Bible Verses About The Tribes of Israel

So the anger of the LORD was kindled that day, and He swore an oath, saying,

‘Because they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years of age or older who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—

not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’

The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation who had done evil in His sight was gone.

Now behold, you, a brood of sinners, have risen up in place of your fathers to further stoke the burning anger of the LORD against Israel.

For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.”

Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones.

But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our little ones will remain in the fortified cities for protection from the inhabitants of the land.

We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has taken possession of his inheritance.

Yet we will not have an inheritance with them across the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”

Moses replied, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for battle,

and if every one of your armed men crosses the Jordan before the LORD, until He has driven His enemies out before Him,

then when the land is subdued before the LORD, you may return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel. And this land will belong to you as a possession before the LORD.

But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.

Build cities for your little ones and folds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”

The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “Your servants will do just as our lord commands.

Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead.

But your servants are equipped for war, and every man will cross over to the battle before the LORD, just as our lord says.”

So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the family leaders of the tribes of Israel.

And Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, with every man armed for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession.

But if they do not arm themselves and go across with you, then they must accept their possession among you in the land of Canaan.”

The Gadites and Reubenites replied, “As the LORD has spoken to your servants, so we will do.

We will cross over into the land of Canaan armed before the LORD, that we may have our inheritance on this side of the Jordan.”

And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers.

Now the family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the clans of Joseph, approached Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families and addressed them,