11 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 heard H8085 say, H559 Behold, the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh H4519 have built H1129 an altar H4196 over against H4136 the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 in the borders H1552 of Jordan, H3383 at the passage H5676 of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
12 And when the children H1121 of Israel H3478 heard H8085 of it, the whole congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 gathered themselves together H6950 at Shiloh, H7887 to go up H5927 to war H6635 against them.
13 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 sent H7971 unto the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and to the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 and to the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 into the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 Phinehas H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548
14 And with him ten H6235 princes, H5387 of each H259 H259 chief H5387 H5387 house H1004 a prince H1 throughout all the tribes H4294 of Israel; H3478 and each one H376 was an head H7218 of the house H1004 of their fathers H1 among the thousands H505 of Israel. H3478
15 And they came H935 unto the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and to the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 and to the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 unto the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 and they spake H1696 with them, saying, H559
16 Thus saith H559 the whole congregation H5712 of the LORD, H3068 What trespass H4604 is this that ye have committed H4603 against the God H430 of Israel, H3478 to turn away H7725 this day H3117 from following H310 the LORD, H3068 in that ye have builded H1129 you an altar, H4196 that ye might rebel H4775 this day H3117 against the LORD? H3068
17 Is the iniquity H5771 of Peor H6465 too little H4592 for us, from which we are not cleansed H2891 until this day, H3117 although there was a plague H5063 in the congregation H5712 of the LORD, H3068
18 But that ye must turn away H7725 this day H3117 from following H310 the LORD? H3068 and it will be, seeing ye rebel H4775 to day H3117 against the LORD, H3068 that to morrow H4279 he will be wroth H7107 with the whole congregation H5712 of Israel. H3478
19 Notwithstanding, H389 if the land H776 of your possession H272 be unclean, H2931 then pass ye over H5674 unto the land H776 of the possession H272 of the LORD, H3068 wherein the LORD'S H3068 tabernacle H4908 dwelleth, H7931 and take possession H270 among H8432 us: but rebel H4775 not against the LORD, H3068 nor H408 rebel H4775 against us, in building H1129 you an altar H4196 beside H1107 the altar H4196 of the LORD H3068 our God. H430
20 Did not Achan H5912 the son H1121 of Zerah H2226 commit H4603 a trespass H4604 in the accursed thing, H2764 and wrath H7110 fell H1961 on all the congregation H5712 of Israel? H3478 and that man H376 perished H1478 not alone H259 in his iniquity. H5771
21 Then the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh H4519 answered, H6030 and said H1696 unto the heads H7218 of the thousands H505 of Israel, H3478
22 The LORD H3068 God H410 of gods, H430 the LORD H3068 God H410 of gods, H430 he knoweth, H3045 and Israel H3478 he shall know; H3045 if it be in rebellion, H4777 or if in transgression H4604 against the LORD, H3068 (save H3467 us not this day,) H3117
23 That we have built H1129 us an altar H4196 to turn H7725 from following H310 the LORD, H3068 or if to offer H5927 thereon burnt offering H5930 or meat offering, H4503 or if to offer H6213 peace H8002 offerings H2077 thereon, let the LORD H3068 himself require H1245 it;
24 And if we have not rather done H6213 it for fear H1674 of this thing, H1697 saying, H559 In time to come H4279 your children H1121 might speak H559 unto our children, H1121 saying, H559 What have ye to do with the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel? H3478
25 For the LORD H3068 hath made H5414 Jordan H3383 a border H1366 between us and you, ye children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and children H1121 of Gad; H1410 ye have no part H2506 in the LORD: H3068 so shall your children H1121 make H7673 our children H1121 cease H7673 from H1115 fearing H3372 the LORD. H3068
26 Therefore we said, H559 Let us now prepare H6213 to build H1129 us an altar, H4196 not for burnt offering, H5930 nor for sacrifice: H2077
27 But that it may be a witness H5707 between us, and you, and our generations H1755 after H310 us, that we might do H5647 the service H5656 of the LORD H3068 before H6440 him with our burnt offerings, H5930 and with our sacrifices, H2077 and with our peace offerings; H8002 that your children H1121 may not say H559 to our children H1121 in time to come, H4279 Ye have no part H2506 in the LORD. H3068
28 Therefore said H559 we, that it shall be, when they should so say H559 to us or to our generations H1755 in time to come, H4279 that we may say H559 again, Behold H7200 the pattern H8403 of the altar H4196 of the LORD, H3068 which our fathers H1 made, H6213 not for burnt offerings, H5930 nor for sacrifices; H2077 but it is a witness H5707 between us and you.
29 God forbid H2486 that we should rebel H4775 against the LORD, H3068 and turn H7725 this day H3117 from following H310 the LORD, H3068 to build H1129 an altar H4196 for burnt offerings, H5930 for meat offerings, H4503 or for sacrifices, H2077 beside the altar H4196 of the LORD H3068 our God H430 that is before H6440 his tabernacle. H4908
30 And when Phinehas H6372 the priest, H3548 and the princes H5387 of the congregation H5712 and heads H7218 of the thousands H505 of Israel H3478 which were with him, heard H8085 the words H1697 that the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the children H1121 of Manasseh H4519 spake, H1696 it pleased H3190 H5869 them.
31 And Phinehas H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and to the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 and to the children H1121 of Manasseh, H4519 This day H3117 we perceive H3045 that the LORD H3068 is among H8432 us, because ye have not committed H4603 this trespass H4604 against the LORD: H3068 now H227 ye have delivered H5337 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 out of the hand H3027 of the LORD. H3068
32 And Phinehas H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 and the princes, H5387 returned H7725 from the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and from the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 out of the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 unto the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 to the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and brought H7725 them word H1697 again. H7725
33 And the thing H1697 pleased H3190 H5869 the children H1121 of Israel; H3478 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 blessed H1288 God, H430 and did not intend H559 to go up H5927 against them in battle, H6635 to destroy H7843 the land H776 wherein the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and Gad H1410 dwelt. H3427
34 And the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 called H7121 the altar H4196 Ed: for it shall be a witness H5707 between us that the LORD H3068 is God. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 22
Commentary on Joshua 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Jos 22:1-9. Joshua Dismisses the Two Tribes and a Half, with a Blessing.
1. Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh—The general war of invasion being ended and the enemy being in so dispirited and isolated a condition that each tribe, by its own resources or with the aid of its neighboring tribe, was able to repress any renewed hostilities, the auxiliary Israelites from the eastern side of the Jordan were now discharged from service. Joshua dismissed them with high commendations for their fidelity and earnest admonitions to cultivate perpetual piety in life. The redundancy of the language is remarkable [Jos 22:2-5]. It shows how important, in the judgment of the venerable leader, a steadfast observance of the divine law was to personal happiness, as well as national prosperity.
3. Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day—for the space of seven years.
4-7. get you unto your tents—that is, home; for their families had been left in fortified towns (Nu 32:17).
8. he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches—in cattle, clothes, and precious metals.
divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren—(See on Nu 31:25-39).
Jos 22:10. They Build the Altar of Testimony on Their Journey.
10. when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben … built there an altar by Jordan—This altar was probably an immense pile of stones and earth. The generality of our translators supposes that it was reared on the banks of the Jordan, within the limits of Canaan proper. But a little closer examination seems to make the conclusion irresistible that its position was on the eastern side of the river, for these two reasons; first, because it is said (Jos 22:11) to have been built "over against," or in the sight of the land of Canaan—not within it; and secondly, because the declared motive of the trans-jordanic Israelites in erecting it was to prevent their brethren in Canaan ever saying, "in time to come, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel? For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you," &c. [Jos 22:24, 25]. Such a taunt would be obviously prevented or confuted by the two tribes and a half having on the eastern side of Jordan, within their own land, a facsimile of the altar at Shiloh, as a witness that they acknowledged the same God and practised the same rites of worship as the brethren in Canaan.
Jos 22:11-29. Contention Thereupon.
11-29. and the children of Israel heard say—Fame speedily spread intelligence of what the trans-jordanic tribes had done. The act being suspected of some idolatrous design, the tribes rose in a mass, and repairing to the tabernacle at Shiloh, resolved to declare war against the two tribes and a half as apostates from God. On calmer and more mature consideration, however, they determined, in the first instance, to send a deputation consisting of the son of the high priest, and ten eminent persons from each tribe, to make inquiry into this rumored rebellion against God (De 13:13-15). The quality of the deputies evinced the deep solicitude that was felt on the occasion to maintain the purity of the divine worship throughout Israel. In the presumptive belief that the two tribes and a half had really built an altar, the deputies expressed astonishment at their so soon falling into such a heinous crime as that of violating the unity of divine worship (Ex 20:24; Leviticus 17:8, 9; De 12:5-13). They reminded their eastern brethren of the disastrous consequences that were entailed on the nation at large by the apostasy at Peor and by the sin of Achan, and finally exhorted them, if they felt the want of the tabernacle and altar and repented of their rash choice in preferring worldly advantages to religious privileges, to remove to the western side of the Jordan, where all the tribes would form a united and obedient community of worshippers.
21. Then the children of Reuben … answered—repudiating, in the strongest terms, the alleged crime, and deponing that so far from entertaining the intention imputed to them, their only object was to perpetuate the memory of their alliance with Israel [Jos 22:24, 25], and their adherence to the worship of Israel's God [Jos 22:26, 27].
Jos 22:30-34. The Deputies Satisfied.
33, 34. the thing pleased the children of Israel—The explanation not only gave perfect satisfaction to the deputies, but elicited from them expressions of unbounded joy and thankfulness. "This day we perceive that the Lord is among us" [Jos 22:31], that is, by His gracious presence and preventing goodness, which has kept you from falling into the suspected sin and rescued the nation from the calamity of a fratricidal war or providential judgments. This episode reflects honor upon all parties and shows that piety and zeal for the honor and worship of God animated the people that entered Canaan to an extent far beyond what was exemplified in many other periods of the history of Israel.