And when Phinehas the priest
For he was, being the son of Eleazar the high priest, so the word "priest", ( Joshua 22:13 ) ; is to be joined, not to Eleazar but to Phinehas:
and the princes of the congregation;
the ten princes, who were sent by the congregation of Israel, one out of each tribe:
and heads out of the thousands of Israel;
these are the same with the princes, and this belongs to their title, who were heads of the Chiliarchs, or those who were rulers of thousands in Israel:
which [were] with him;
with Phinehas, who were joined with him in the embassy, and now present with him:
heard the words that the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad,
and the children of Manasseh; spake;
in defence of themselves, explaining the meaning and design of the altar they had built:
it pleased them;
they were not only satisfied with their answer, but highly delighted with what they had done, as tending to preserve the common faith and fellowship of Israel.