15. If you turn from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you would have destroyed all these people.”
16. They came near to him and said, “We will build sheep pens here for the flock of our livestock and cities for our little children;
17. but we ourselves will become armed and ready before the Israelites until we have brought them to their place, and our little children will live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
18. We will not return to our houses until the Israelites each obtain their inheritance for themselves.
19. For we will not take possession with them from across the Jordan and beyond because our inheritance has come to us from across the Jordan to the east.”
20. So Moses said to them, “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before Yahweh for the war,
21. and everyone of you armed cross the Jordan before Yahweh until he has driven out his enemies from before him,
22. and the land is subdued before Yahweh, then afterward you will return and be free of obligation from Yahweh and from Israel, and this land will be your property before Yahweh.
23. But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and know that your sin will find you.
24. Build for yourselves cities for your little children and sheep pens for your flocks; what has gone out from your mouth you will do.”
25. So the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben said to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands.
26. Our little children, our wives, our livestock, and all of our animals will remain in the cities of Gilead,
27. but your servants, everyone who is armed for battle, will cross over before Yahweh to the war, just as my lord says.”
28. So Moses commanded them, Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites.
29. Moses said to them, “If the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben, everyone who is armed for the war, cross over the Jordan before Yahweh, and the land is subdued before you, you will give them the land of Gilead as property.
30. But if they will not cross over with you armed, they will acquire land in your midst in Canaan.”
31. The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben answered and said, “What Yahweh has commanded your servants, we will do.