Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, Ver. 1. _Then Joshua called the Reubenites._] That he might disband and dismiss them, with due commendation and remuneration, as became a noble general.... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 2. _Ye have kept all that Moses, &c._] Christ, the Captain of our salvation, shall in like sort set forth and celebrate the virtues and praise worthy pra... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 3. _Ye have not left your brethren these many days._] Seven years at least; some say more, even twice seven: which long absence from their own families, friends, and... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 5. _But take dil... [ Continue Reading ]
So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents. Ver. 6. _So Joshua blessed them._] That is, He besought God to bless them, and so took a friendly farewell of them: they had both his benediction and his valediction at parting. Courtesy may very well stand with piety, so i... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 7. _Then he blessed them._] See Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 8. _Return with much riches._] War is generally hatefu... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _Built there an altar._] After the pattern of that in the tabernacle, but... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _And the children of Israel heard say._] Fame... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 12. _To go up to war against them._] According to Deuteronomy 13:13, &c., so blessedly blown up were they with a zeal for God... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 13. _And the children of Israel sent._] As they had good reason, considering the mischief of civil war, w... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _Of each chief house._] Of the half tribe of Manasseh for one; which is here reckoned for a tribe, because the... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 15. _And they spake with them, saying._] _Cuncta prius tentanda … Omne bellum sumitur facile: caeterum agerrime desinit,_ saith S... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 16. _What trespass is this?_] Idolatry is... [ Continue Reading ]
__ 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,_ Ver. 17. _Is the iniqity of Peor too little for us?_] But that by heaping up sin to sin, we must needs heap up more wrath, and... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 18. _That tomorrow he will be wroth,_] _i.e., _ Ere long: punishment treadeth upon the heels of sin. _P... [ Continue Reading ]
_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... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 20. _Did not Achan, &c._] This is the true use of history, - to be warned by it: God therefore hangeth some malefactors up... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 21. _Answered, and said._] They did not bristle and set up the crest, but sought to give satisfaction to their offended brethren. It must be our ende... [ Continue Reading ]
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,) Ver. 22. _The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods._] This repetition is very emphatical and pathetical, expressing "their ca... [ Continue Reading ]
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]; Ver. 23. _Let the Lord himself require it._] So great is the confidence of a clear conscience. Gen 20:5... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 24. _And if we have not rather done it._] _In communionis symbolum:_ to a quite contrary purpose. The ten t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 25. _So shall your children, &c._] This their care of posterity's spiritual good, was very co... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: Ver. 26. _To build us an altar, not for burnt offering, &c._] This they often deny, and disclaim as a thing they abhorred. So John Baptist "confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the C... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 29. _God forbid that we._] As it is a folly to be hot... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 30. _It pleased them._] Heb., It was good in th... [ Continue Reading ]
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 o... [ Continue Reading ]