18. Here is the command I gave at that time to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh. I said, "The Lord your God has given you this land as your very own. But all of your strong men must be prepared for battle. They must cross over ahead of the rest of your fellow Israelites.
19. "But your wives and children can stay in the towns I've given you. You can keep your livestock there too. I know you have a lot of livestock.
20. Let your families and livestock stay in those towns until the Lord gives peace and rest to the other tribes, just as he has given you peace and rest. And let them stay until the other tribes have taken over the land the Lord your God is giving them. That land is across the Jordan River. After that, each of you may go back to the land I've given you as your very own."
21. At that time I gave Joshua a command. I said, "Your own eyes have seen everything the Lord your God has done to Sihon and Og. He will do the same thing to all of the kingdoms in the land where you are going.
22. Don't be afraid of them. The Lord your God himself will fight for you."
23. At that time I made my appeal to the Lord. I said,
24. "Lord and King, you have begun to show me how great you are. You have shown me how strong your hand is. You do great works and mighty acts. There isn't any god in heaven or on earth that can do what you do.
25. Let me go across the Jordan River. Let me see the good land that is beyond it. I want to see that fine hill country and Lebanon."
26. But the Lord was angry with me because of what you did. He wouldn't listen to me. "That is enough!" the Lord said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.
27. Go up to the highest slopes of Pisgah. Look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes. But you are not going to go across that Jordan River.
28. "So appoint Joshua as the new leader. Help him to be brave. Give him hope and strength. He will take these people across the Jordan. You will see the land. But he will lead them into it to take it as their own."