Study Desk

Then the Reubenites and Gadites came up to Moses and said, "We will build pens for our animals and cities for our children here.

Then our children will be in strong, walled cities, safe from the people who live in this land. Then we will prepare for war. We will help the other Israelites get their land,

Build cities for your children and pens for your animals, but then you must do what you promised."

Our children, wives, and all our cattle will stay in the cities of Gilead,

"Your little children that you said would be captured, who do not know right from wrong at this time, will go into the land. I will give the land to them, and they will take it for their own.

We captured all his cities at that time and completely destroyed them, as well as the men, women, and children. We left no one alive.

We completely destroyed them, just like the cities of Sihon king of Heshbon. We killed all the men, women, and children,

Your wives, your young children, and your cattle may stay here. I know you have many cattle, and they may stay here in the cities I have given you,

But be careful! Watch out and don't forget the things you have seen. Don't forget them as long as you live, but teach them to your children and grandchildren.

Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai. He said to me, "Bring the people together so I can tell them what I have to say. Then they will respect me as long as they live in the land, and they will teach these things to their children."

Even after you have lived in the land a long time and have had children and grandchildren, don't do evil things. Don't make any kind of idol, and don't do what the Lord your God says is evil, because that will make him angry.

Obey his laws and commands that I am giving you today so that things will go well for you and your children. Then you will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is giving to you forever.

You must not worship or serve any idol, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. If people sin against me and hate me, I will punish their children, even their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I wish their hearts would always respect me and that they would always obey my commands so that things would go well for them and their children forever!

You, your children, and your grandchildren must respect the Lord your God as long as you live. Obey all his rules and commands I give you so that you will live a long time.

Teach them to your children, and talk about them when you sit at home and walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

In the future when your children ask you, "What is the meaning of the laws, commands, and rules the Lord our God gave us?"

If you do, those people will turn your children away from me, to begin serving other gods. Then the Lord will be very angry with you, and he will quickly destroy you.

He will love and bless you. He will make the number of your people grow; he will bless you with children. He will bless your fields with good crops and will give you grain, new wine, and oil. He will bless your herds with calves and your flocks with lambs in the land he promised your ancestors he would give you.

You will be blessed more than any other people. Every husband and wife will have children, and all your cattle will have calves.