Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead – Numbers 32
- The people of Reuben and the people of Gad go to Moses and Eleazar and ask if they can take their livestock and inhabit the lands of Jazer and Gilead in the Promised Land.
- Moses asks them if they intend to stay there instead of going with the rest of Israel across the Jordan River to fight the peoples living there. He reminds the men of their forefathers, who angered the Lord by spying the Promised Land and then discouraging the people from going into the land that the Lord had promised His people. Moses points out that if these men turn away from God, He will again abandon them in the wilderness.
- The men reply that they will build pens for their animals and small walled cities for their families, and will still fight with Israel and won't return home until all of Israel has its inheritance.
- Moses agrees that if they will fight with Israel to overcome those living in the Promised Land, the land on the east side of the Jordan will be theirs. However, if they don't keep their word, their sin will find them out. He gives word to Eleazar, Joshua, and the leaders of Israel, and assigns the land to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. The tribes each build multiple towns.
Recounting Israel's Journey – Numbers 33
- At God's command, Moses keeps a written record of the march of the Israelite people, starting in Egypt (as they left slavery). He records every place where the people stop.
- While Israel is camped near the Jordan River on the plains of Moab opposite Jericho, God tells them to cross the river and take possession of the Promised Land. They are to drive out all peoples and then divide the land by tribe size using a sacred lot.
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