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And it came to pass that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that, behold, that land was a place for cattle,
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And so it was that the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying:
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Behold, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,
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Even the country which יהוה (YHVH) did smite before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle; and thy servants have cattle;
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Therefore, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.
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¶ And it came to pass that Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?
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And why then should you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which יהוה (YHVH) hath given for an inheritance?
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Is this the fear of your fathers when I sent them over to see the land?
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For when they went up into the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which יהוה (YHVH), our Elohim had given them.
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And so it was that the anger of יהוה (YHVH) was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying:
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Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I gave unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob because they have not wholly followed me,
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Save Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, the Kenezite, and Joshua, the son of Nun; for they have wholly followed יהוה (YHVH).
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And the wrath of יהוה (YHVH) was kindled against Israel, and thus He did make them wander in the wilderness forty years until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of יהוה (YHVH) was consumed.
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And now behold, ye are risen up in the stead of your fathers, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of יהוה (YHVH) toward Israel.
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For if ye turn away from after our Elohim, יהוה (YHVH) will yet again leave you in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.
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¶ And it came to pass that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad did come near unto him and said:
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We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle and cities for our little ones;
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But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel until we have brought them unto their place;
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And our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
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And we will not return unto our houses until the children of Israel have inherited everyone their inheritance;
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For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan or forward because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward.
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¶ And so it was that Moses said unto them: If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before יהוה (YHVH) to war,
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And will go all of you armed over Jordan before יהוה (YHVH) until He hath driven out His enemies from before Him,
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And the land be subdued before יהוה (YHVH), our Elohim, then afterward ye shall return and be guiltless before יהוה (YHVH) and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before יהוה (YHVH).
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But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against יהוה (YHVH); and be sure your sin will find you out.
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Wherefore, build ye up cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.
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¶ And it came to pass that the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying: Thy servants will do even as my lord hath spoken.
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Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle shall be there in the cities of Gilead;
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But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before יהוה (YHVH) to battle, even as my lord hath said.
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¶ And so it was that Moses did instruct Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua, the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel concerning them;
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And Moses spoke unto them, saying: If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle before יהוה (YHVH), and the land shall be subdued before you, then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession;
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But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.
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¶ And it came to pass that all of the children of Gad and all of the children of Reuben answered, saying: As יהוה (YHVH), our Elohim, hath said unto thy servants, this will we do.
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We will pass over, armed before יהוה (YHVH), into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours.
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¶ And it came to pass that Moses did give unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, the land with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.