Joshua dismisses the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh, commending their faithfulness and urging continued obedience as they return to their lands east of Jordan. Upon their return, they build a large altar by the Jordan River, which the other Israelite tribes misinterpret as an act of rebellion against the Lord. A delegation led by Phinehas confronts them, but the eastern tribes explain the altar was a witness to their shared covenant, not for illicit sacrifice, thus averting war and restoring peace.
And now Jehovah your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he spake unto them: therefore now turn ye, and get you unto your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan.
Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah 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.
Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had giveninheritancein Bashan; but unto the other half gave Joshua among their brethren beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away unto their tents, he blessed them,
and spake unto them, saying, Return with much wealth 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 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 land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the commandment of Jehovah by Moses.
And when they came unto the region about the Jordan, that is 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 the Jordan, a great altar to look upon.
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 in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertaineth to the children of Israel.
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 against them to war.
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,
and with him ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were every one of them head of their fathers’ houses among the thousands of Israel.
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,
Thus saith the whole congregation of Jehovah, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Jehovah, in that ye have builded you an altar, to rebel this day against Jehovah?
Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves unto this day, although there came a plague upon the congregation of Jehovah,
that ye must turn away this day from following Jehovah? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to-day against Jehovah, that to-morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
Howbeit, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of Jehovah, wherein Jehovah’s tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against Jehovah, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of Jehovah our God.
Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
The Mighty One, God, Jehovah, the Mighty One, God, Jehovah, he knoweth; and Israel he shall know: if it be in rebellion, or if in trespass against Jehovah (save thou us not this day),
that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Jehovah; or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon, let Jehovah himself require it;
and if we have not rather out of carefulness done this, and of purpose, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with Jehovah, the God of Israel?
for Jehovah hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no portion in Jehovah: so might your children make our children cease from fearing Jehovah.
but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of Jehovah 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 portion in Jehovah.
Therefore said we, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.
Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn away this day from following Jehovah, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle.
And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that 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 well.
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 know that Jehovah is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah: now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.
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.
And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spake no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: For, said they, it is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.
Study Notes for Joshua 22
Verse 1
Joshua calls the Transjordanian tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh) to commend them for fulfilling their covenant obligation to assist the other tribes in conquering Canaan (cf. Num 32).
Verse 2
Joshua confirms that these tribes have fully upheld the covenant obligations defined by Moses and the specific military duties assigned by Joshua during the campaigns.
Verse 4
The phrase 'given rest' signifies the successful completion of the major military phase of the conquest, fulfilling God’s promise to provide security and land for Israel.
Verse 5
This verse summarizes the core Deuteronomic requirements for covenant faithfulness: loving God, walking in His ways, keeping commandments, and serving Him—a final charge before their departure.
Verse 8
Joshua instructs the returning warriors to share the substantial spoils of war with their families who remained east of the Jordan, ensuring the whole community benefited from the conquest.
Verse 9
Shiloh was the temporary location of the Tabernacle and the central gathering place for the tribes, marking the official point of departure from the land of Canaan proper.
Verse 10
The construction of a large altar outside the designated central place of worship (Shiloh) was immediately viewed by the western tribes as a potential violation of the centralization of worship mandated in Deuteronomy 12.
Verse 12
The immediate decision to gather for war demonstrates the extreme seriousness with which the tribes regarded the threat of apostasy, fearing that covenant violation by one group could bring divine wrath upon all Israel.
Verse 13
Before resorting to violence, the assembly sends a high-level diplomatic delegation led by Phinehas, the son of the high priest, signifying the religious gravity of the charge.
Verse 16
The core accusation is 'trespass' (Ma'al), a term associated with sacrilege or breaking faith with God. They interpret the altar building as a full-scale rebellion against Yahweh.
Verse 17
The delegation invokes the incident at Peor (Num 25), where idolatry and immorality led to a plague, emphasizing that religious deviation has severe, national consequences.
Verse 20
The sin of Achan (Josh 7) serves as the second historical precedent, reminding the eastern tribes that the sin of one man or tribe can cause God’s wrath to fall upon the entire congregation.
Verse 21
The Transjordan tribes shift from defense to a solemn, self-cursing oath of innocence regarding any rebellious intent to use the altar for unauthorized offerings.
Verse 22
The powerful triple invocation of God ('El Elohim Yahweh') emphasizes the sincerity of their oath, appealing to the supreme divine authority concerning their true motivation.
Verse 24
Their motivation was not religious independence but cultural and theological continuity. They feared the Jordan River would become a future spiritual boundary, leading the western tribes to disown their descendants.
Verse 27
The altar was built as a 'witness' ('ed) or memorial, ensuring that their descendants would be recognized as participants in the covenant and entitled to worship Yahweh alongside the western tribes.
Verse 30
Phinehas and the leaders were satisfied by the explanation, recognizing that the eastern tribes were motivated by faithfulness, not rebellion.
Verse 31
Phinehas concludes that the absence of rebellion proves God’s presence among them. By removing the threat of covenant violation, the eastern tribes 'delivered' Israel from potential divine judgment.
Verse 34
The altar is named 'Ed' (Witness), confirming its function as a permanent memorial symbolizing the unity of the twelve tribes and their common devotion to Yahweh.
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The Calling of Disciples
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