¹⁶ But the people of Reuben and Gad approached Moses and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks and [walled] cities for our children, ¹⁷ but we will be armed and ready to go to war before the [other tribes of the] Israelites, until we have brought them to their place, while our children live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until every one of the [other] sons of Israel has taken possession of his inheritance. ¹⁹ For we will not inherit with them on the west side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan [River] toward the east.”

²⁰ Moses replied, “If you will do as you say, if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for war, ²¹ and every armed man of yours will cross the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies before Him, ²² and the land [west of the Jordan] is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you shall return and be blameless [in this matter] before the Lord and before Israel, and this land [east of the Jordan] shall be yours as a possession before the Lord. ²³ But if you do not do this, behold, you will have sinned against the Lord; and be sure that your sin will find you out. ²⁴ Build yourselves cities for your children, and folds for your sheep, and do that of which you have spoken.”

²⁵ Then the descendants of Gad and of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands. ²⁶ Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall be there in the cities of Gilead. ²⁷ But your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to the battle, just as my lord says.”