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.
Read it in contextThe Altar of Witness
Start reading at Joshua 22:9 (Joshua 22:9 to Joshua 22:34).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The closing events and Joshua's speeches urge the tribes to serve the LORD and warn against abandoning the covenant.
22:9And 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.
22:10And 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.
22:11And 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.
22:12And 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.
22:13And 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,
22:14And 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.
22:15And 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,
22:16Thus 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?
22:17Is 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,
22:18But 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.
22:19Notwithstanding, 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.
22:20Did 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.
22:21Then 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,
22:22The 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,)
22:23That 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;
22:24And 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?
22:25For 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.
22:26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
22:27But 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.
22:28Therefore 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.
22:29God 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.
22:30And 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.
22:31And 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.
22:32And 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.
22:33And 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.
22:34And 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 content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Joshua is the traditional principal author, and Joshua 24:26 credits him with writing covenant words. The closing record of his death and later events means the completed account includes a later contribution. Biblical references: Joshua 24:26; Joshua 24:29. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Joshua 22:1–22:34): The eastern tribes, western Israel, and the delegation led by Phinehas resolve the dispute over the altar beside Jordan. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel living in the land and later generations learning how the land was allotted and why covenant faithfulness mattered. No individual first recipient is known. Biblical references: Joshua 4:6; Joshua 4:21; Joshua 24:24. book background
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? The Altar of Witness. Read Joshua 22:9 through Joshua 22:34 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The closing events and Joshua's speeches urge the tribes to serve the LORD and warn against abandoning the covenant. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The account follows Moses' death and proceeds through the entry, campaigns, allotments, and Joshua's final covenant addresses. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The people cross from east of Jordan into Canaan. Campaign locations, tribal boundaries, and cities are distinct settings within that broader movement. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in The Altar of Witness (Joshua 22:9 to Joshua 22:34).
Start reading at Joshua 22:9. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Hebrews 4 distinguishes the rest associated with Joshua from the rest still discussed in its exhortation. In the KJV of Hebrews 4:8, the name Jesus refers in context to Joshua. See Joshua 1:1, Hebrews 4:8, Hebrews 4:9. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Take the repeated calls to faithfulness and obedience seriously. Historical warfare commands to Israel should not be converted into permission for a reader's private violence. interpretation
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Joshua 22
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Joshua concerns Israel's entry into Canaan, the distribution of the land, and covenant exhortations. It identifies Joshua's leadership and records his writing in Joshua 24:26, but that does not establish that he wrote every later event in the book. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The closing events and Joshua's speeches urge the tribes to serve the LORD and warn against abandoning the covenant.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The closing events and Joshua's speeches urge the tribes to serve the LORD and warn against abandoning the covenant.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Joshua
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Joshua concerns Israel's entry into Canaan, the distribution of the land, and covenant exhortations. It identifies Joshua's leadership and records his writing in Joshua 24:26, but that does not establish that he wrote every later event in the book.
Connection to the wholeThe campaigns include both victories and Israel's failure concerning the devoted things; the record ends with a list of defeated kings.