Joshua 22

The Reubenites , and the half tribe of Manasseh are sent home by Josua , ver.1,etc. Josua chargeth them very strictly to fear the Lord , 5. They depart with great booty , 8. They build an Altar at the brink of Jordan , 10. Which the rest of the Israelites understanding , they assemble to make war against them , 11.Yet they send first ambassadors to them , sharply reproving them for it , 13. But they clear themselves ,21. So that the ambassadors and all the people did rest satisfied therewith ,30.

1. Then Josua called the Reubenites and the Gadites , and the half tribe of Manasseh ,

2. And said unto them , Ye have kept all that Moseh the servant of the LORD commanded you : and ye have obeyed my voyce in all that I have commanded you . [See Numb. 32.20. Deut.3.18.]

3. Ye have not left your brethren now a long time , [Heb. these many dayes . It was according to the computation of some , full thirteen years . They spent seven years in subduing the land , and seven years in dividing the same] unto this day : but ye have observed the keeping of the commandments of the LORD your God .

4. And now the LORD hath given rest to your brethren , as he had promised them : therefore now return , and go unto your tents , unto the land of your possession , which Moseh the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of Jordan . [See Num.32.33. Deut.3.13. & 29.8. Jos.13.8.]

5. Onely take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law , which Moseh the servant of the LORD commanded you , that ye love the LORD your God , and that ye walk in all his wayes , and keep his commandments , and cleave unto him , and that ye serve him with all your heart , and with all your soul.

6. Thus Josua blessed them : and he let them depart , and they went unto their tents . [i.e. habitations , dwelling-places : as elswhere]

7. For unto the ( one ) half of the tribe of Manasseh , Moseh had given ( an inheritance ) in Basan : but unto ( the other ) half thereof [ i.e. the other half tribe of Manasseh , Heb. and their half ) Josua gave ( an inheritance ) by their brethren [viz. with the other nine tribes , who received their inheritance on this side of Jordan] on this side of Jordan westward : [Oth. by the Sea , or unto the Sea] Moreover also , when Josua let them depart unto their tents , he blessed them ,

8. And he spake unto them , saying , Return unto your tents with much riches , and with very much cattel , with silver , and with gold, with copper , and with iron , and with very many garments : divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren . [i.e. with the tribes that remained on this side of Jordan with the baggage . See hereof Numbers 31:27. & 1 Sam.30.24.]

9. So the children of Reuben , and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned , and departed , from the children of Israel from Silo, which is in the land of Canaan , to go unto the land of Gilead , unto the land of their possession , wherein they were made possessors , according to the mouth of the LORD by the ministery [Heb. hand] of Moseh.

10. When they came unto the borders of Jordan , which are in the land of Canaan , then the children of Reuben , and the children of Gad , and the half tribe of Manasseh , built there an Altar by Jordan , an Altar great in sight .

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 , at the borders of Jordan , on the side of the children of Israel . [i.e. of the greatest part of the children of Israel]

12. When the children of Israel heard this , then the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled at Silo , to march up against them with an host .

13. And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben , and unto the children of Gad , and unto the half tribe of Manasseh , in the land of Gilead , Pinchas the son of Eleazar the Priest ,

14. And ten Princes [There were nine tribes and an half ; so that it appeareth here , that the half tribe of Manasseh , as well as the whole tribes , sent one Prince] with him : of each fathers house one Prince [Heb. one Prince one Prince in the fathers house] out of all the tribes of Israel : and they were every one a head of the house of their fathers , over the thousands of Israel .

15. When they came unto the children of Reuben , and unto the children of Gad , and unto the half tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead , they spake with them , saying ,

16. Thus speaketh the whole congregation of the LORD , What transgression is this wherewith ye have transgressed against the God of Israel , turning away this day from after the LORD [ i.e. not following after the LORD [i.e. not following after the Lord ; so also v.18, 23,29.] in that ye have built you an Altar , to rebel this day against the LORD ?

17. Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us ? [See Num.25.3. Deut .4.27.] fromwhich we are not cleansed until this day , although the plague hath been in the congregation of the LORD ?

18. Seing ye turn your selves away this day from after the LORD : it shall come to pass then , when to day ye are rebellious against the LORD , then to morrow [i.e. hereafter , in time to come : So also ver.24. and chapter 4,6.] he will be greatly incensed against the whole congregation of Israel .

19. But yet if the land of your possession be unclean , come over into the land of the possession of the LORD , [As if he should say , If ye think thatGod doth not take your land into his favour and protection , as well as ours , why then come over , etc.] where the Tabernacle [Heb.dwelling , dwelling place] of the LORD dwelleth , [the Tabernacle was set up at Silo . See Joshua 18:1.] and take possession in the midst of us : but rebel not against the LORD, neither rebel against us , in building an Altar for your selves , besides the Altar of the LORD our God .

