Joshua 22
[Joshua 22:1] THEN JOSHUA CALLED THE REUBENITES, AND THE GADITES, AND THE
HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH,
[Joshua 22:2] AND SAID UNTO THEM, YE HAVE KEPT ALL THAT MOSES THE SERVANT
OF THE LORD COMMANDED YOU, AND HAVE OBEYED MY VOICE IN ALL THAT I
COMMANDED YOU:
[Joshua 22:3] YE HAVE NOT LEFT YOUR BRETHREN THESE MANY DAYS UNTO THIS DAY,
BUT HAVE KEPT THE CHARGE OF THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD YOUR GOD.
[Joshua 22:4] AND NOW THE LORD YOUR GOD HATH GIVEN REST UNTO YOUR BRETHREN,
AS HE PROMISED THEM: THEREFORE NOW RETURN YE, AND GET YOU UNTO YOUR TENTS,
AND UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR POSSESSION, WHICH MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD
GAVE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE JORDAN.
The Tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh received their
inheritances east of the Jordan in the lands stretching from the Jordan to
the Euphrates River (1-Chronicles 5:9) in present-day Iraq. They left their
women and children and part of their menfolk in encampments while a large
contingent of warriors went of to assist the other tribes in conquering
the land. According to verses in the Book of Chronicles and tradition they
returned to their lands just as their children (who had now grown up) were
being attacked by Arab hordes. They recognized their children (as distinct
from those who were attacking them) by calling on the Almighty. This legend
is very similar to legends concerning the Scythians as recorded by
Herodotus and the Gothic historian Jordanes.
We intend to dedicate an article in the future to a comparative analysis of
the said traditions.
[Joshua 22:5] BUT TAKE DILIGENT HEED TO DO THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LAW,
WHICH MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD CHARGED YOU, TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD,
AND TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS, AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND TO CLEAVE
UNTO HIM, AND TO SERVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL.
The bottom line is that you must love and serve God and keep the
commandments. The Lost Ten Tribes are not bound by the commandments in the
strict sense at present but nevertheless they are called on to keep them.
Keeping the commandments for the Lost Ten Tribes AT PRESENT could possibly
be fulfilled by learning about them and doing deeds consistent with them..
From what I have heard in nearly every Christian denomination in the west
there exist groups and tendencies towards returning to the Hebrew roots.
Even so the ultimate goal should be to achieve unity with Judah and mainstream
Observance as may be seen in continuation of this chapter. This is our
opinion but no-one is in a hurry. Before anything can even be considered in any direction
The right knowledge must be spread. The truth of Brit-Am must go out.
It does not necessarily ever have to be universally accepted but it should
go much further than it has done till now.
We are not the only ones who are responsible for this.
The fact that this truth speaks to you means that you too in some way have
been called to help in this regard.
[Joshua 22:6] SO JOSHUA BLESSED THEM, AND SENT THEM AWAY: AND THEY WENT
UNTO THEIR TENTS.
[Joshua 22:7] NOW TO THE ONE HALF OF THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH MOSES HAD GIVEN
POSSESSION IN BASHAN: BUT UNTO THE OTHER HALF THEREOF GAVE JOSHUA AMONG
THEIR BRETHREN ON THIS SIDE JORDAN WESTWARD. AND WHEN JOSHUA SENT THEM AWAY
ALSO UNTO THEIR TENTS, THEN HE BLESSED THEM,
[Joshua 22:8] AND HE SPAKE UNTO THEM, SAYING, RETURN WITH MUCH RICHES UNTO
YOUR TENTS, AND WITH VERY MUCH CATTLE, WITH SILVER, AND WITH GOLD, AND
WITH BRASS, AND WITH IRON, AND WITH VERY MUCH RAIMENT: DIVIDE THE SPOIL OF
YOUR ENEMIES WITH YOUR BRETHREN.
[Joshua 22:9] AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND THE
HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH RETURNED, AND DEPARTED FROM THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
OUT OF SHILOH, WHICH IS IN THE LAND OF CANAAN, TO GO UNTO THE COUNTRY OF
GILEAD, TO THE LAND OF THEIR POSSESSION, WHEREOF THEY WERE POSSESSED,
ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD BY THE HAND OF MOSES.
