Now the Bnei Reuven and the Bnei Gad had a very great multitude of mikneh; and when they saw Eretz Yazer, and Eretz Gil`ad, that, hinei, the makom was a makom for mikneh;
The Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven came and spoke unto Moshe, and to Eleazar HaKohen, and unto the nasiim of the Edah, saying,
Atarot, and Divon, and Yazer, and Nimrah, and Chesbon, and Elealeh, and Sevam, and Nevo, and Beon,
Even HaAretz which Hashem struck to conquer before the Adat Yisroel, is an eretz for mikneh, and thy avadim have mikneh.
They said, If we have found chen in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy avadim for an achuzzah, and bring us not over Yarden.
And Moshe said unto the Bnei Gad and to the Bnei Reuven, Shall your achim go to milchamah while ye sit here?
And why discourage ye the lev Bnei Yisroel from going over into HaAretz which Hashem hath given them?
Thus did Avoteichem, when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over HaAretz.
For when they went up unto the Eshcol Valley, and saw HaAretz, they discouraged the lev Bnei Yisroel, that they should not go into HaAretz which Hashem had given them.
And the Af Hashem was kindled on that day, and He swore, saying,
Surely none of the anashim that came up out of Mitzrayim, from twenty years old and upward, shall see HaAdamah which I swore unto Avraham, unto Yitzchak, and unto Ya'akov; because they have not fully followed Me;
Except Kalev Ben Yephunneh the Kenezi, and Yehoshua Ben Nun; for they have fully followed after Hashem.
And the Af Hashem was kindled against Yisroel, and He made them wander in the midbar arba'im shanah, until kol hador that had done harah in the sight of Hashem, were consumed.
And, hinei, ye are risen up in the place of Avoteichem a brood of anashim chatta'im to add even more to charon af Hashem against Yisroel.
For if ye turn away from after Him, He will yet again leave them in the midbar; and ye shall destroy kol HaAm Hazeh.
And they came near unto him, and said, We will build gidrot tzon here for our mikneh, and towns for our little ones;
But we ourselves will go ready armed ahead of the Bnei Yisroel, until we have brought them unto their makom; and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of HaAretz.
We will not return unto bateinu, until the Bnei Yisroel have inherited every ish his nachalah.
For we will not inherit with them across the Yarden, or beyond; because our nachalah is fallen to us on this side of the Yarden eastward.
And Moshe said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before Hashem to milchamah,
And will go all of you armed over Yarden before Hashem, until He hath driven out His oyevim from before Him,
And HaAretz be subdued before Hashem; then afterward ye shall return, and be nekiyim before Hashem, and before Yisroel; and HaAretz Hazot shall be your achuzzah before Hashem.
But if ye will not do so, hinei, ye have sinned against Hashem and be sure chattatechem (your sin) will find you out.
Build you towns for your little ones, and your gidrot tzon; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.
And the Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven spoke unto Moshe saying, Thy avadim will do as adoni commandeth.
Our little ones, our nashim, our mikneh, and all behemeteinu, shall stay there in the cities of Gil`ad;
But thy avadim will cross over, every man armed for war, before Hashem to battle, as adoni saith.
So concerning them Moshe commanded Eleazar HaKohen, and Yehoshua Ben Nun, and the Rashei Avot HaMattot of the Bnei Yisroel;
And Moshe said unto them, If the Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven will cross with you over Yarden, every man armed for battle, before Hashem, and HaAretz shall be subdued before you, then ye shall give them Eretz Gil`ad for an achuzzah;
But if they will not cross over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in Eretz Kena'an.
And the Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven answered, saying, As Hashem hath said unto thy avadim, so will we do.
We will cross over armed before Hashem into Eretz Kena'an, that the achuzzat nachalatenu on that side of the Yarden may be our own.
And Moshe gave unto them, even to the Bnei Gad, and to the Bnei Reuven, and unto half the shevet of Menasheh Ben Yosef, the kingdom of Sichon Melech HaEmori, and the kingdom of Og Melech HaBashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the territories, even the cities of the surrounding land.
And the Bnei Gad built Divon, and Atarot, and Aroer,
And Atrot, Shophan, Ya'azer, and Yogbehah,
And Beit Nimrah and Beit Haran, fortified cities; and gidrot tzon.
And the Bnei Reuven built Cheshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiryatayim,
And Nevo, and Ba'al Me'on, (their shem being changed) and Sivmah; and gave other shmot unto the cities which they built.
And the Bnei Machir Ben Menasheh went to Gil`ad, and captured it, and dispossessed the Emori (Amorite) which was in it.
And Moshe gave Gil`ad unto Machir Ben Menasheh; and he dwelt therein.
And Ya'ir Ben Menasheh went and captured the settlements thereof, and called them Chavot Ya'ir.
And Novach went and captured Kenat, and the villages thereof, and called it Novach, after shmo. [MASSEY]