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Joshua Chapter
Twenty-two
New King James Version (NKJV)
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, Joshua 22:1; upon
which they returned to their country, and when they came to the borders of it
set up an altar by Jordan, Joshua 22:9; 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, Joshua 22:11; and
who received from them a very satisfactory answer, Joshua 22:21; with
which they returned and reported to the children of Israel, and which gave them
pleasure, Joshua 22:32.
Joshua 22:1 Then
Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh,
YLT
1Then Joshua calleth for the
Reubenite, and for the Gadite, and for the half of the tribe of Manasseh,
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half
tribe of Manasseh. The promise of God to Israel being fulfilled, the land of Canaan
being for the most part subdued, the war at an end, and rest had on all sides
from their enemies, and the land divided among the nine tribes and an half, and
they settled in the quiet possession of their lots; Joshua sent for the two
tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, who had, at their own
request, their portion allotted them on the other side Jordan, and who came
over that river with him to assist their brethren in their wars with the
Canaanites, and addressed them in the following respectable manner.
Joshua 22:2 2 and said to them: “You
have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you,
and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.
YLT
2and saith unto them, `Ye --
ye have kept the whole of that which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you,
and ye hearken to my voice, to all that I have commanded you;
And said unto them, ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the
Lord commanded you,.... Which was, that they should leave their wives and children,
and flocks, and herds, behind them in the land of Gilead, and pass over Jordan,
with their brethren the children of Israel armed, and fight with them, and for
them, until the Canaanites were subdued, and not return until their brethren
were peaceably settled in the possession of their inheritances; all which they
had punctually observed, and inviolably kept, as they agreed to, Numbers 32:1,
and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you; as the
generalissimo and commander in chief of the Israelitish forces; as what rank
and position to be in, what part to take in an engagement, what attack to make,
when and where, or on what expedition to go; wherever he ordered them to go,
they went; and upon whatsoever and wheresoever he sent them, they readily and
cheerfully obeyed, as they promised, Joshua 1:16; and
approved themselves as good soldiers under him; for all which he commends them,
and gives them military honour.
Joshua 22:3 3 You have not left your
brethren these many days, up to this day, but have kept the charge of the
commandment of the Lord
your God.
YLT
3ye have not left your
brethren these many days unto this day, and have kept the charge -- the command
of Jehovah your God.
Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day,.... For the
space of fourteen years, which is the commonly received notion of the JewsF6Seder
Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 32. ; seven years according to them the land was
subduing, and seven more spent in dividing it, and then these tribes were sent
for and dismissed; all this time they stayed close by their brethren, and
assisted them in their wars, and never offered to return to their wives and
children, until they had an order from their general:
but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God; for what both
Moses and Joshua commanded them was from the mouth of the Lord; so that, in
obeying them, they obeyed him.
Joshua 22:4 4 And now the Lord your God has
given rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go
to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the
servant of the Lord
gave you on the other side of the Jordan.
YLT
4`And, now, Jehovah your God
hath given rest to your brethren, as He spake to them; and now, turn ye, and go
for yourselves to your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses,
servant of Jehovah, hath given to you beyond the Jordan.
And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren,
as he promised them,.... As in Joshua 21:44; see Deuteronomy 12:9,
therefore now return ye, and get ye unto your tents; not their
military tents in the army, from which they now came to Joshua, but their
houses, as the Greek version, and their cities, as the Targum; they having been
so long used to tents in the wilderness, and during the wars in Canaan, this
was a familiar word for their dwellings:
and unto the land of your
possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you, on the other side
Jordan; before his death, on condition of doing what they now had done;
even the land of Gilead and Bashan, beyond Jordan.
Joshua 22:5 5 But take careful heed to
do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you,
to love the Lord
your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to
Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
YLT
5Only, be very watchful to
do the command and the law which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, to
love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands,
and to cleave to Him, and to serve Him, with all your heart, and with all your
soul.'
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law,.... The ten
commandments, and all other laws, both ceremonial and civil:
which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you; in the name
of the Lord, to keep and observe:
to love the Lord your God; of which keeping the
commands of God is an evidence, and which is the true principle and motive of
hearty, sincere, and cheerful obedience to them:
and to walk in all his ways; which he has prescribed,
all his ways of worship, paths of duty, faith, truth, holiness, and
righteousness:
and to keep his commandments; whether moral,
ceremonial, or judicial: whether of natural and moral obligation, or of
positive institution:
and to cleave unto him; and not depart from his
ways, worship, word, and ordinances:
and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul: in the most
strict and affectionate manner. This advice Joshua thought proper to give them,
and inculcate into them, now they were about to leave their brethren, and go on
the other side Jordan; where they would be at a distance from the tabernacle,
altar, and service of God, and might be under temptation to relinquish it, and
set up another form of worship elsewhere.
