SUMMARY
Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh settle their holdings east of the Jordan River but promise to help with the conquest of the Land.
ANALYSIS
Seeing that the land across the Jordan was good for herding, the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh desired to settle there, rather than in the Promised Land. Initially, Moses was furious that the error of the spies (Numbers 13) might be repeated, and that the people would refuse to go into the land a second time.
The East Jordan tribes then affirmed their willingness to enter the land and fight on behalf of the rest of the Israelites. Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh would build pens for their herds, and houses for their wives and children, and then come and fight. The three tribes were true to their word and were only released to return to their homes after the conquest (Joshua 22:9).
