1. Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock, and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, it seemed unto them that the place was a place for livestock.
2. And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses and to Eleazar, the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,
3. Ataroth and Dibon and Jazer and Nimrah and Heshbon and Elealeh and Shebam and Nebo and Beon,
4. the country which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and thy slaves have livestock.
5. Therefore, they said, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy slaves for a possession and do not make us pass the Jordan.
6. And Moses said unto the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?
7. Why do ye discourage the heart of the sons of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them?
8. Thus did your fathers when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.
9. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the sons of Israel that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them.