Joshua 22:6 6 So Joshua blessed them and
sent them away, and they went to their tents.
YLT
6And Joshua blesseth them,
and sendeth them away, and they go unto their tents.
So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away,.... Dismissed
them from his presence with a blessing, in order to go to their own country;
this he did by wishing them well, praying to God for a blessing on them, their
persons, and families, who had been so useful in assisting their brethren to
get possession of the land of Canaan. Some think this blessing includes gifts
and presents he bestowed on them:
and they went unto their tents; here the word means
their military tents in the camp of Israel, to which they returned, in order to
take with them their goods, their substance and riches, their part of the spoil
of the enemy, which of right belonged to them.
Joshua 22:7 7 Now to half the tribe of
Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half
of it Joshua gave a possession among their brethren on this side of the
Jordan, westward. And indeed, when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he
blessed them,
YLT
7And to the half of the
tribe of Manasseh hath Moses given, in Bashan, and to its [other] half hath
Joshua given with their brethren beyond the Jordan westward; and also when
Joshua hath sent them away unto their tents, then he doth bless them,
Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had
given possession in Bashan,.... The kingdom of Og,
see Deuteronomy 3:13,
but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their
brethren on this side Jordan westward: of which an account is
given, and the border of their lot described, Joshua 17:1,
and when Joshua sent them also unto their tents, then he blessed
them; it seems as if this half tribe was separately dismissed and
blessed, they being more nearly related to Joshua, who was of the tribe of
Ephraim, and so had a more particular dismission and blessing; and he took his
leave of them in a different and affectionate manner. Kimchi makes mention of a
Derash, or Exposition of theirs, which says, that after they had taken leave
they stayed two days, and returned and took leave a second time, and which he
understands of them all, and not of the half tribe only; but it is plainly the
half tribe that is only spoken of.
Joshua 22:8 8 and spoke to them, saying,
“Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver,
with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the
spoil of your enemies with your brethren.”
YLT
8and speak unto them,
saying, `With great riches turn ye back unto your tents, and with very much
cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with
very much raiment; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.'
And he spake unto them,.... To the half tribe of
Manasseh only, though some think also to the other ten tribes:
saying, return with much riches unto your tents; that is,
return to their own land, and habitations there, with whatsoever riches they
had got from the spoil of the enemy:
and with very much cattle; they had taken from
them, and fell to their share, and for which they had good pasturage in Gilead
and Bashan, and therefore very proper to take with them:
with silver and with gold, and with brass, and with iron; whether in
massive pieces, or wrought up into vessels, which they found in the houses of
the Canaanites when they plundered them:
and with very much raiment; some no doubt very rich
and costly, such as their kings, princes, nobles, and great personages among
them wore:
divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren; according to
Jarchi and Kimchi, this is spoken to the half tribe of Manasseh, to divide
their spoil with the tribes of Reuben and Gad; but it rather means the dividing
the above spoil, when they came to their own country with their brethren they
left behind; who as they were employed in guarding and defending their cities,
their wives and children, herds and flocks, in their absence, they had a right
to part of the spoil; and as in other instances it appears to be a common case
for those that stayed at home to share in the spoil with them that went to war,
see Numbers 31:27;
though the notion of Abarbinel pleases me best, that by "their
brethren" are meant the other half tribe of Manasseh that remained in
Canaan, and were settled there: when the spoil of the Canaanites was divided
among all the tribes, the whole tribe of Manasseh had its share; and whereas
now half of it were going to their own country on the other side Jordan, it was
but reasonable they should have their part of the spoil to carry with them; and
this seems to be the true reason of their being separately addressed, and
dismissed and blessed.
Joshua 22:9 9 So the children of Reuben,
the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from
the children of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go
to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had
obtained according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
YLT
9And the sons of Reuben, and
the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, turn back and go from
the sons of Israel out of Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan, to go unto
the land of Gilead, unto the land of their possession, in which they have
possession, according to the command of Jehovah, by the hand of Moses;
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half
tribe of Manasseh, returned,.... First to the camp to take their
substance, and then set forward to their own land:
and departed from the children of Israel; from the rest
of them, for otherwise they were children of Israel also:
out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan; for here the
camp of Israel was, as well as the tabernacle:
to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession,
whereof they were possessed; Gilead is put for the
whole country on the other side Jordan, as the land of Jazer, and the kingdom
of Bashan, which the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
were possessed of:
according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses; for when they
moved to have that country, Moses, it seems, consulted the Lord about it, who
declared it to be his will they should have it, on performing what they
promised, see Numbers 32:1.
