CHAPTER XXII _Joshua assembles, commends, blesses, and then dismisses the two_ _tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh_, 1-8. _They return and build an altar by the side of Jordan_, 9, 10. _The rest of the Israelites hearing of this, and suspecting that_ _they had built the al... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:5. _BUT TAKE DILIGENT HEED, C._] Let us examine the force of this excellent advice they must ever _consider_ that their prosperity and continued possession of the land depended on their fidelity and obedience to God; to this they must _take diligent_ _heed_. _DO THE COMMANDMENT_] Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:7. _THEN HE BLESSED THEM_] _Spoke respectfully_ of their fidelity and exertions, _wished_ them every _spiritual_ and _temporal_ good, _prayed to God_ to protect and save them, and probably gave some _gifts_ to those leaders among them that had most distinguished themselves in this se... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:8. _RETURN WITH MUCH RICHES_] It appears they had their full proportion of the spoils that were taken from the Canaanites, and that these spoils consisted in _cattle, silver, gold, brass, iron_, and _raiment_. _DIVIDE THE SPOIL - WITH YOUR BRETHREN._] It was right that those who sta... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:10. _THE BORDERS OF JORDAN, THAT ARE IN - CANAAN_] This verse can never mean that they built the altar on the west side of Jordan, for this was not in their territories; nor could it be a place for the purpose of public worship to their own people, if built on the opposite side of Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:12. _TO GO UP TO WAR AGAINST THEM._] Supposing that they had built this altar in opposition to that which Moses, by the command of God, had erected, and were consequently become rebels against God and the Israelitish constitution, and should be treated as such. Their great concern fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:17. _IS THE INIQUITY OF PEOR TOO LITTLE_] See this history, Numbers 25:3, c., and the notes there. Phinehas takes it for granted that this altar was built in opposition to the altar of God erected by Moses, and that they intended to have a _separate_ service, priesthood, c., which wo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:19. _IF THE LAND OF YOUR POSSESSIONS BE UNCLEAN_] The generous mind of Phinehas led him to form this excuse for them. If ye suppose that this land is impure, as not having been originally included in the covenant, and ye think that ye cannot expect the blessing of God unless ye have... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:20. _DID NOT ACHAN THE SON OF ZERAH_] Your sin will not be merely against yourselves; your transgressions will bring down the wrath of God upon all the people; this was the case in the transgression of Achan; he alone sinned, and yet God on that account turned his face against the wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:21. _THEN THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN - ANSWERED_] Though conscious of their own innocency they permitted Phinehas to finish his discourse, though composed of little else than accusations; there was a decency in this, and such a full proof of good breeding, as does them the highest credit... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:22. _THE LORD GOD OF GODS_] The original words are exceedingly emphatic, and cannot be easily translated. אל אלהים יהוה _El Elohim Yehovah_, are the three principal names by which the supreme God was known among the Hebrews, and may be thus translated, _the strong God, Elohim, Jehov... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:24. _FOR FEAR OF_ THIS _THING_] The motive that actuated us was directly the reverse of that of which we have been suspected.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:26. _AN ALTAR, NOT FOR BURNT-OFFERING, NOR FOR SACRIFICE_] Because this would have been in flat opposition to the law, Leviticus 17:8-3; Deuteronomy 12:4; Deuteronomy 12:10-5; Deuteronomy 12:13-5, which most positively forbade any sacrifice or offering to be made in any other place... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:29. _GOD FORBID THAT WE SHOULD REBEL_] These words not only express their strong abhorrence of this crime, but also show that without God they could do no good thing, and that they depended upon him for that strength by which alone they could abstain from evil.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:31. _WE PERCEIVE THAT THE LORD IS AMONG US_] Or, according to the Targum of _Jonathan_. "This day we know that the majesty of Jehovah dwelleth among us, because ye have not committed this prevarication against the WORD of the Lord, and thus ye have delivered the children of Israel fr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:33. _AND DID NOT INTEND TO GO UP AGAINST THEM IN BATTLE_] That is, they now relinquished the intention of going against them in battle, as this explanation proved there was no cause for the measure.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 22:34. _CALLED THE ALTAR_ ED] The word עד _ED_, which signifies _witness_ or _testimony_, is not found in the common editions of the Hebrew Bible, and is supplied in Italics by our translators, at least in our modern copies; for in the _first edition_ of this translation it stands in th... [ Continue Reading ]