Joshua 22

In Joshua 22, the eastern tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh return to their homes after faithfully serving the rest of Israel in the conquest of Canaan. Joshua commends their loyalty and reminds them to remain faithful to God’s commands. However, a misunderstanding over an altar they build nearly leads to conflict between the tribes until the situation is resolved peacefully. This chapter emphasizes the importance of unity and communication within the community of God’s people.

Joshua 22:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh,
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.
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.
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.
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."

Joshua commends the eastern tribes for their faithfulness in obeying Moses and assisting in the conquest of Canaan. He recognizes their loyalty and sacrifices in not abandoning their fellow Israelites during the long campaign. Now, they are free to return to their lands east of the Jordan, but Joshua warns them to remain obedient to God. He emphasizes the importance of continuing to love and serve God wholeheartedly, even after they return to their homes, ensuring that they remain in covenant with God.

Joshua 22:6-9 (NKJV)
6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
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,
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."
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.

Joshua blesses the eastern tribes before they return to their inheritance east of the Jordan River. He reminds them of the wealth they have accumulated during the conquest and encourages them to share it with those who remained behind. This gesture signifies the unity of the tribes and the understanding that all Israel benefits from God's victories. The eastern tribes depart in peace, reaffirming their connection to the larger Israelite community despite geographical separation.

Joshua 22:10-12 (NKJV)
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.
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."
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.

When the eastern tribes build a large altar by the Jordan, it is immediately misunderstood by the rest of Israel. The western tribes assume the altar is an act of rebellion, possibly an unauthorized place of worship, which could threaten their unity and disobey God's commands about centralized worship. The misunderstanding causes alarm, leading the rest of Israel to prepare for war, showing how quickly miscommunication can escalate to conflict among God's people.

Joshua 22:13-16 (NKJV)
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,
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 of Israel.
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,
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?'"

The Israelites wisely decide to send Phinehas, the priest, and representatives from each tribe to confront the eastern tribes before resorting to war. They ask whether the building of the altar was an act of treachery, accusing the eastern tribes of turning away from God. This inquiry reflects the seriousness of the situation, as worship outside the prescribed altar could imply rebellion against God, endangering the entire nation.

Joshua 22:17-20 (NKJV)
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,
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.
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.
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.'"

Phinehas reminds the eastern tribes of past instances of sin, such as the idolatry at Peor and Achan’s disobedience, which brought God’s wrath upon all Israel. He stresses that sin within one group affects the entire nation, as God’s anger extends to all. To avoid this, Phinehas even offers them land in Canaan if they feel their current land is unclean. The main concern is to preserve unity and purity of worship, emphasizing the communal responsibility to remain faithful to God.

Joshua 22:21-25 (NKJV)
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 of Israel:
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.
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.
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?
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.'"

The eastern tribes respond with a sincere defense, proclaiming their loyalty to God. They declare that the altar was not built for offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between their people and the rest of Israel. Their fear was that future generations might be excluded from worship due to the Jordan River dividing them, so the altar was meant to remind all Israel that they, too, belong to the Lord. This clarification highlights their desire for unity and continued relationship with God’s people.

Joshua 22:26-29 (NKJV)
26 "Therefore we said, 'Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice,
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."'
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.'
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."

The eastern tribes explain that the altar is meant as a symbol of their connection to the rest of Israel, not a place for sacrifices. They fear that future generations might try to exclude them from the covenant, so the altar stands as a reminder of their shared faith and worship. They reaffirm their commitment to worship only at the tabernacle’s altar, showing their respect for God's commands and their desire to maintain unity within the nation.

Joshua 22:30-34 (NKJV)
30 Now when Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregation, the heads of the divisions 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.
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."
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.
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.
34 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar, Witness, "For it is a witness between us that the Lord is God."

Phinehas and the leaders are relieved and pleased by the eastern tribes' explanation. They realize that there was no rebellion or disobedience, and that the altar was built as a testimony of unity, not division. This realization averts war and reaffirms the unity of all Israel under God. The eastern tribes name the altar "Witness" to commemorate this moment, ensuring that future generations will remember that they all worship the same God. This chapter ends with peace and reconciliation.