Joshua 22:10 10 And when they came to the
region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the children of
Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar
there by the Jordan—a great, impressive altar.
YLT
10and they come in unto the
districts of the Jordan, which [are] in the land of Canaan, and the sons of
Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, build there
an altar by the Jordan -- a great altar for appearance.
And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in
the land of Canaan,.... To the banks of it, or the sand heaps, some take the word to
signify, which were thrown up to restrain the waters from overflowing; some by
Geliloth understand a place so called; and JeromF7De loc. Heb. fol.
92. C. says it was near Jordan in the tribe of Benjamin: but rather the word
signifies the meanders, windings, and turnings, of the riverF8Vid.
Gusset. Ebr. Comment. p. 170, 573. Reland. Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 1. l. 1.
c. 43. p. 274, 279. ; and such circuits and compasses it fetched near Jericho,
as the same writerF9Ut supra, (De loc. Heb. fol. 92.) G. observes,
where we may suppose these tribes went over, and at a place where the river
jetted out into the land of Canaan:
the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, built there an
altar by Jordan; or "then"; that is, when they had passed over the
river into their own country, for which Josephus is expressF11Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 1. sect. 26. ; and certain it is, that the altar was built not on the
Canaan side of Jordan, but on the opposite side, as is clear from Joshua 22:11, and
indeed they had no right to build on any other ground than their own; and they
pitched upon a spot where the river jetted out into the land of Canaan, as most
proper to erect it on, to be a witness, that though separated from the rest of
the Israelites by the river Jordan, yet were a part of them, and had a right to
join them in the service of God, and bring their sacrifices to the altar of God
in the tabernacle, as more fully appears in some after verses:
a great altar to see to; built up very high, so
that it might be seen at a great distance.
Joshua 22:11 11 Now the children of Israel
heard someone say, “Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad,
and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land
of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan—on the children of Israel’s side.”
YLT
11And the sons of Israel
hear, saying, `Lo, the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the
tribe of Manasseh, have built the altar over-against the land of Canaan, on the
districts of the Jordan, at the passage of the sons of Israel.'
And the children of Israel heard say,.... Those
that dwelt in the land of Canaan, for otherwise, as before observed, the two
tribes and a half on the other side Jordan were Israelites also; and this is a
further proof that the altar was built on their side, or those in the land of
Canaan would have known of the building of it, and have seen them at it, and
not come at the knowledge of it by hearsay only, as it seems they did, it being
reported to them by some who had been in those parts, and had seen the
structure:
behold, the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the
half tribe of Manasseh, have built an altar over against the land of Canaan; which clearly
shows it was on the other side Jordan, though Noldius, who places it in the
land of Canaan, renders the words, "in the neighbourhood of" itF12אל מול "in vicinia",
Noldius, No. 369. p. 80. ; which will not much help him, since it might be in
the neighbourhood of it, and yet not in it:
in the borders of Jordan; on the banks of it, or
in one of the meanders and windings of it, at a place where it ran out and
fetched a compass in the land of Canaan:
at the passage of the children of Israel; where they
passed over when they first came into Canaan, and where those tribes also
passed over at their return; supposed to be the Bethabara beyond Jordan, where
John was baptizing, John 1:28.
Joshua 22:12 12 And when the children of
Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel
gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them.
YLT
12And the sons of Israel
hear, and all the company of the sons of Israel is assembled at Shiloh, to go
up against them to war;
And when the children of Israel heard of it,.... Of the
building the altar in the above place, namely, the nine tribes and a half
settled in the land of Canaan:
the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered
themselves together at Shiloh; where the tabernacle and altar of the Lord
were, whose cause they undertook to avenge, being injured as they imagined by
the altar the other tribes had built, and where they could consult the Lord by
Urim and Thummim, if needful; hither they repaired from the several places
around, where their tribes were settled; not the whole body of the people, but
their heads and representatives:
to go up to war against them; to consult about it, and
to prepare for it, which they were obliged to do by the law of God, as in the
case of a city, so of a tribe drawn aside to idolatry; and which they imagined
was the case of these tribes, or at least what they had done had a tendency to
apostasy from the true worship of God, which they were zealous to defend at the
hazard of their lives, and though it should issue in an extirpation of one or
more of their tribes; see Deuteronomy 13:12.
