⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt,^(A) have become corrupt.^{(B) 8} They have been quick to turn away^(C) from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol^(D) cast in the shape of a calf.^(E) They have bowed down to it and sacrificed^(F) to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’^(G)

⁹ “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked^(H) people. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone^(I) so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy^(J) them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”^(K)

¹¹ But Moses sought the favor^(L) of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?^{(M) 12} Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’?^(N) Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster^(O) on your people. ¹³ Remember^(P) your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self:^(Q) ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars^(R) in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land^(S) I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” ¹⁴ Then the Lord relented^(T) and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

The Transjordan Tribes

32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks,^(A) saw that the lands of Jazer^(B) and Gilead^(C) were suitable for livestock.^{(D) 2} So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,^(E) and said, ³ “Ataroth,^(F) Dibon,^(G) Jazer,^(H) Nimrah,^(I) Heshbon,^(J) Elealeh,^(K) Sebam,^(L) Nebo^(M) and Beon^(N)— ⁴ the land the Lord subdued^(O) before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock,^(P) and your servants have livestock. ⁵ If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.^(Q)”

⁶ Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? ⁷ Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them?^{(R) 8} This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.^{(S) 9} After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol^(T) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. ¹⁰ The Lord’s anger was aroused^(U) that day and he swore this oath:^{(V) 11} ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more^(W) when they came up out of Egypt^(X) will see the land I promised on oath^(Y) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob^(Z)— ¹² not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’^{(AA) 13} The Lord’s anger burned against Israel^(AB) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.^(AC)