20. Did not Acham the son of Zarah [i.e. that was of the generation , or family , and posterity of Zerah , for his immediate father was Charmi , Jos.7.17,18.] commit transgression [ Heb. transgresse transgression with the banned ( thing ) ? [Heb. the ban] and came [Heb. was] there not an indignation [viz. of God , i.e. punishment. See Num.1. on v. 53,] on all the congregation of Israel ? And that man died not alone [For first there were thirty six Israelites slain near Ai, and afterward his wife , children and goods were likewise destroyed . Heb. and that onely man perished not] in his iniquity . [or , for his iniquity]

21. Then answered the children of Reuben , and the children of Gad , and the half tribe of Manasseh , and they spake with the heads of the thousands of Israel : [The Israelites were divided into thousands , see Exod.18.52. Judg.6. on v.15.]

22. The God of gods , [See Deut.10. on v.17.] the LORD , the God of gods , the LORD , he knoweth it , even Israel himself shall also know it , if it be by rebellion , or if it be by transgression against the LORD, save us not this day . [Some conceive this to be an address unto the Lord ; others , unto the people of Israel , or Pinehas]

23. That we should have built us an Altar , to turn our selves away from after the LORD ; or to offer thereon burnt-offering , and meat-offering , or to offer thank-offering thereon , let the LORD require it . [i.e. let the LORD punish us for it : Heb. let the LORD seek it]

24. And if we have not done this out of care , in regard of this ) thing , [viz. of the true worship of God] saying , To morrow [i.e. hereafter , in time to come] your children might speak unto our children , saying , what have you to do with the LORD the God of Israel ? [Heb. 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 , Matth.8.29. and Joh.2.3.]

25. The LORD surely hath set Jordan for a border between us , and between you , the children of Reuben and the children of Gad , ye have no part in the LORD : [i.e. ye are not the people of God , ye have no part in the riches of his grace and benefits : See the like manner of speaking , 2 Sam.20.1. and 1 Kings 12:16.] then your children might cause our children to cease from fearing the LORD.

26. Therefore we said , Let us now make for our selves , building an Altar , not for burnt offering , nor for sacrifice , [i.e. not for any offering or sacrifice]

27. But that it may be a witness between us and between you , and between our generations after us , that we might serve the service of the LORD before his face , with our burnt-offerings , and with our slay-offerings , and with our thank-offerings , and that your children might not say to morrow unto our children , Ye have no part in the LORD.

28. Therefore we said , When it cometh to pass , that they shall ( thus ) to morrow to us , and to our generations ; then we shall say , Behold the shape [Or , fashion , i.e. patern , figure , form , likeness] of the Altar of the LORD which our fathers have made , not for burnt offering , nor for sacrifice , but it is a witness between us and between you .

29. Be it far from us , that we should rebel against the LORD , or that we should this day turn away our selves from after the LORD , building an Altar for burnt offering , for meat-offering , or for slay-offering , besides the Altar of the LORD our God , which is before his Tabernacle .

30. When Pinehas the Priest , and the Princes of the Congregation , and [i.e. namely , to wit : see ver. 14.] the heads of the thousands of Israel that were by him , heards the words which the children of Reuben , and the children of Gad , and the children of Manasseh had spoken , it was good in their eyes .

31. And Pinehas the son of Eleazar the Priest said unto the children of Reuben , and unto the children of Gad , and unto the children of Manasseh , This day we know , that the LORD is in the midst of us , [Forasmuch as he keepeth you , that ye sin not against him , nor seperate your selves from us , as we feared , from whence great mischief would have come to all Israel] seeing ye have not committed this transgression against the LORD: Then ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD. [viz. when ye built that Altar for that end and purpose , as ye told us : for had ye built it to set up a new worship , and to seperate your selves from the rest of the tribes , thereby ye would have kindled Gods wrath , and brought down his judgement upon all Israel]

32. And Pinehas the son of Eleazar the Priest , with 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 , unto the children of Israel , and they brought them answer back . [Heb. they brought them the word again , i.e. they faithfully reported unto the Congregation , the answer and apologie of the Reubenites , etc.together with their whole transaction and intent]

33. Now the answer was good in the eyes of the children of Israel ; and the children of Israel praised God , and spake no ( more ) of going up against them with any host , to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt .

34. And the children of Reuben , and the children of Gad , called that Altar , Be it a witness between us , [Others insert herein the Hebrew word Ed , i.e. witness ; others conceive , that the following words in the Text , ( KIED HU BETRUNU , for he is witness between us ) were the name of this Altar] that the LORD is God . [i.e. that he alone is to be worshipped , and acknowledged to be the true God]