These fighting men were to leave their families and cattle behind on the east side of the Jordan.

Your cattle (I know you have many cattle): Bashan was known for its fine cattle. For a comment on cattle or “livestock,” see 2.35.

It is possible to combine verses 18 and 19 as follows:

• At the same time I told the men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh: “The LORD our [inclusive] God has let you occupy this land east of the Jordan river. Your wives and children can stay here with the large herds of cattle I know you have. Now give weapons to all your soldiers, and they must cross the Jordan river ahead of the soldiers from the other tribes of Israel, to help them occupy their land.

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 .