15. These leaders went to Gilead to talk to the people of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh. They said:
16. “All the Israelites ask you: ‘Why did you turn against the God of Israel by building an altar for yourselves? You know that this is against God’s law.
17. Remember what happened at Peor? We still suffer today because of that sin, for which God made many Israelites very sick.
18. And now are you turning against the Lord and refusing to follow him?“ ‘If you don’t stop what you’re doing today, the Lord will be angry with everyone in Israel tomorrow.
19. If your land is unclean, come over into our land where the Lord’s Tent is. Share it with us. But don’t turn against the Lord and us by building another altar for the Lord our God.
20. Remember how Achan son of Zerah refused to obey the command about what must be completely destroyed. That one man broke God’s law, but all the Israelites were punished. Achan died because of his sin, but others also died.’ ”
21. The people from Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh answered,