Joshua 22:13 13 Then the children of
Israel sent Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of Reuben,
to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, into the land of
Gilead,
YLT
13and the sons of Israel send
unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the half of the
tribe of Manasseh -- unto the land of Gilead -- Phinehas son of Eleazar the
priest,
And the children of Israel,.... In the land of
Canaan:
sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and
to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead; they were
possessed of, and had now returned unto and dwelt in; hither they sent an
embassy to them, to inquire into the truth of what they had heard, and the
reason of it, before they went to war with them, or proclaimed it, or took any
further steps towards it; and which they were obliged to do by the above law,
when there was any suspicion of idolatry, and any good ground and reason for
it, Deuteronomy 13:14;
and at the head of this deputation was
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest; a man zealous
for the Lord of hosts, and his glory, of which there is an instance in Numbers 25:7; and
so a fit person to be employed in this affair, who would be faithful, bold, and
zealous, as well as capable of giving advice and counsel to both parties, if
needful.
Joshua 22:14 14 and with him ten rulers,
one ruler each from the chief house of every tribe of Israel; and each one was
the head of the house of his father among the divisions[a] of Israel.
YLT
14and ten princes with him,
one prince, one prince, for a house of a father, for all the tribes of Israel,
and each of them a head of a house of their fathers, for the thousands of
Israel.
And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince,
throughout all the tribes of Israel,.... The nine tribes and
a half, so that the half tribe of Manasseh sent a prince, as well as the whole
tribes:
and each one was an head of the house of their fathers
among the thousands of Israel; that is, among the rulers of the thousands
of Israel; and so the Greek version calls them Chiliarchs, rulers of thousands;
for the people were divided into tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands, over
whom there were distinct rulers, Exodus 18:25. Now
these were among the chief of them, of the highest rank and authority; they
were the chief princes, heads of several tribes; a very honourable deputation
this! the son of the high priest, and ten princes, the heads of the tribes;
these were chosen and sent, partly in honour to their brethren beyond Jordan,
and partly that they might carry the greater authority with them, and prevail
upon them to hearken to them.
Joshua 22:15 15 Then they came to the
children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh,
to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,
YLT
15And they come in unto the
sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the half of the tribe of
Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and speak with them, saying,
And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of
Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead,.... The
deputation came thither; they either sent for the chiefs among the two tribes
and a half, to meet them at some place, or they, having a notion of their
coming, assembled together to receive them, and hear what they had to say to
them:
and they spake with them, saying; as follows; very
probably Phinehas was the mouth of the whole, for there could be but one
speaker.
Joshua 22:16 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?
YLT
16`Thus said all the company
of Jehovah, What [is] this trespass which ye have trespassed against the God of
Israel, to turn back to-day from after Jehovah, by your building for you an
altar, for your rebelling to-day against Jehovah?
Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord,.... By whom
they were sent, and whom they represented; and they do not call them the
congregation of Israel, but of the Lord, because it was not on a civil but
religious account they were come, and not to plead their own cause, but the
cause of God; and not so much to show a concern for their own honour and
interest as for the glory of God:
what trespass is this that ye have committed against the
God of Israel; they took it for granted that they had committed a sin, and that
so great, they were not able to express the greatness of it in all its
aggravated circumstances, and plainly suggest it was idolatry; which was too
premature, when as yet they had not inquired into it; but their zeal for God,
and his honour, hurried them into this hasty step:
to turn away this day from following the Lord; they
intimate, that they had begun a revolt from the worship of God, which is
aggravated by their falling into it so soon, having received so many favours
from God, and had so lately seen such wonderful appearances of his power and
goodness, and had just had such excellent instructions, exhortations, and
cautions given them by Joshua, when he dismissed them:
in that ye have built you an altar; which they supposed was
to offer sacrifices upon; whereas there was to be but one altar, and that in
the place which the Lord should choose to put his name in, and which he had now
chosen, where all sacrifices were to be brought and offered up; see Exodus 20:24,
that ye might rebel this day against the Lord? against the
commandment of the Lord expressed in the places referred to, which they charge
with rebellion against himself, a very high and heavy charge indeed! but they
should first have inquired whether they were guilty of the trespass, or with
what view they had built the altar, whether for sacrifice, or for some other
use; but they took it for granted it was for sacrifice.