According to the Malbim: The original intention had been that all the
twelve tribes conquer the land of Canaan west of the Jordan, divide it
between them, then conquer the land east of the Jordan up to the Euphrates
and the north and then divide that between them. Reuben and Gad had
jumped the gun and requested to receive their share at once east of the
Jordan while sending their menfolk with the other tribes to help conquer
and divide the land west of the Jordan. This was agreed to and they
received their request along with the half-tribe of Manasseh. In the course
of time groups from the Tribes west of the Jordan split off and went to
find inheritances of their own east of the Jordan. We therefore find
contingents from Ephraim, Judah, Benjamin, and Dan east of the Jordan at a
later stage. We briefly discussed this situation in our works The
Tribes and Lost Israelite Identity .
[Joshua 22:10] 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.
[Joshua 22:11] 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.
[Joshua 22:12] 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.
Rabbi Yigal Ariel wrote a work in Hebrew ( Oz VeAnavah = Strength and
Humility) concerning the Books of Joshua and Judges. He compares the
situation above with that of the American Civil War which was fought over
the rights of part of the American nation to secede from the Union.
Note the place-name Shiloh and its role in both situations.
One of our subscribers (Robert Graves?) pointed out that in the American Civil War
The place of the battle was known as Shiloh to one side and Manasses
(i.e. Manasseh) to the other. Shiloh and Manasses being both place names in the region.
In our work Joseph we even pointed out that the Southern USA was
dominated by descendants of the Galatae from Gilead of Israel east of the Jordan River.
In Joseph we quoted a source that from the descendants of the Tribe of
Manasseh east of the Jordan would come the first group out of the Lost Ten Tribes to return.
These people are today to be found mainly in the so-called Bible Belt of
the USA. This is the region that today is most supportive of the State of
Israel. It is also the area (together with California) where Brit-Am has been the best received.
[I am just going on impressions. I have not made a proper analysis and may be mistaken].
[Joshua 22:13] 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,
[Joshua 22:14] AND WITH HIM TEN PRINCES, OF EACH CHIEF HOUSE A PRINCE
THROUGHOUT ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL; AND EACH ONE WAS AN HEAD OF THE HOUSE
OF THEIR FATHERS AMONG THE THOUSANDS OF ISRAEL
[Joshua 22:15] AND THEY CAME UNTO THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN, AND TO THE
CHILDREN OF GAD AND TO THE HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH, UNTO THE LAND OF
GILEAD, AND THEY SPAKE WITH THEM, SAYING,
[Joshua 22:16] THUS SAITH THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE LORD, WHAT TRESPASS
IS THIS THAT YE HAVE COMMITTED AGAINST THE GOD OF ISRAEL, TO TURN AWAY
THIS DAY FROM FOLLOWING THE LORD, IN THAT YE HAVE BUILDED YOU AN ALTAR,
THAT YE MIGHT REBEL THIS DAY AGAINST THE LORD?
[Joshua 22:17] IS THE INIQUITY OF PEOR TOO LITTLE FOR US, FROM WHICH WE ARE
NOT CLEANSED UNTIL THIS DAY, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A PLAGUE IN THE
CONGREGATION OF THE LORD,
[Joshua 22:18] BUT THAT YE MUST TURN AWAY THIS DAY FROM FOLLOWING THE LORD?
AND IT WILL BE, SEEING YE REBEL TO DAY AGAINST THE LORD, THAT TO MORROW HE
WILL BE WROTH WITH THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL.
[Joshua 22:19] NOTWITHSTANDING, IF THE LAND OF YOUR POSSESSION BE UNCLEAN,
THEN PASS YE OVER UNTO THE LAND OF THE POSSESSION OF THE LORD, WHEREIN THE
LORD'S TABERNACLE DWELLETH, AND TAKE POSSESSION AMONG US: BUT REBEL NOT
AGAINST THE LORD, NOR REBEL AGAINST US, IN BUILDING YOU AN ALTAR BESIDE
THE ALTAR OF THE LORD OUR GOD.
