To the Reubenites and Gadites: “To the tribes of Reuben and Gad,” or “to the people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad.”

The territory from Gilead as far as the valley of the Arnon: that is, from Gilead south to the Arnon River.

With the middle of the valley as a boundary, as far over as the river Jabbok, the boundary of the Ammonites: see Good News Translation for clarity and precision. But it must be said that in Hebrew verse 16 is not all that clear. The Septuagint translates as follows: “And to Reuben and Gad I gave [the territory] from Gilead to the Wadi Arnon (the boundary was in the middle of the wadi) and as far as the Jabbok.” Instead of with the middle of the valley as a boundary, as far over as the river Jabbok, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers “in the middle of the river and (its adjacent) territory, and unto the river Jabbok.” The Hebrew Old Testament Text Project Preliminary Report is not at all clear, and translators may stay with Revised Standard Version, or translate in a similar way to New Revised Standard Version, as follows: “… from Gilead as far as the Arnon River, with the middle of the river as a boundary, and up to the Jabbok River.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .