1Joshua dismisseth the two tribes and half with a blessing and a share of spoil. 10On their journey they build the altar of testimony. 11The other tribes are offended thereat, and send to demand satisfaction. 21The two tribes and half vindicate their conduct. 30The deputies are satisfied. 32Their report satisfieth the people that sent them.
1THEN Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
2And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and havea obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:
a Num. 32:20; Deut. 3:18.
3Ye have not left your brethren 1these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.
1 Or, now a long time. Hebr. these many days. It was, according to the computation of some, upwards of thirteen years. They spent seven years in subduing the land, and seven years in dividing the same.
4And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, whichb Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.
b Num. 32:33; Deut. 3:13; 29:8; Joshua 13:8.
5But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, toc love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
c Deut. 10:12.
6So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their 2tents.
2 That is, habitations, dwelling places, as elsewhere.
7¶Now to 3the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua 4among their brethren on this side Jordan 5westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,
3 That is, the other half tribe of Manasseh. Hebr. and their half.
4 Namely, with the other nine tribes, who received their inheritance on this side of Jordan.
5 Other, by the sea, or unto the sea.
8And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies 6with your brethren.
6 That is, with the tribes that remained on this side Jordan with the stuff or baggage. See hereof Num. 31:27; 1 Sam. 30:24.
9¶And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD 7by the hand of Moses.
7 Or, by the ministry of Moses. Hebr. by the hand of Moses.
10¶And whend they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to seee to.
d Joshua 18:7.
e look upon
11¶And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, 8at the passage of the children of Israel.
8 Or, at the border. Namely, of the greatest part of the children of Israel.
12And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.
13And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,
14And with him 9ten princes, 10of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.
9 There were nine tribes and an half; so that it appears here, that the half tribe of Manasseh, as well as all the tribes, sent one prince.
10 Hebr. one prince, one prince in the father’s house.
15¶And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,
16Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day 11from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD?
11 That is, not following after the Lord; so verses 18, 23, 29.
17Isf the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,
f Num. 25:3; Deut. 4:3.
18But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to 12morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
12 That is, hereafter, in time to come. So also verse 24; Joshua 4:6.
19Notwithstanding, 13if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, 14wherein the LORD’S 15tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.
13 As if he would say: If you think that God does not take your land into His favour and protection, as ours, than come over, etc.
14 The tabernacle was set up at Shiloh: See Joshua 18:1.
15 Hebr. dwelling, dwelling-place.
20Did not Achan 16the son of Zerah 17commit a trespass in 18the accursed thing, and 19wrath 20fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished 21not alone 22in his iniquity.
16 That is, who was of the generation or family, and posterity of Zerah, for his immediate father was Carmi, Joshua 7:17, 18.
17 Hebr. transgress transgression.
18 Hebr. the ban.
19 Namely, of God. That is, punishment. See Num. 1 on verse 53.
20 Or, came. Hebr. was.
21 For, first there were thirty-six Israelites slain near Ai, and afterward his wife, children and goods were likewise destroyed. Hebr. and that only man perished not.
22 Or, for his iniquity.
21¶Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the 23thousands of Israel,
23 The Israelites were divided into thousands. See Exod. 18:25; Judges 6 on verse 15.
2224Theg LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, 25(save us not this day,)
24 See Deut. 10 on verse 17.
g Psalm 50:1.
25 Some perceive this to be an address unto the Lord; others, unto the people of Israel, or Phinehas.
23That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, 26let the LORD himself require it;
26 That is, let the LORD punish us for it. Hebr. let the LORD seek it.
24And if we have not rather done it 27for fear of this thing, saying, 28In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, 29What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?
27 Namely, of the true worship of God.
28 That is, hereafter, in time to come.
29 Hebr. What is it to you, and the Lord, the God of Israel? Such phrases or manners of speaking are also used in the New Testament, Mat. 8:29; John 2:4.
25For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; 30ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.
30 That is, ye are not the people of God; ye have no part in the riches of His grace and benefits. See a similar manner of speaking, 2 Sam. 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16.
26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, 31nor for sacrifice:
31 That is, not for any offering or sacrifice.
27But thath it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.
h Gen. 31:48; Joshua 24:27.
28Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold 32the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
32 Or, fashion, that is, pattern, figure, form, likeness.
29God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
30¶And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation 33and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.
33 That is, namely, to wit. See verse 14.
31And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive 34that the LORD is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye 35have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.
34 Forasmuch as He keeps you, that you sin not against Him, nor separate your selves from us, as we feared, from whence great mischief would have come to all Israel.
35 Namely, when you built that altar for that end and purpose, as you told us; for had you built it to set up a new worship and to separate your selves from the rest of the tribes, thereby you would have kindled God’s wrath, and brought down His judgment upon all Israel.
32¶And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and 36brought them word again.
36 Hebr. they brought them the word again, that is, they faithfully reported unto the congregation the answer and apology of the Reubenites, etc., together with their whole transaction and intent.
33And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.
34And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar 37Ed: for it shall be a witness between us 38that the LORD is God.
37 Others insert herein the Hebrew word ed, that is, witness. Others perceive that the following words in the text (ki ed hu benotenu, for it is witness between us) were the name of this altar.
38 That is, that He alone is to be worshipped, and acknowledged to be the true God.