Joshua 22

The Eastern Tribes Return Home

1ThenH227 JoshuaH3091 summonedH7121 the ReubenitesH7206, the GaditesH1425, and the half-tribeH2677H4294 of ManassehH4519 2and told themH559H413, “YouH859 have doneH8104 allH3605 thatH834 MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LORDH3068 commandedH6680 youH853, and you have obeyedH8085 my voiceH6963 in allH3605 thatH834 I commandedH6680 youH853. 3All this timeH3117H7227H2088 you have notH3808 desertedH5800 your brothersH251, up toH5704 this very dayH3117H2088, but have keptH8104 the chargeH4931 given youH4687 by the LORDH3068 your GodH430.

4And now thatH6258 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 has given your brothersH251 restH5117 asH834 He promisedH1696 themH6258, you may returnH6437H1980 to your homesH168 inH413 the landH776H272 thatH834 MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LORDH3068 gaveH5414 you acrossH5676 the JordanH3383. 5ButH7535 be veryH3966 carefulH8104 to observeH6213 the commandmentH4687 andH853 the lawH8451 thatH834 MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LORDH3068 gave youH6680: to loveH157 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, to walkH1980 in allH3605 His waysH1870, to keepH8104 His commandmentsH4687, to hold fastH1692 to Him, and to serve HimH5647 with allH3605 your heartH3824 and with allH3605 your soulH5315.”

6So JoshuaH3091 blessed themH1288 and sent them on their wayH7971, and they wentH1980 toH413 their homesH168. 7(To the half-tribeH2677H7626 of ManassehH4519 MosesH4872 had given landH5414 in BashanH1316, and to the other halfH2677 JoshuaH3091 gave landH5414 on the westH3220 sideH5676 of the JordanH3383 amongH5973 their brothersH251.) WhenH3588 JoshuaH3091 sent themH7971 toH413 their homesH168 he blessed themH1288, 8sayingH559, “ReturnH7725H413 toH413H559 your homesH168 with your greatH7227 wealthH5233, with immenseH7227H3966 herds of livestockH4735, with silverH3701, goldH2091, bronzeH5178, ironH1270, and very manyH7235H3966 clothesH8008. DivideH2505 withH5973 your brothersH251 the spoilH7998 of your enemiesH341.”

9

The Altar of Witness

So the ReubenitesH1121H7205, the GaditesH1121H1410, and the half-tribeH2677H7626 of ManassehH4519H854 leftH1980 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 at ShilohH7887 in the landH776 of CanaanH3667 to returnH1980 toH413 their own landH776 of GileadH1568H413H776H272, whichH834 they had acquiredH270 according toH5921 the commandH6310 of the LORDH3068 throughH3027 MosesH4872. 10And when they cameH935 toH413 GelilothH15521 near the JordanH3383 in the landH776 of CanaanH3667, the ReubenitesH1121H7205, the GaditesH1121H1410, and the half-tribeH2677H7626 of ManassehH4519 builtH1129 an imposingH1419H4758 altarH4196 thereH8033 byH5921 the JordanH3383H4196.

11Then the IsraelitesH1121H3478 receivedH8085 the reportH559: “BeholdH2009, the ReubenitesH1121H7205, the GaditesH1121H1410, and the half-tribeH2677H7626 of ManassehH4519 have builtH1129 an altarH4196 onH413 the borderH4136 of the landH776 of CanaanH3667, atH413 GelilothH1552 near the JordanH3383 onH413 the IsraeliteH1121H3478 sideH5676.” 12And whenH1121H3478 they heard thisH8085, the wholeH3605 congregationH5712H1121 of IsraelH3478 assembledH6950 at ShilohH7887 to goH5927 to warH6635 against themH5921.

13The IsraelitesH1121H3478 sentH7971 PhinehasH6372 son ofH1121 EleazarH499 the priestH3548 toH413 the landH776 of GileadH1568, toH413 the ReubenitesH1121H7205, the GaditesH1410H413, and the half-tribeH2677H7626 of ManassehH4519. 14With himH5973 they sent tenH6235 chiefsH5387—oneH259H5387 familyH1004H1 leaderH5387 from eachH3605 tribeH4294 of IsraelH3478, eachH376 the headH7218 of a familyH1004H1 among the clansH505 of IsraelH3478.

15They wentH935 toH413 the ReubenitesH1121H7205, the GaditesH1121H1410H413, and the half-tribeH2677H7626 of ManassehH4519H413 in the landH776 of GileadH1568 and saidH1696 to themH854H559, 16“This is whatH3541 the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 of the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘WhatH4100 is thisH2088 breach of faithH4603 you have committedH4604 todayH3117 against the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 by turning awayH7725 fromH310 the LORDH3068 and buildingH1129 for yourselves an altarH4196, that you might rebelH4775 against the LORDH3068 this dayH3117?

17Was not the sinH5771 of PeorH6465 enoughH4592 for us, from whichH834 we have notH3808 cleansedH2891 ourselvesH4480 toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117? It even broughtH1961 a plagueH5063 upon the congregationH5712 of the LORDH3068. 18And nowH3117, would youH859 turn awayH7725 fromH310 the LORDH3068H1961? If youH859 rebelH4775 todayH3117 against the LORDH3068, tomorrowH4279 He will be angryH7107 withH413 the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 of IsraelH3478.

