Numbers 32:13-23

New International Version

¹³ The Lord’s anger burned against Israel^(A) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.^(B)

¹⁴ “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.^{(C) 15} If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.^(D)”

¹⁶ Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens^(E) here for our livestock^(F) and cities for our women and children. ¹⁷ But we will arm ourselves for battle^[a] and go ahead of the Israelites^(G) until we have brought them to their place.^(H) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.^{(I) 19} We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance^(J) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”^(K)

²⁰ Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle^{(L) 21} and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him^(M)— ²² then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return^(N) and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession^(O) before the Lord.^(P)

²³ “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.^(Q)