Joshua 22:17 17 Is
the iniquity of Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed till
this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord,
YLT
17Is the iniquity of Peor
little to us, from which we have not been cleansed till this day -- and the
plague is in the company of Jehovah,
Is the iniquity of Peor too
little for us,.... The worshipping of that idol, when in the plains of Moab;
the history of which, see in Numbers 25:2, was
that so small a sin, that another must be added to it, or a greater committed?
since building an altar seemed designed not for a single action of idolatrous
worship, but for the continuance of it, whereas the sin of Peor was only
committed at one time, and not continued in:
from which we are not cleansed until this day; not cleared
from the shame and disgrace of it, or the guilt of it expiated or removed; but
it might be expected, as in the case of the golden calf, that God would still
at times punish for it, when provoked by new crimes; or the sense is, that
there were those among them that were infected with the same contagion, and
whose inclinations were to commit the same, or like sin of idolatry:
although there was a plague in congregation of the Lord; of which
twenty four thousand died, Numbers 25:9.
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.
YLT
18that ye turn back to-day
from after Jehovah? and it hath been -- ye rebel to-day against Jehovah -- and
to-morrow against all the company of Israel He is wroth.
But that you must turn away this day from following the Lord?.... 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 22:19 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.
YLT
19`And surely, if the land of
your possession is unclean, pass over for you unto the land of the possession
of Jehovah, where the tabernacle of Jehovah hath tabernacled, and have
possession in our midst; and against Jehovah rebel not, and against us rebel
not, by your building for you an altar, besides the altar of Jehovah our God.
Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean,.... That is,
if it was judged to be so by them, because not cleansed from the sins of the
former inhabitants of it by sacrifice, or because there was no altar in it to offer
up sacrifice for the expiation of sin:
then pass ye over
unto the land of the possession of the Lord,
wherein the Lord's tabernacle dwelleth; if you repent
of the choice you have made of a country to dwell in, quit it, and come over
into the land of Canaan, which the Lord has taken possession of, and residence
in, and where his tabernacle is fixed, the place of his presence and worship,
and where an altar is erected to sacrifice upon:
and take possession among us; they were willing to
quit possession of their own, and make room for them in each of their tribes,
and even though they straitened themselves, and parted with much of their
estates, rather than they should make a schism, or go into idolatrous
practices; which was a brave, noble, spirit indeed, and showed their great
concern for the honour and glory of God, and his worship, and their love to
their brethren, and affectionate regard for their spiritual welfare, above
their own private, personal, and temporal good:
but rebel not against the Lord: the Word of the Lord, as
the Targum, either Christ the essential Word, the Angel of Jehovah's presence,
or his word of command:
nor rebel against us; by breaking off from us,
and setting up another religion or form of worship:
in building you an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God: which ought
to be common to both, and no other to be set up against it, or used beside it.
Joshua 22:20 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.’”
YLT
20Did not Achan son of Zerah
commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and on all the company of Israel there
was wrath? and he alone expired not in his iniquity.'
Did not Achan the son of Zerah,.... One that descended
from Zerah the son of Judah, Joshua 7:18,
commit a trespass in the accursed thing; in taking
what was devoted to sacred uses:
and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and which was
what was feared now; and this instance is brought to show that such fears were
not groundless:
and that man perished not alone in his iniquity: which seems
to confirm the notion of those who think that his children suffered with him;
though it may be observed, that it was through his sin that thirty six men were
slain by the men of Ai, Joshua 7:5.
Joshua 22:21 21 Then the children of
Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered and said
to the heads of the divisions[b] of Israel:
YLT
21And the sons of Reuben, and
the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, answer and speak with
the heads of the thousands of Israel:
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 22:22 22 “The Lord God of gods,
the Lord
God of gods, He knows, and let Israel itself know—if it is in rebellion,
or if in treachery against the Lord, do not save us this day.
YLT
22`The God of gods --
Jehovah, the God of gods -- Jehovah, He is knowing, and Israel, he doth know,
if in rebellion, and if in trespass against Jehovah (Thou dost not save us this
day!)
