Three Tribes Settle East of the Jordan (excerpt)

And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: (Numbers 32:16-28)

NUMBERS The Book of Numbers is so named because it records several occasions where the people were counted or numbered (chaps. 1, 3, 4, 26). The Hebrew title (the first word in the Hebew text) means "in the wilderness," and appropriately gives the setting for the events in this book.   The Book of Numbers relates the earliest experiences of Israel under the theocracy. When the people were obedient to God, they enjoyed His blessing and protection (Num 21:21 -35), but their disobedience brought His judgment (Num. 21:4 -9).   Despite the wonders that God performed on Israel's behalf, the people were ready to return to Egypt on several occasions (Num. 11:4 -6; 14:2 -4; 20:4, 5; 21:5) because of their unbelief - it was easier to get Israel out of Egypt than to get Egypt out of the Israelites! A large portion of the forty years that Israel spent in the wilderness is covered in this Book. During this time God removed the generation that failed to trust Him (all but Joshua and Caleb, Num. 14:30) and molded the new generation into a unified nation, prepared to conquer the land He had promised them. [Source for Introduction of chapter: Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible KJV edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN 37422]