Joshua 22:33

30-34 It is well that there was on both sides a disposition to peace, as there was a zeal for God; for quarrels about religion, for want of wisdom and love, often prove the most fierce and difficult to be made up. Proud and peevish spirits, when they have passed any unjust blame on their brethren, though full evidence be brought of its unfairness, can by no means be persuaded to withdraw it. But Israel was not so prejudiced. They looked upon their brethren's innocence as a token of God's presence. Our brethren's zeal for the power of godliness, and faith and love, notwithstanding the fears of their breaking the unity of the church, are things of which we should be very glad to be satisfied. The altar was called ED, a witness. It was a witness of their care to keep their religion pure and entire, and would witness against their descendants, if they should turn from following after the Lo...

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....

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

AND THE THING PLEASED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... They were quite satisfied with the account of things, and were pleased and delighted with what their brethren, the other two tribes, had done: AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BLESSED GOD: returned thanks to him, that there was no trespass committed against him, and no schism like to be made among them, nor any wrath to come upon them: AND DID NOT INTEND TO GO UP AGAINST THEM IN BATTLE; for though upon first hearing of their building an altar, which they supposed was for idolatry, they had intended to make war against them, but now understanding the design of that building, they laid aside all thoughts of that kind: TO DESTROY THE LAND WHEREIN THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND GAD DWELT; which they judged by the law in Deuteronomy 13:12 they were obliged to do. The Greek version here add

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

Return of the Embassy 33. _blessed God_ Compare 1 Chronicles 29:20, "And David said to all the congregation, Now _bless_the Lord your God. And all the congregation _blessed_the Lord God of their fathers;" Nehemiah 8:6, "And Ezra _blessed_the Lord, the great God;" Daniel 2:19, "Then Daniel _blessed_the God of heaven;" Luke 2:28, "Then took he Him up in his arms, and _blessed_God, and said." _did not intend_ i. e. did not carry out their intention of going up to war against them, as they first thought of doing when "they gathered themselves together at Shiloh;" see above...

_VER._ 33. _DID NOT INTEND TO GO UP_— Or, _Talked no more of going up._...

_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

22:33 said (a-24) Or 'intended,' as Exodus 2:14 ....