The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods,.... They
first set out in their answer with asserting their firm belief of Jehovah, the
God of Israel, being the supreme God, God over all; over all that are called
gods, whether angels, of whom Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it; or civil
magistrates and judges of the earth, who bare the same name; nor are the gods
of the Gentiles to be spoken of with Jehovah, the God of Israel, who is the
supreme Being, self-existent, the Being of beings, eternal and immutable, all
which is contained in his name Jehovah; now this is repeated by them for the
confirmation of their faith in this great article of it, and shows the
steadiness of it, and to express their earnest and vehement affection for this
truth, and to clear themselves from any imputation of idolatry, or thought of
it, or doing anything that might have a tendency to it:
he knoweth; he is the omniscient God, the searcher of the hearts and the
trier of the reins of the children of men; he knows our cordial belief of this
truth, the integrity of our hearts, the intention of our minds, that we never
had a thought in us of departing from his worship, and of setting up an altar
beside his in opposition to it:
and Israel he shall know; our brethren the
Israelites that dwell in the land of Canaan, whose representatives you are,
shall know, not only by our present declaration, but by our future conduct, and
strict adherence to the pure worship of God in time to come, that it was never
our view by what we have done to depart from it:
if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the
Lord; with a design to rebel against his word, and transgress his
command:
save us not this day; this is said with
respect to God, and as an apostrophe to him, as Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abarbinel
observe; as expressing their desire to have no mercy shown them by him, but
that vengeance might be taken on them by him, to whom all things were naked and
open, and who full well knew whether they were guilty or not; or else the
address is to Phinehas, and the princes, that they would rise up and put them
to death by sword, if this appeared to be the case; or that all the other
tribes would rise up, and make war against them, and cut them off with the edge
of the sword, and not spare them.
Joshua 22:23 23 If we have built ourselves
an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer on it
burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings on it, let
the Lord
Himself require an account.
YLT
23[we are] building for
ourselves an altar to turn back from after Jehovah, and if to cause to go up on
it burnt-offering and present, and if to make on it peace-offerings -- Jehovah
Himself doth require [it].
That we have built us an altar, to turn from following the Lord,.... That is,
we desire, as we deserve, to be cut to pieces, and not saved, if it should
appear to be our view, in building this altar, to revolt from the pure worship
of God:
or if to offer thereon burnt offering, or meat offering, or if to
offer peace offerings; even to the Lord himself: they declare that as they had no
design to apostatize from God, and worship idols, so it was not their intention
to offer any kind of sacrifice on the altar they had built, even to the Lord
himself; and they take notice of every kind of offering, to remove every charge
of this sort from them, and to purge themselves of every imputation of this
nature: then
let the Lord himself require it; seek it out,
who is the omniscient God, and revenge it, who is the Lord God Almighty, just
and true.
Joshua 22:24 24 But in fact we have done
it for fear, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your descendants may speak
to our descendants, saying, “What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel?
YLT
24`And if not, from fear of
[this] thing we have done it, saying, Hereafter your sons do speak to ours
sons, saying, What to you and to Jehovah God of Israel?
And if we have not rather done it for fear of this
thing,.... So far they suggest were they from doing this, in order to
turn from the pure worship of God, and introduce idolatrous worship, that it
was to guard against everything of that kind for the future; and through fear
of it, and anxiety and distress of mind, lest some time or another there should
be any temptation to it in their posterity, had they built this altar:
saying, in time to come your children might speak unto our
children; or "tomorrow"F13מחר
"cras", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. , in a short time after your
heads, and ours, are laid in the grave, your posterity will accost us:
saying, what have you to do with the Lord God of Israel? you are
aliens and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, live in a foreign land,
and not in the land, of Canaan; are separated from us by the river Jordan, are
a different people from us, and have nothing to do with the tabernacle of the
Lord, and the service of it, or with the altar of the Lord, to offer sacrifice
on it. Now as they returned to their own country, or when got there, such
anxious thoughts and fears rose up in their minds, which they communicated to
one another, and thought of this expedient to prevent what would be so fatal to
their posterity. The Targum is,"you have no part in the Word of the Lord
God of Israel;'see John 13:8.
Joshua 22:25 25 For the Lord has made the
Jordan a border between you and us, you children of Reuben and children
of Gad. You have no part in the Lord.” So your descendants
would make our descendants cease fearing the Lord.’
YLT
25for a border hath Jehovah
put between us and you, O sons of Reuben, and sons of Gad -- Jordan; ye have no
portion in Jehovah -- and your sons have caused our sons to cease, not to fear
Jehovah.
For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you,.... And by it
separated them from them, as if they were a distinct people; not that this was
really the case, but so they feared it would be represented in time to come;
for though Jordan was the border of the land of Canaan, strictly so called,
eastward, Numbers 34:12; yet
it did not exclude the land of the two tribes and a half from being part of the
land of promise; for the Amorites, which before inhabited it, and were driven
out of it, were Canaanites, and were one part of the people, whose land the
Lord promised to Abraham, Genesis 15:18,
ye children of Reuben, and children of Gad, have no part in the
Lord; in his covenant and promises, in his worship, word, and
ordinances; these are things you have nothing to do with, being separated from
us his peculiar people; or "have no part in the Word of the Lord", as
the Targum, the promised Messiah, being without, or separated from him, as the
Gentiles are said to be, Ephesians 2:12,
so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the
Lord; from worshipping the Lord, the fear of the Lord being often put
for the whole worship of God, external and internal, Ecclesiastes 12:13;
by behaving in the above manner towards them, they would be the cause and
occasion of their apostasy from the true God, and it would be in effect to say
to them, "go, serve other gods", 1 Samuel 26:19.
