6. Moses told the people of Gad and Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war while you stay behind?
7. You will discourage the Israelites. They will not want to go over to the land the Lord has given them.
8. Your ancestors did the same thing. From Kadesh Barnea I sent them to look at the land.
9. They went as far as the Valley of Eshcol. They saw the land. And they discouraged the Israelites from going into the land the Lord had given them.
10. The Lord became very angry that day. He made this promise:
11. ‘None of the people who came from Egypt and who are 20 years old or older will see this land. I promised it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But these people have not followed me completely.
12. Only Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun followed the Lord completely.’
13. “The Lord was very angry with Israel. So he made them wander in the desert for 40 years. Finally all the people who had sinned against him had died.
14. And now you are acting just like your fathers! You sinful people are making the Lord even more angry with Israel.
15. If you quit following the Lord, it will add to their stay in the desert. So you will destroy all these people.”
16. But the Reubenites and Gadites came up to Moses. They said, “We will build pens for our animals. And we will build cities for our wives and children here.
17. Then our families will be in strong, walled cities. They will be safe from the people who live in this land. Then we will prepare for war. We will help the other Israelites get their land.