Light and Darkness 83

With Israel still camped on the east side of the Jordan river across from Jericho, the next step was for them to cross the river and begin conquest of Canaan. However the tribal leaders of Gad and Reuben approached Moses with a significant request. Being herdsmen, they noticed the fertile ground of Gilead and asked if their inheritance of the Promised Land could be right there on the Transjordan area rather than on the west side. Moses misunderstood their intentions, after dealing with the negative report of the ten spies who discouraged the assembly from entering the land forth years previous.