1 The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a lot of livestock. When they saw how suitable the land of Jazer and Gilead was for cattle,
2 they went to Moses, Eleazar, and the other leaders of the community and said,
3-4 “This region which the Lord has helped the Israelites to occupy — the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sibmah, Nebo, and Beon — is good land for livestock, and we have so much livestock.
5 Please give us this land as our property, and do not make us cross the River Jordan and settle there.”
6 Moses replied, “Do you want to stay here while your fellow-Israelites go to war?
7 How dare you try to discourage the people of Israel from crossing the Jordan into the land which the Lord has given them?
8 That is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land.