Joshua 22:20

_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._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

10-20 Here is the care of the separated tribes to keep their hold of Canaan's religion. At first sight it seemed a design to set up an altar against the altar at Shiloh. God is jealous for his own institutions; we should be so too, and afraid of every thing that looks like, or leads to idolatry. Corruptions in religion are best dealt with at first. But their prudence in following up this zealous resolution is no less commendable. Many an unhappy strife would be prevented, or soon made up, by inquiries into the matter of the offence. The remembrance of great sins committed formerly, should engage us to stand on our guard against the beginnings of sin; for the way of sin is down-hill. We are all concerned to reprove our neighbour when he does amiss, lest we suffer sin upon him, Leviticus 19:17. The offer made that they should be welcome to come to the land where the Lord's tabernacle was,...

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 whole congregation, so that they fell before their enemies. We cannot therefore be unconcerned spectators of your transgression, we may all be implicated in its criminality; let this and the dishonour which we apprehend is done to our God plead our excuse, and vindicate the necessity of the present warlike appearance which we make before you. See the history of Achan referred to here, (Joshua 7:11-6), and the notes there....

EXPOSITION JOSHUA 22:1 THE REUBENITES AND THE GADITES. According to the Hebrew idiom, these are in the original in the singular, as in Genesis 12:6. Thus a tribe, as has been before remarked, or even a family (Joshua 6:25), is spoken of frequently as a single individual (cf. Joshua 17:14, Joshua 17:15, Joshua 17:17, Joshua 17:18). It seems prob

DID NOT ACHAN THE SON OF ZERAH,.... One that descended from Zerah the son of Judah, Joshua 7:18; COMMIT A TRESPASS IN THE ACCURSED THING; in taking what was devoted to sacred uses: AND WRATH FELL ON ALL THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL? and which was what was feared now; and this instance is brought to show that such fears were not groundless: AND THAT MAN PERISHED NOT ALONE IN HIS INIQUITY: which seems to confirm the notion of those who think that his children suffered with him; though it may be observed, that it was through his sin that thirty six men were slain by the men of Ai, Joshua 7:5....

III. THE FINAL WORDS OF JOSHUA AND THE EPILOGUE 1. The Two and One-half Tribes and the Altar Ed CHAPTER 22 _ 1. Joshua's address (Joshua 22:1)_ 2. The tribes dismissed and their return (Joshua 22:7) 3. The great altar erected (Joshua 22:10) 4. War proposed (Joshua 22:11) 5. The mission of Phinehas and the explanation (Joshua 22:13) 6. The explanation accepted (Joshua 22:30) 7. The altar Ed ...

THE ALTAR OF WITNESS ERECTED BY THE E. JORDAN TRIBES. This narrative is clearly not historical, and the question arises, Why should it have been composed? The answer is that it is a Midrash (p. 314, 2 Chronicles 13:22 *) of the same nature as those in Numbers 15:32, the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath, and Numbers 31:25, the law for the division of the spoil. In this connexion we may quote the admirable words of Mr. Ball: We have to bear in mind a fact familiar enough to students of Talmudic and Midrashic literature, the inveterate tendency to convey their doctrine not in the form of abstract discourse, but in a mode appealing directly to the imagination.. The Rabbi embodies his lesson in a story, whether

Embassy from Israel to the Two and a Half Tribes 11. _heard_ News of the step taken by the trans-Jordanic tribes so suddenly and without any consultation, reached the ears of their brethren, and gave rise to "great searchings of heart." _in the borders_ i.e. _the circles of Jordan_, as in Joshua 22:10. _at the passage of the children of Israel_ More literally, BY THE SIDE OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL. Comp. Exodus 25:37; Exodus 32:15....

_An Altar Erected At Jordan Joshua 22:10-20_ 10 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. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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, 14 And with

DISMISSAL OF THE TWO AND A HALF TRIBES. THE AXTAR SET UP AT ED, AND THE CONTROVERSY IT RAISED 1-9. The dismissal of the tribes. 10-34. The controversy at Ed. Here, as in Numbers 25:7, we see Phinehas playing a prominent part, and the contrast between the scenes is instructive. Swift, stern, and relentless when occasion demanded, he appears in Numbers as the hero who, by prompt execution of judgment, stayed the plague at Shittim (cp. Psalms 106:30); here, on the other hand, though not unmindful of that crisis (Joshua 22:17), he shows tact and gentleness, and under circumstances of the utmost delicacy and tension, helps to avert a disastrous civil war....