes thereof, and called them Hauoth Iair. 42Also Nobah went and tooke Kenath, with the villages thereof and called it Nobah, after his owne name.