Joshua 22:23

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

21-29 The tribes took the reproofs of their brethren in good part. With solemnity and meekness they proceeded to give all the satisfaction in their power. Reverence of God is expressed in the form of their appeal. This brief confession of faith would remove their brethren's suspicion that they intended to worship other gods. Let us always speak of God with seriousness, and mention his name with a solemn pause. Those who make appeals to Heaven with a careless "God knows," take his name in vain: it is very unlike this. They express great confidence of their own uprightness in the matter of their appeal. "God knows it," for he is perfectly acquainted with the thoughts and intents of the heart. In every thing we do in religion, it highly concerns us to approve ourselves to God, remembering that he knows the heart. And if our sincerity be known to God, we should study likewise to let others...

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

THAT WE HAVE BUILT US AN ALTAR, TO TURN FROM FOLLOWING THE LORD,.... That is, we desire, as we deserve, to be cut to pieces, and not saved, if it should appear to be our view, in building this altar, to revolt from the pure worship of God: OR IF TO OFFER THEREON BURNT OFFERING, OR MEAT OFFERING, OR IF TO OFFER PEACE OFFERINGS; even to the Lord himself: they declare that as they had no design to apostatize from God, and worship idols, so it was not their intention to offer any kind of sacrifice on the altar they had built, even to the Lord himself; and they take notice of every kind of offering, to remove every charge of this sort from them, and to purge themselves of every imputation of this nature: then LET THE LORD HIMSELF REQUIRE [IT]; seek it out, who is the omniscient God, and revenge it, who is the Lord God Almighty, just and true....

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

OFFER. offer up. See App-43. OFFER make ready. App-43....

Defence of the Two Tribes and a Half 21. _Then the children of Reuben_ The two tribes and a half proceed to defend themselves and to shew that their object was in all respects the very reverse of that imputed to them....

_VER._ 23-25. _WHAT HAVE YE TO DO WITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL?_ &C.— Not satisfied with justifying themselves from the crime imputed to them, of having dared to erect a new altar, to rival, as it were, the holy altar: not content with having submitted in that case to whatever the most formidable judgment of divine vengeance might inflict, _let the Lord himself require it;_ (see Deuteronomy 18:19.) the accused candidly explain what were their views in the step which had alarmed the other tribes; an ill-grounded though a pious fear. "We apprehended," say they, "that in a course of time, on seeing ourselves separated by the Jordan from the place at which the sanctuary of the Lord is situated, we should be looked upon as strangers, as a people who had no share or right in the worship of the tabernacle, and that our posterity, biassed and persuaded by speeches to this

_A Reason Given for the Altar Joshua 22:21-34_ 21 Then 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 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,) 23 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; 24 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? 25 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 Lo