9. For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them.
10. The Lord’s anger burned in that day, and he swore, saying,
11. ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me,
12. except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, because they have followed the Lord completely.’
13. The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation who had done evil in the Lord’s sight was consumed.
14. “Behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to increase the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel.
15. For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all these people.”
16. They came near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones;
17. but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
18. We will not return to our houses until the children of Israel have all received their inheritance.
19. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan eastward.”
20. Moses said to them: “If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before the Lord to the war,
21. and every one of your armed men will pass over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven out his enemies from before him,
22. and the land is subdued before the Lord; then afterward you shall return, and be clear of obligation to the Lord and to Israel. Then this land shall be your possession before the Lord.
23. “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.
24. Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth.”
25. The children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as my lord commands.
26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock shall be there in the cities of Gilead;