God commanded Israel to go to war against to Midianites to take vengeance for God (because of all their sins). They killed everyone and plundered everything (lots of livestock, jewelry, etc) except the women and children. Moses was angry, reminding the Israelites that it was the women that tempted the Israelites away to other gods. Moses told them to kill all the boys and all the women except women who "had never slept with a man."
They divided the plunder between the fighting men (1,000 from each tribe) and the Israelites.
The Reubenites and Gadites, who by trade were in the livestock business, saw that the land they had just acquired from the Midianites was great for herding, and they asked Moses if they could just forget the promised land and instead stay in this great land that God had provided for them.
Moses got really angry and reminded them that this is what their forefathers did. The result? Wandering in the desert for 40 years until they had all died.
Finally, the Reubenites and Gadites proposed building cities here now for their wives and children, but sending the men to go fight for Israel to ensure that Israel would obtain its inheritance (the promised land). Once they had the promised land, then they would come back and get their women and children.
Moses agreed, promising to give the Reubenites. Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph this land if they followed through on their promise to go fight for the promised land. Theses three tribes set up pens for their livestock and built cities here for their women and children.
The Journey that Israel Took
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