[Joshua 22:20] 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 PERISHED NOT ALONE IN HIS INIQUITY.
[Joshua 22:21] 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,
[Joshua 22:22] 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,)
[Joshua 22:23] 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;
[Joshua 22:24] 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?
[Joshua 22:25] 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 LORD: SO
SHALL YOUR CHILDREN MAKE OUR CHILDREN CEASE FROM FEARING THE LORD.
[Joshua 22:26] THEREFORE WE SAID, LET US NOW PREPARE TO BUILD US AN ALTAR,
NOT FOR BURNT OFFERING, NOR FOR SACRIFICE:
[Joshua 22:27] BUT THAT IT MAY BE A WITNESS BETWEEN US, AND YOU, AND OUR
GENERATIONS AFTER US, THAT WE MIGHT DO THE SERVICE OF THE LORD BEFORE HIM
WITH OUR BURNT OFFERINGS, AND WITH OUR SACRIFICES, AND WITH OUR PEACE
OFFERINGS; THAT YOUR CHILDREN MAY NOT SAY TO OUR CHILDREN IN TIME TO
COME, YE HAVE NO PART IN THE LORD.
[Joshua 22:28] THEREFORE SAID WE, THAT IT SHALL BE, WHEN THEY SHOULD SO SAY
TO US OR TO OUR GENERATIONS IN TIME TO COME, THAT WE MAY SAY AGAIN, BEHOLD
THE PATTERN OF THE ALTAR OF THE LORD, WHICH OUR FATHERS MADE, NOT FOR
BURNT OFFERINGS, NOR FOR SACRIFICES; BUT IT IS A WITNESS BETWEEN US AND YOU.
[Joshua 22:29] GOD FORBID THAT WE SHOULD REBEL AGAINST THE LORD, AND TURN
THIS DAY FROM FOLLOWING THE LORD, TO BUILD AN ALTAR FOR BURNT OFFERINGS,
FOR MEAT OFFERINGS, OR FOR SACRIFICES, BESIDE THE ALTAR OF THE LORD OUR
GOD THAT IS BEFORE HIS TABERNACLE.
[Joshua 22:30] AND WHEN PHINEHAS THE PRIEST, AND THE PRINCES OF THE
CONGREGATION AND HEADS OF THE THOUSANDS OF ISRAEL WHICH WERE WITH HIM,
HEARD THE WORDS THAT THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND THE
CHILDREN OF MANASSEH SPAKE, IT PLEASED THEM.
[Joshua 22:31] AND PHINEHAS THE SON OF ELEAZAR THE PRIEST SAID UNTO THE
CHILDREN OF REUBEN, AND TO THE CHILDREN OF GAD, AND TO THE CHILDREN OF
MANASSEH, THIS DAY WE PERCEIVE THAT THE LORD IS AMONG US, BECAUSE YE HAVE
NOT COMMITTED THIS TRESPASS AGAINST THE LORD: NOW YE HAVE DELIVERED THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OUT OF THE HAND OF THE LORD.
[Joshua 22:32] AND PHINEHAS THE SON OF ELEAZAR THE PRIEST, AND THE PRINCES,
RETURNED FROM THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN, AND FROM THE CHILDREN OF GAD, OUT OF
THE LAND OF GILEAD, UNTO THE LAND OF CANAAN, TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND
BROUGHT THEM WORD AGAIN.
[Joshua 22:33] AND THE THING PLEASED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; AND THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BLESSED GOD, AND DID NOT INTEND TO GO UP AGAINST THEM IN
BATTLE, TO DESTROY THE LAND WHEREIN THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND GAD
DWELT.
[Joshua 22:34] AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD CALLED
THE ALTAR ED: FOR IT SHALL BE A WITNESS BETWEEN US THAT THE LORD IS GOD.
This is an important chapter and deserves a more thorough study than we
have given it. Its pertinence however lies more in the future than the
present and this justifies us in moving on to the next stage.
JOSHUA CHAPTER LIST
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