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)

¹⁴ “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.^{(AD) 15} If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.^(AE)”

¹⁶ Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens^(AF) here for our livestock^(AG) and cities for our women and children. ¹⁷ But we will arm ourselves for battle^[a] and go ahead of the Israelites^(AH) until we have brought them to their place.^(AI) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.^{(AJ) 19} We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance^(AK) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”^(AL)

²⁰ Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle^{(AM) 21} and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him^(AN)— ²² then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return^(AO) and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession^(AP) before the Lord.^(AQ)

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.^{(AR) 24} Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks,^(AS) but do what you have promised.^(AT)”

²⁵ The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands.^{(AU) 26} Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead.^{(AV) 27} But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight^(AW) before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

²⁸ Then Moses gave orders about them^(AX) to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun^(AY) and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes.^{(AZ) 29} He 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,^(BA) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.^{(BB) 30} But if they do not cross over^(BC) with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.^(BD)”

³¹ The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said.^{(BE) 32} We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed,^(BF) but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.^(BG)”

³³ Then Moses gave to the Gadites,^(BH) the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh^(BI) son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites^(BJ) and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan^(BK)—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.^(BL)

³⁴ The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,^{(BM) 35} Atroth Shophan, Jazer,^(BN) Jogbehah,^{(BO) 36} Beth Nimrah^(BP) and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks.^{(BQ) 37} And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,^(BR) Elealeh^(BS) and Kiriathaim,^{(BT) 38} as well as Nebo^(BU) and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah.^(BV) They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

³⁹ The descendants of Makir^(BW) son of Manasseh went to Gilead,^(BX) captured it and drove out the Amorites^(BY) who were there. ⁴⁰ So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites,^(BZ) the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. ⁴¹ Jair,^(CA) a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair.^{[b](CB) 42} And Nobah captured Kenath^(CC) and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah^(CD) after himself.^(CE)

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.^{(A) 2} A tabernacle^(B) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand^(C) and the table^(D) with its consecrated bread;^(E) this was called the Holy Place.^{(F) 3} Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,^{(G) 4} which had the golden altar of incense^(H) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.^(I) This ark contained the gold jar of manna,^(J) Aaron’s staff that had budded,^(K) and the stone tablets of the covenant.^{(L) 5} Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,^(M) overshadowing the atonement cover.^(N) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

⁶ When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly^(O) into the outer room to carry on their ministry. ⁷ But only the high priest entered^(P) the inner room,^(Q) and that only once a year,^(R) and never without blood,^(S) which he offered for himself^(T) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.^{(U) 8} The Holy Spirit was showing^(V) by this that the way^(W) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. ⁹ This is an illustration^(X) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered^(Y) were not able to clear the conscience^(Z) of the worshiper. ¹⁰ They are only a matter of food^(AA) and drink^(AB) and various ceremonial washings^(AC)—external regulations^(AD) applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest^(AE) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](AF) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(AG) that is not made with human hands,^(AH) that is to say, is not a part of this creation. ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;^(AI) but he entered the Most Holy Place^(AJ) once for all^(AK) by his own blood,^(AL) thus obtaining^[b] eternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls^(AM) and the ashes of a heifer^(AN) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit^(AO) offered himself^(AP) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(AQ) from acts that lead to death,^[c](AR) so that we may serve the living God!^(AS)

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator^(AT) of a new covenant,^(AU) that those who are called^(AV) may receive the promised^(AW) eternal inheritance^(AX)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.^(AY)

¹⁶ In the case of a will,^[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.^{(AZ) 19} When Moses had proclaimed^(BA) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(BB) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^{(BC) 20} He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^{[e](BD) 21} In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(BE) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(BF)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(BG) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;^(BH) he entered heaven itself,^(BI) now to appear for us in God’s presence.^{(BJ) 25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(BK) every year with blood that is not his own.^{(BL) 26} Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(BM) But he has appeared^(BN) once for all^(BO) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(BP) 27} Just as people are destined to die once,^(BQ) and after that to face judgment,^{(BR) 28} so Christ was sacrificed once^(BS) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,^(BT) not to bear sin,^(BU) but to bring salvation^(BV) to those who are waiting for him.^(BW)