19IfH518 indeedH389 the landH776 of your inheritanceH272 is uncleanH2931, then cross overH5674 toH413 the landH776 of the LORD’sH3068 possessionH272, whereH834 the LORD’sH3068 tabernacleH4908 standsH7931H8033, and take possessionH270 of it among usH8432. But do notH408 rebelH4775H854H413 against the LORDH3068 or against us by buildingH1129 for yourselves an altarH4196 other thanH1107 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 our GodH430.

20Was notH3808 AchanH59122 sonH1121 of ZerahH2226 unfaithfulH4603 regardingH4604 what was set apart for destructionH2764,3 bringing wrathH7110 uponH5921 the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 of IsraelH3478H1961? Yet it was notH3808 onlyH259 Achan who perishedH1478 because of his sinH5771!’”

21Then the ReubenitesH1121H7205, the GaditesH1121H1410, and the half-tribeH2677H7626 of ManassehH4519H1696H854 answeredH6030 the leadersH7218 of the clansH505 of IsraelH3478: 22“The LORDH3068, the Mighty OneH410, is GodH430! The LORDH3068, the Mighty OneH410, is GodH430! HeH1931 knowsH3045, and may IsraelH3478H1931 also knowH3045. IfH518 this was in rebellionH4777H518 or breach of faithH4604 against the LORDH3068, do notH408 spare usH3467 todayH3117H2088. 23If we have builtH1129 for ourselves an altarH4196 to turn awayH7725 fromH310 HimH3068 andH518 to offerH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and grain offeringsH4503 on itH5921, orH518 to sacrificeH6213 peaceH8002 offeringsH2077 on itH5921, may the LORDH3068 HimselfH1931 hold us accountableH1245.

24But in factH518 we have doneH6213 thisH2063H1697 for fearH1674 that in the futureH4279 your descendantsH1121 might sayH559 to oursH1121H559, ‘WhatH4100 have you to do with the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478? 25For the LORDH3068 has madeH5414 the JordanH3383 a borderH1366 between usH996 and youH996 ReubenitesH1121H7205 andH1121 GaditesH1410. You have noH369 shareH2506 in the LORDH3068!’ So your descendants could causeH1121 oursH1121H1115 to stopH7673 fearingH3372 the LORDH3068.

26That is why we saidH559, ‘Let us take actionH6213H4994 and buildH1129 an altar for ourselvesH4196, but notH3808 for burnt offeringsH5930H3808 or sacrificesH2077. 27RatherH3588, let it beH1931 a witnessH5707 between usH996 and youH996 andH996 the generationsH1755 to comeH310, that we will worshipH5647 the LORDH3068 in His presenceH6440 with our burnt offeringsH5930, sacrificesH2077, and peace offeringsH8002.’ Then in the futureH4279, your descendantsH1121 cannotH3808 sayH559 to oursH1121, ‘You have noH369 shareH2506 in the LORDH3068!’

28Therefore we saidH559H1961, ‘If they everH3588 sayH559 this to usH413 orH413 to our descendantsH1755H4279, we will answerH559: Look atH7200 the replicaH8403 of the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 thatH834 our fathersH1 madeH6213, notH3808 for burnt offeringsH5930H3808 or sacrificesH2077, butH3588 as a witnessH5707H1931 between usH996 and youH996.’

29Far be itH2486 from us to rebelH4775 against the LORDH3068 and turn awayH7725 fromH4480H310 HimH3068 todayH3117 by buildingH1129 an altarH4196 for burnt offeringsH5930, grain offeringsH4503, or sacrificesH2077, other thanH905 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 our GodH430, whichH834 stands beforeH6440 His tabernacleH4908.”

30When PhinehasH6372 the priestH3548 and the chiefsH5387 of the congregationH5712—the headsH7218 of Israel’sH3478 clansH505 whoH834 were with himH854—heardH8085 whatH834 the descendantsH1121 of ReubenH7205H1121, GadH1410H1121, and ManassehH4519 had to sayH1696, they were satisfiedH3190H5869. 31PhinehasH6372 sonH1121 of EleazarH499 the priestH3548 saidH559 toH413 the descendantsH1121 of ReubenH7205H413, GadH1121H1410H413, and ManassehH1121H4519, “TodayH3117 we knowH3045 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 is among usH8432, becauseH834 you have notH3808 committedH4603 thisH2088 breach of faithH4604 against HimH3068. ConsequentlyH227, you have deliveredH5337 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 from the handH3027 of the LORDH3068.”

32Then PhinehasH6372 sonH1121 of EleazarH499 the priestH3548, together with the other leadersH5387H854, returnedH7725 toH413 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 inH413 the landH776 of CanaanH3667 and brought backH7725 a report regardingH1697 the ReubenitesH1121H7205H854 and GaditesH1121H1410 in the landH776 of GileadH1568. 33The IsraelitesH1121H3478 were satisfiedH3190H5869 with the reportH1697, andH1121H3478 they blessedH1288 GodH430 and spokeH559 noH3808 more about goingH5927 to warH6635 against themH5921 to destroyH7843 the landH776 whereH834 the ReubenitesH1121H7205 and GaditesH1121H1410 livedH3427. 34So the ReubenitesH1121H7205 and GaditesH1121H1410 namedH7121 the altarH4196 Witness, forH3588 they said,4 “ItH1931 is a witnessH5707 between usH996 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 is GodH430.”