Joshua 22:26 26 Therefore we said, ‘Let us
now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering nor for
sacrifice,
YLT
26`And we say, Pray let us
prepare for ourselves to build the altar -- not for burnt-offering nor for
sacrifice –
Therefore we said,.... One to another, in order to prevent the
apostasy of our children from God, their departure from his worship, and going
into idolatry:
let us now prepare to build us an altar; get materials
ready, and set about it instantly, without any delay, while the thing dwells
upon our minds:
not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; not for
offerings of any kind required by the law, neither for sin offerings nor
trespass offerings, nor any other not named.
Joshua 22:27 27 but that it may
be a witness between you and us and our generations after us, that we may
perform the service of the Lord before Him with our burnt
offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your
descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, “You have no part
in the Lord.”’
YLT
27but a witness it [is]
between us and you, and between our generations after us, to do the service of
Jehovah before Him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with
our peace-offerings, and your sons do not say hereafter to our sons, Ye have no
portion in Jehovah.
But that it may be a witness between us and you, and
our generations after us,.... That we are one people, worship one God, and serve at one
altar, of which this built was a resemblance, and would put them in mind of it:
that we might do the service of the Lord before him; in the
tabernacle, and at the altar, in the place where he had chosen to put his name
and dwell:
with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our
peace offerings; to be brought at stated times, or as occasion required:
that your children may not say to our children, in time to come,
ye have no part in the Lord; nor right to his altar, and so forbid them
offering their sacrifices on it; or"have no part in the Word of the
Lord,'as the Targum; the Messiah, whose sacrifice was typified by the
sacrifices of the legal dispensation, and all such, who offered theirs in the
faith of that, had a part in it, and their sins were expiated by it.
Joshua 22:28 28 Therefore we said that it
will be, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come,
that we may say, ‘Here is the replica of the altar of the Lord which our
fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is
a witness between you and us.’
YLT
28`And we say, And it hath
been, when they say [so] unto us, and unto our generations hereafter, that we
have said, See the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made --
not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice -- but a witness it [is] between us
and you.
Therefore said we,.... To prevent any such usage of our
children, and that they might have a ready answer to give:
that it shall be, when they should so say unto us, or to
our generations, in time to come; as above suggested, that
they were a separate people from them, and had no interest in the Lord, nor
right to his altar, nor concern in his worship:
that we may say again; in reply, that is, our
posterity:
behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers
made; which exactly agrees with the Mosaic altar, and which they could
never have framed in so exact a manner if they had not seen it, and served at
it; wherefore this was a plain proof of their being originally worshippers of
the same God, partakers of the same altar, and were in the faith, fellowship,
and communion of Israel. According to GussetiusF14Ebr. Comment. p.
135. , this was not the altar the Reubenites, &c. built, which the children
of Israel would be bid to behold, but the Mosaic altar at the tabernacle or
temple, which was the archetype and exemplar, according to which that of the
Reubenites was formed; and therefore say not, come and behold, but behold the
altar present before them, that of Moses, and acknowledge that to be a type and
exemplar, which they had related, and so confess it to be a testimony of their
mutual fellowship: and what they had made in imitation of it, which exactly
answered to it, was
not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; of any sort,
that was not the intention of erecting it:
but it is a witness between us and you; that we
worship the same God, and are of the same faith and fellowship.
Joshua 22:29 29 Far be it from us that we
should rebel against the Lord,
and turn from following the Lord this day, to build an
altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the
altar of the Lord
our God which is before His tabernacle.”
YLT
29`Far be it from us to rebel
against Jehovah, and to turn back to-day from after Jehovah, to build an altar
for burnt-offering, for present, and for sacrifice, apart from the altar of
Jehovah our God, which [is] before His tabernacle.'
God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord,.... Against
the command of the Lord, who ordered one altar to be made, to which all sacrifices
were to be brought from the several parts of the land of Israel, and there to
be offered on it; or
"against
the Word of the Lord,'as the Targum, Christ typified both by the altar and the
sacrifices on it; and who is but one, one priest, one sacrifice, one altar, one
Mediator and Saviour:
and turn this day from following the Lord; apostatize
from him, and from his worship:
to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for
sacrifices; which was never our intention, or ever entered into our hearts
to erect one for such a purpose:
besides the altar of the Lord our God, that is before his
tabernacle; it standing in the court of the tabernacle before the holy
place.
