Joshua 22:1-9

The Dismissal of the Eastern Tribes Joshua 22:1-9

Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
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:
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.
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.
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.
6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.
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,
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.
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.

1.

When were the eastern tribes dismissed? Joshua 22:1

The eastern tribes were summoned to accompany Joshua across the Jordan as he made his plans for the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 1:12 ff.). Since this summons began the account of the war, their dismissal might be considered a proper conclusion to the history of the conquest. Some suppose these auxiliaries were sent back home immediately after the conquest was concluded. If such be the case, the account of their returning east of the Jordan is not in its proper place in the text, It may seem only natural for the history of the conquest itself to be completed fully before any other narratives were introduced; but since the eastern tribes were dismissed from Shiloh and the tribes assembled there for the first time during the casting of the lots for the land, the dismissal of the eastern tribes probably did not occur until after lots had been cast. When the other tribes had received land assigned to them, the eastern tribes were allowed to return to their inheritance east of the Jordan. The narrative is doubtless in chronological order.

2.

What did Moses command them to do? Joshua 22:2

Moses misunderstood the three tribes-' reason for asking to settle east of the Jordan. He thought that they were afraid to go into Canaan. Such a fear would have been similar to the one which swept over Israel at Kadesh-Barnea after the sending of the twelve spies (Numbers 13). The eastern tribes explained that they were not afraid to go into Canaan. They were willing to go and to help conquer the land. They only requested to be allowed to settle east of the Jordan when the conquest was concluded. When Moses heard them say they would go and fight, he said they would be free to return home to the territory east of the Jordan. These tribes had done this, and so they were allowed to go to their portions of land.

3.

Where did these tribes get their riches? Joshua 22:8

As Joshua blessed the tribes, he said, Return with much riches. They had cattle, silver, gold, brass, iron, and very much raiment. It is finally described as spoil. This spoil would have come to the tribes as they conquered the many cities in Canaan. They were allowed to take spoil of every city except from the city of Jericho. This city with all of its goods was dedicated to the Lord as the firstfruits of the land of Canaan. After Jericho fell, Israel was free to take spoil from every other city. The eastern tribes received a portion of this booty, and they were allowed to take it home to their possession.