Numbers 32

Now 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, the place was a place for cattle;

The children of Reuben and Gad, blessed with abundant herds, saw the lands of Jazer and Gilead. Their hearts filled with joy, for it was a perfect haven for their cattle.

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

The tribes of Gad and Reuben approached Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the community leaders, saying,

Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

"Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon,

Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

Even the land that God struck down before the eyes of Israel, is a place for livestock, and we, your servants, have livestock.

Wherefore, said they, 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.

They pleaded, "If we have earned your favor, please let us own this land. Don't make us cross the Jordan."

And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

Moses challenged the tribes of Gad and Reuben, "Will you just sit idle while your brothers fight in the war?"

And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?

Why do you dampen the spirits of Israel's children, dissuading them from embracing the land the Lord has gifted them?

Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.

Just like your ancestors, when I guided them from Kadeshbarnea to explore the land.

For when they went up unto 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 the LORD had given them.

When they journeyed to Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they filled the hearts of Israel's children with fear, making them hesitant to enter the land that the LORD had gifted them.

And the LORD’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

In that moment, the Lord's fury ignited. He made a solemn promise, declaring,

Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

Definitely, no man who left Egypt, aged twenty or older, will witness the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they did not fully commit to me.

Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

Except Caleb, Jephunneh's son, and Joshua, Nun's son, for they have devotedly pursued the Lord.

And the LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

The Lord's anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until the entire generation who had done evil in His sight was gone.

And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

Look, you've followed in your fathers' footsteps, adding to the number of sinful men, only fueling God's intense anger towards Israel.

For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

If you choose to abandon Him, He will once again leave this whole people in the wilderness, and you'll be the cause of their destruction.

And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

They approached him, saying with hope in their voices, "We wish to create safe havens here for our livestock and nurturing homes for our children."

But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

We will bravely lead our fellow Israelites to their new home, armed and prepared. Our children will live safely within the city walls, protected from the land's inhabitants.

We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

We won't go home until every Israeli has received their rightful share.

For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.

We won't share their inheritance across the Jordan, nor beyond. Our legacy lies here, to the east of the Jordan.

And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war,

Moses passionately implored them, "If you're willing to courageously march into battle, armed and ready, under God's watchful eye, then do it."

And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

You all, ready for battle, will cross the Jordan under God's watchful eye. You'll stay until He's cleared away all His adversaries.

And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

Once the land is conquered under God's watch, you may return, free of guilt in the eyes of God and Israel. This land will then be yours, a gift from the Lord.

But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

If you choose not to follow this path, remember, you've sinned against God. And be sure of this: your sin will catch up with you.

Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

Create safe homes for your children and shelters for your sheep; follow through on the promises you've made.

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

The children of Gad and Reuben respectfully told Moses, "We will faithfully follow your commands, as your loyal servants."

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

Our children, our spouses, our herds, and all our livestock will find a home in the cities of Gilead.

But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.

But as you command, we, your loyal servants, will bravely march into battle, fully armed, under God's watchful eye.

So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

Moses, with a sense of urgency, instructed Eleazar the priest, Joshua, Nun's son, and the respected elders of Israel's tribes.

And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

Moses told them, "If the Gad and Reuben clans join you across the Jordan, ready for battle in the name of God, and the land is conquered, then give them Gilead as their own."

But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

But if they do not cross over with you armed for battle, they must take their land among you in Canaan.

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

The children of Gad and Reuben responded with conviction, "We will follow God's command, just as He instructed us."

We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.

With courage in our hearts, we'll cross into Canaan, under God's watchful eye, to claim our rightful inheritance on this side of Jordan.

And Moses gave 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.

With a generous heart, Moses gifted the children of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh - Joseph's descendants, the vast kingdoms of Sihon and Og, lands of the Amorites and Bashan. This included all the cities within and around the borders, a gift of abundant land and opportunity.

And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

The children of Gad, with hearts full of determination and hands full of strength, passionately constructed Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer.

And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

They also built Atroth, Shophan, Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

Bethnimrah and Bethharan, fortified cities, provided safe havens and pastures for the sheep.

And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

The descendants of Reuben, with hearts full of determination and hands skilled in labor, passionately constructed the cities of Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kirjathaim.

And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

Nebo and Baalmeon, though their names were altered, along with Shibmah, were given new identities for the cities they constructed.

And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

Machir's descendants, children of Manasseh, courageously conquered Gilead, driving out the Amorites who lived there.

And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.

Moses, with a generous heart, gifted Gilead to Machir, Manasseh's son, who gratefully made it his home.

And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.

Jair, Manasseh's son, passionately claimed the tiny villages and, filled with pride, he named them Havothjair.

And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

Nobah, filled with determination, conquered Kenath and its surrounding villages. Overwhelmed with pride, he renamed it Nobah, after himself.