Joshua assigned territory to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan, where they had chosen to remain because of the wonderful livestock country.<BR>As the Israelites prepared to entire the Promised Land, two and a half tribes asked if they could be given the land on the east side of the Jordan River instead.<BR>When the eastern Israelite tribes built an altar as a memorial to the Lord, the western tribes misunderstood it as a sign that the two groups were separated in their worship of the Lord. Once the eastern tribes explained their intent, however, peace was restored between the two groups.<BR>Instead of being allotted land in Canaan, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh settled on the east side of the Jordan River, but they agreed to worship at the Tabernacle and considered themselves to be part of the larger nation of Israel.