Joshua 22:18

18 but that you must turn away this day from following the Lord? And it shall be, if you rebel today against the Lord, that tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

Joshua 22:18 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 22:18

But that you must turn away this day from following the
Lord?
&c.] From the worship of the Lord, as the Targum, and so on ( Joshua 22:16 ) ; not content with the former transgression, but must add this revolt unto it, and at a time which sadly aggravates it:

and it will be, that [seeing] ye rebel to, day against the Lord;
against the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, and so on ( Joshua 22:16 ) ;

that tomorrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel;
or, in a little time, if a stop is not put to this revolt, the whole body of the people will suffer for it: here they express a concern for the whole nation of Israel, as well as for the glory of God; for sometimes the whole congregation has been charged with the sins of individuals, and punished for it, as a case after mentioned shows; see ( Joshua 7:1 Joshua 7:5 ) .

Joshua 22:18 In-Context

16 "Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord: 'What treachery is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that you have built for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel this day against the Lord?

17 Is the iniquity of Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord,

18 but that you must turn away this day from following the Lord? And it shall be, if you rebel today against the Lord, that tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then cross over to the land of the possession of the Lord, where the Lord's tabernacle stands, and take possession among us; but do not rebel against the Lord, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an altar besides the altar of the Lord our God.

20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.' "