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Joshua 22:10-20

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The Eastern Tribes' Altar of Witness

10 And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size.
11 And the people of Israel 1heard it said, "Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel."
12 And when the people of Israel heard of it, 2the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.
13 Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, 3Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,
14 and with him ten chiefs, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, 4every one of them the head of a family among the clans of Israel.
15 And they came to the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them,
16 "Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, 'What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the LORD by building yourselves an altar this day 5in rebellion against the LORD?
17 Have we not had enough of 6the sin at Peor from which even yet we have not cleansed ourselves, and for which there came a plague upon the congregation of the LORD,
18 that you too must turn away this day from following the LORD? And if 7you too rebel against the LORD today then tomorrow 8he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
19 But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over into the LORD's land 9where the LORD's tabernacle stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us. 10Only do not rebel against the LORD or make us as rebels by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.
20 11Did not Achan the son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and 12wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he did not perish alone for his iniquity.'"
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Joshua 22:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 22

The war with the Canaanites being ended, Joshua called to him the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, who came over Jordan with him to assist in it, and commended them for their obedience to Moses and to himself, and to God by them; and then dismissed them, with some instructions to keep the ways and worship of God, and with his blessing upon them, Jos 22:1-8; upon which they returned to their country, and when they came to the borders of it set up an altar by Jordan, Jos 22:9,10; which, when the children of Israel heard of, it gave them great offence, they fearing they were going to make a revolt from the pure worship of God, and therefore sent a deputation of princes to them, with the son of the high priest, to inquire into the matter, and expostulate with them about it, who did, Jos 22:11-20; and who received from them a very satisfactory answer, Jos 22:21-31; with which they returned and reported to the children of Israel, and which gave them pleasure, Jos 22:32-34.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 12

  • 1. See Deuteronomy 13:12-15
  • 2. Judges 20:1
  • 3. Exodus 6:25; Numbers 25:7; Judges 20:28
  • 4. Numbers 1:4
  • 5. ver. 18, 19; Numbers 14:9; [Leviticus 17:8, 9; Deuteronomy 12:13, 14]
  • 6. Numbers 25:3; Deuteronomy 4:3; Psalms 106:28
  • 7. [See ver. 16 above]
  • 8. Numbers 16:22
  • 9. Joshua 18:1
  • 10. ver. 16, 18
  • 11. Joshua 7:1, 5
  • 12. [See ver. 18 above]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.