Joshua 22

1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh

2 and told them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and you have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.

3 All this time you have not deserted your brothers, up to this very day, but have kept the charge given you by the LORD your God.

4 And now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as He promised them, you may return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you across the Jordan.

5 But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave 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.”

6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.

7 (To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan among their brothers.) When Joshua sent them to their homes he blessed them,

8 saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies.”

9 So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to return to their own land of Gilead, which they had acquired according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

10 And when they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.

11 Then the Israelites received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.”

12 And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the land of Gilead, to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

14 With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel, each the head of a family among the clans of Israel.

15 They went to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead and said to them,

16 “This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day?

17 Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.

18 And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 If indeed the land of your inheritance is unclean, then cross over to the land of the LORD’s possession, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession of it among us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.

20 Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”

21 Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the clans of Israel:

22 “The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today.

23 If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.

24 But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

25 For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the LORD!’ So your descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.

26 That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.

27 Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’

28 Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

29 Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”

30 When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied.

31 Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you have delivered the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.”

32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead.

33 The Israelites were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived.

34 So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

1 ¶ Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:

3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.

4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, [and] unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.

7 Now to the [one] half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given [possession] in Bashan: but unto the [other] half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,

8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches 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.

9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

10 ¶ And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that [are] in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.

11 And the children of Israel heard say, 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, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.

12 And when the children of Israel heard [of it], the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one [was] an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.

15 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, and they spake with them, saying,

16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass [is] this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD?

17 [Is] the iniquity of Peor too little 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 ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, [seeing] ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession [be] unclean, [then] pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside 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 perished not alone in his iniquity.

21 ¶ Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,

22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if [it be] in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,)

23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require [it];

24 And if we have not [rather] done it for fear of [this] thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?

25 For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.

26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:

27 But [that] it [may be] a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.

28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should [so] say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say [again], Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it [is] a witness between us and you.

29 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that [is] before his tabernacle.

30 ¶ And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which [were] with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.

31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD [is] among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.

32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.

33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar [Ed]: for it [shall be] a witness between us that the LORD [is] God.

1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

2 And said unto them: Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.

3 Ye have not forsaken your brethren a long time unto this day, but have kept the commandment of the LORD your God.

4 Because therefore the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren; as he spake unto them, turn ye now, and go unto your tents unto the land of your inheritance, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

5 Now therefore diligently observe to do according to the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

6 So Joshua blessed them, and let them go; and they went unto their tents.

7 To the half tribe of Manasseh Moses gave in Bashan; and to the other half Joshua gave among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And he sent them away to their tents, and blessed them,

8 And he said unto them: Ye are come home again with great riches unto your tents, with much cattle, and silver, and gold, and brass, and iron, and raiment: divide therefore the spoil of your enemies among your brethren.

9 So the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, returned, and went from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go into the land of Gilead, unto the land of their inheritance, which they desired by the commandment of the LORD through Moses.

10 And when they were come to the heaps that are by Jordan, which are in the land of Canaan, the same Reubenites, and Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, built there by Jordan a great and beautiful altar.

11 And the children of Israel heard say, 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, by the heaps of Jordan on this side the children of Israel,

12 And they gathered themselves together with all the congregation of Shiloh, to go up against them with an army.

13 And they sent unto them into the land of Gilead Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

14 And with him ten chief princes of the houses of their fathers, out of every tribe of Israel one.

15 And when they were come unto them into the land of Gilead, they spake unto them, saying:

16 Therefore let all the congregation of the LORD say unto you, How sin ye against the God of Israel, that ye turn away this day from the LORD, to build you an altar, to depart from the LORD?

17 We are not satisfied with the iniquity of Peor, from which we are not cleansed unto this day, and a plague is come upon the congregation of the LORD,

18 And ye are turned away from the LORD this day, and have turned away from the LORD this day, that he may be angry with all the congregation of Israel this day or to morrow?

19 If the land of your inheritance seem unto you to be unclean, come over unto the land which the LORD hath, where the tabernacle of the LORD is, and worship among us: and be not ye turned aside from the LORD, and from us, to build you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.

20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah sin against the exile, and wrath come upon all the congregation of Israel, and he perished not alone for his iniquity?

21 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered and said unto the heads and princes of Israel:

22 The strong God, the LORD, the strong God, the LORD, knoweth, and Israel knoweth also, that if we fall away, or sin against the LORD, he will not help us this day.

23 And if we have built the altar, to turn away from the LORD, to offer burnt offerings, or meat offerings, or peace offerings, upon it unto the LORD, he shall require it.

24 And if we have not done it rather for the care of the thing, and said: To day or to morrow your children may say unto our children, What is the LORD God of Israel to you?

25 The LORD hath set Jordan for a border between us and you children of Reuben and Gad: ye have no part in the LORD. So your children shall put away our children from the fear of the LORD.

26 Therefore said we: Let us build us an altar, not for sacrifice, nor for burnt offering,

27 But that he may be a witness between us and you and our seed, that we may minister unto the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our peace offerings, and with our peace offerings; and that your children may not say unto our children to day, or to morrow: Ye have no part in the LORD.

28 But if they should say thus unto us, or unto our seed to day, or to morrow, n they might say, Behold the likeness of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for sacrifice, nor for burnt offering, but for a witness between us and you.

29 Far be it from us, that we should turn away from the LORD, and build this day an altar for a burnt offering, and for a meat offering, and for sacrifices beside the altar of the LORD our God, which is before his tabernacle.

30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, the rulers of Israel, which were with him, heard these words which the children of Reuben and Gad and Manasseh spake, they were well pleased.

31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and Gad, and Manasseh, To day we know that the LORD is among us, that ye have not sinned against the LORD in this deed. Now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.

32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes of the land of Gilead, of the children of Reuben and Gad, returned into the land of Canaan unto the children of Israel, and told them.

33 And it pleased the children of Israel well, and they praised the God of the children of Israel, and said no more that they would go up against them with an army to destroy the land, where the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt within.

34 And the children of Reuben and Gad called the altar, that it might be a witness between us, and that the LORD was GOD.