Joshua 22:30 30 Now when Phinehas the
priest and the rulers of the congregation, the heads of the divisions[c] of Israel
who were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben, the
children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them.
YLT
30And Phinehas the priest,
and the princes of the company, and the heads of the thousands of Israel, who
[are] with him, hear the words which the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad,
and the sons of Manasseh have spoken, and it is good in their eyes.
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.
Joshua 22:31 31 Then Phinehas the son of
Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the
children of Manasseh, “This day we perceive that the Lord is
among us, because you have not committed this treachery against the Lord. Now you have
delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.”
YLT
31And Phinehas son of Eleazar
the priest saith unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto
the sons of Manasseh, `To-day we have known that Jehovah [is] in our midst,
because ye have not committed against Jehovah this trespass -- then ye have
delivered the sons of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.'
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,.... As the
mouth of the deputation, and in their name:
said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and
to the children of Manasseh; the representatives of them assembled
together on this occasion:
this day we perceive that the Lord is among us; his
Shechinah, as the Targum; his powerful Presence in preserving their brethren
from committing a trespass, as they feared; his gracious Presence smiling upon
them; and as the God of peace and order, and not of confusion, uniting and
cementing their hearts in love to one another:
because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord; which they
were fearful and jealous of they had, but they found that the Lord had been
good and gracious in preserving them from it:
now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of
the Lord; into which they would have fallen, had that been the case, and
would have felt the effects of the divine resentment, but now they were secure
from them.
Joshua 22:32 32 And Phinehas the son of
Eleazar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the children of Reuben and
the children of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the
children of Israel, and brought back word to them.
YLT
32And Phinehas son of Eleazar
the priest, and the princes, turn back from the sons of Reuben, and from the
sons of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, unto the sons
of Israel, and bring them back word;
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes,.... Being
fully satisfied with the relation of things that had been given them, and
having taken their leave of the assembly:
returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad; the Greek
version adds, "and from the half tribe of Manasseh"; which, though
not in the Hebrew text, is undoubtedly meant:
out of the land of Gilead: which, though only a
part of the country these tribes inhabited, is put for the whole, and it is not
improbable that the assembly might be held in it:
unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel; the rest of
the children of Israel who dwelt in the land of Canaan, properly so called:
and brought them word again; reported the whole
affair, related all that had passed, and acquainted them with the intention and
design of their brethren erecting the altar, and what had been the issue of
their embassy to them.
Joshua 22:33 33 So the thing pleased the
children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God; they spoke no more
of going against them in battle, to destroy the land where the children of
Reuben and Gad dwelt.
YLT
33and the thing is good in
the eyes of the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel bless God, and have not
said to go up against them to war, to destroy the land which the sons of
Reuben, and the sons of Gad, are dwelling in.
And the thing pleased the children of Israel,.... They were
quite satisfied with the account of things, and were pleased and delighted with
what their brethren, the other two tribes, had done:
and the children of Israel blessed God: returned
thanks to him, that there was no trespass committed against him, and no schism
like to be made among them, nor any wrath to come upon them:
and did not intend to go up against them in battle; for though
upon first hearing of their building an altar, which they supposed was for
idolatry, they had intended to make war against them, but now understanding the
design of that building, they laid aside all thoughts of that kind:
to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt; which they
judged by the law in Deuteronomy 13:12
they were obliged to do. The Greek version here adds also, "and the half
tribe of Manasseh", and renders the last clause, and "they dwelt in
it"; continued to dwell in it undisturbed by their brethren.
Joshua 22:34 34 The children of Reuben and
the children of Gad[d] called the
altar, Witness, “For it is a witness between us that the Lord is
God.”
YLT
34And the sons of Reuben and
the sons of Gad proclaim concerning the altar, that `it [is] a witness between
us that Jehovah [is] God.'
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, called the
altar Ed,.... Which signifies a "witness"; they caused such an
inscription to be put upon it, or this word to be engraved on it, that so the
intention of erecting it might be known in future time; that it was not for
sacrifice, but to be a testimony of their being one with their brethren on the
other side Jordan, in worship, faith, and fellowship:
for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is
God; is the one God, the God of them both, of all Israel, whether on
the one or the other side of Jordan; to be worshipped by them in one and the
same manner, and their sacrifices to be offered to him on his altar before the
tabernacle.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)