⁵ The descendants of Reuben,^(A) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

⁷ These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

⁸ The son of Pallu was Eliab, ⁹ and the sons of Eliab^(F) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community^(G) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.^{(H) 10} The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them^(I) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.^(J) And they served as a warning sign.^{(K) 11} The line of Korah,^(L) however, did not die out.^(M)

⁶ Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here?

¹⁵ If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.^(A)”

²¹ and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him^(A)—

²⁹ He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,^(A) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.^(B)