1. The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a large number of livestock. They saw that the regions of Jazer and Gilead were a good place for livestock.
2. So they came to Moses, the priest Eleazar, and the leaders of the community, and said to them,
3. “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
4. the land that the Lord won for the community of Israel, is a good place for livestock. Gentlemen, we have livestock.
5. Please give us this land as our property. Don’t make us cross the Jordan River.”
6. Moses asked the tribes of Gad and Reuben, “Are you going to stay here while the rest of the Israelites go to war?
7. That might discourage them from entering the land the Lord has given them.
8. That’s what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to take a look at the land.
9. They went as far as the Eshcol Valley and saw the land. But then they discouraged the rest of the Israelites from entering the land that the Lord had given them.
10. That day the Lord became angry and swore this oath,
11. ‘None of the people 20 years old or older, who came from Egypt, will see the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with an oath. This is because they didn’t wholeheartedly follow me.’
12. Only Caleb (son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite) and Joshua (son of Nun) will get to see the land. This is because they wholeheartedly followed the Lord.
13. Since the Lord was angry with the Israelites, he made them wander in the desert for 40 years until the whole generation of those who had done evil in the Lord’s presence was gone.
14. “You’re just like your parents! You’re a bunch of sinners trying to make the Lord angry with Israel again.
15. If you turn away from him, he will abandon all these people in the desert. You would be responsible for their destruction.”