Joshua-Chapter-22
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Remember the following truth
from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Joshua Chapter 22 marks the formal conclusion
of the conquest and initial settlement of
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Part One of Joshua Chapter 22, verses 1 to 34: Whilst below the verses are the Explanation’s. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version of the Torah).
Verses 1-4: Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and
the half-tribe of Manasseh, and said unto them: ‘Ye have
kept all that Moses the servant of יְהוָה - the LORD commanded you, and have
hearkened unto my voice in all that I commanded you; ye have
not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge
of the commandment of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem. And now יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem hath given rest unto your
brethren, as He spoke unto them; therefore now turn ye, and get you unto your
tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of יְהוָה - the LORD gave you beyond the
Jordan.
Explanation Verses 1-4: Joshua summons the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, acknowledging that
they have faithfully kept their promise to Moses and remained loyal to their
brothers throughout the long years of war. Since אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) has
given the rest of
Verse 5: Only take diligent heed to
do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of יְהוָה - the LORD commanded you, to love יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem, 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’.
Explanation Verse 5: Before they depart, Joshua issues a solemn charge: to be
exceedingly careful to follow the commandments and the Torah. He emphasizes
loving the Eternal, walking in His ways, and cleaving to Him with all their
heart and soul, ensuring that their physical distance from the religious centre
does not lead to spiritual drift.
Verses 6-8: So Joshua blessed them, and
sent them away; and they went unto their tents. Now to the one
half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but unto the
other half gave Joshua among their brethren beyond the
Explanation Verses 6-8: Joshua blesses the departing tribes and sends them away. He notes
that they are returning with great wealth, cattle, silver, gold, brass, iron,
and clothing and instructs them to share the spoils of war with the kinsmen who
remained behind to guard their families.
Verse 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 land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were
possessed, according to the commandment of יְהוָה - the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Explanation Verse 9: The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh depart
from Shilo in the
Verse 10: And when they came unto the
region about the
Explanation Verse 10: Upon reaching the region of the
Verses 11-12: 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 in the forefront of the land of
Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertaineth
to the children of Israel’. And when the children of
Explanation Verses 11-12: Word reaches the rest of the children of
Verses 13-14: 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; and with him ten princes,
one prince of a fathers' house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were
every one of them head of their fathers' houses among the thousands of Israel.
Explanation Verses 13-14: In an attempt to avoid immediate bloodshed, the Israelites send a
delegation led by Phinehas, son of Eleazar the
priest, accompanied by ten tribal chiefs, to confront the Transjordanian
tribes in
Verses 15-20: 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 spoke with them, saying: ‘Thus saith the whole congregation of יְהוָה - the LORD: What treachery is this
that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from
following יְהוָה - the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, to rebel this day against יְהוָה - the LORD? Is
the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we
have not cleansed ourselves unto this day, although there came a plague upon
the congregation of יְהוָה - the LORD, that
ye must turn away this day from following יְהוָה - the LORD? and
it will be, seeing ye rebel to-day against יְהוָה - the LORD, that to-morrow He will
be wroth with the whole congregation of
Explanation Verses 15-20: The delegation accuses the two and a half tribes of treachery. They
cite the sin of Peor and the sin of Achan, reminding them that the rebellion of a few can bring
Divine wrath upon the entire community. They even offer to share their own land
in
Verses 21-23: Then the children of Reuben
and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke unto
the heads of the thousands of Israel: ‘אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim, אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim, יְהוָה - the LORD, - Elohim, אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim, יְהוָה - the LORD, He knoweth, and Israel
he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in treachery against יְהוָה - the LORD save Thou us not this day that we have built us an altar to turn away from following יְהוָה - the LORD; or if to offer thereon
burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings
thereon, let יְהוָה - the LORD Himself require it;
Explanation Verses 21-23: The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh respond with a powerful
oath, invoking the Names of the Almighty: “The Mighty One, אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, the Eternal!”
They declare that if they built the altar for burnt offerings or sacrifices in
rebellion against אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, they should
not be spared.
Verses 24-29: and if we have not rather
out of anxiety about a matter done this, saying: In time to come your children
might speak unto our children, saying: What have ye to do with יְהוָה - the LORD, the אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim of
Explanation Verses 24-29: They explain their true motivation: fear of the future. They
worried that in generations to come, the western tribes might claim the
Verses 30-31: And when Phinehas
the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the
thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of
Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them
well. 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 know that יְהוָה - the LORD is in the midst of us,
because ye have not committed this treachery against יְהוָה - the LORD; now have ye delivered
the children of Israel out of the hand of יְהוָה - the LORD’.
Explanation Verses 30-31: Phinehas and the chiefs are satisfied
with this explanation. They recognise that the tribes have not committed a
trespass and conclude that the Divine Presence remains among
Verses 32-33: 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
Explanation Verses 32-33: The delegation returns to
Verse 34: And the children of Reuben
and the children of Gad called the altar: ‘for it is a witness between us that יְהוָה - the LORD is אֱלֹהִים- Elohim”.
Explanation Verse 34: The children of Reuben and Gad name the altar “Ed” (Witness),
declaring: “It is a witness between us that the Eternal is אֱלֹהִים - Elohim”.
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My Closing Message:
The resolution of the conflict in Joshua 22
teaches us that the unity of
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