Joshua 22:21

21 And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of half the lineage of Manasseh, answered to the princes of the message of Israel, (And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh, answered to the leaders of the families of Israel, and said,)

Joshua 22:21 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 22:21

Then the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the
half tribe of Manasseh, answered
By some person whom they appointed to deliver the answer in their name:

and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel;
who were over those that were rulers of the thousands of Israel, persons of greater authority than they, being princes of the respective tribes to which they belonged.

Joshua 22:21 In-Context

19 That if ye guess that the land of your possession is unclean, pass ye (over) to the land, in which the tabernacle of the Lord is, and dwell ye among us, only that ye go not away from the Lord, and from our fellowship, by an altar builded beside the altar of our Lord God. (But if ye think that the land of your possession is unclean, then come ye back here to the land where the Tabernacle of the Lord is, and live ye among us, so only that ye go not away from the Lord, and from our fellowship, with an altar built in addition to the altar of the Lord our God.)

20 Whether not Achan, the son of Zerah, passed the commandment of the Lord, and his ire felled on all the people of Israel? And he was one man; and we would that he alone had perished in his trespass. (Did not Achan, the son of Zerah, pass over the Lord's command, and then the Lord's anger fell on all the people of Israel? And Achan was but one man; and we wish that he alone had perished for his trespass.)

21 And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of half the lineage of Manasseh, answered to the princes of the message of Israel, (And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh, answered to the leaders of the families of Israel, and said,)

22 The strongest Lord God himself of Israel knoweth, and Israel shall understand altogether; (The most strong Lord God of Israel himself knoweth, and Israel must also understand;)

23 if we builded this altar for intent of trespassing, that is, of idolatry, the Lord keep not us, but punish he us in this present time; and if we did by that mind, that we should put thereon burnt sacrifice[s], and sacrifice(s), and peaceable sacrifices, he seek, and deem; (that if we have built this altar with the intention of trespassing, that is, for idolatry, the Lord should not allow us to live, and he should punish us right now; yea, if we did it for this purpose, so that we could put on it burnt sacrifices, and sacrifices, and peace offerings, or grain offerings, let him seek it out, and judge us right now;)