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 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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
¶ 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.
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.
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.
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, 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.
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 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?
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,
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.
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.
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.
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,)
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;
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
¶ 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.
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.
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 did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.
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.
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
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
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