JOSHUA—NOTE ON JOSHUA 22:1 Serving the Lord in the Land. In this final section, with the Lord having fulfilled all his “good promises” (Joshua 21:45), it is now Israel’s turn to respond. In his old age, Joshua charges the people to unite and serve the Lord alone. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElem... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSHUA—NOTE ON JOSHUA 22:8 DIVIDE THE SPOIL... WITH YOUR BROTHERS. The spoils of victory are regarded as gifts from the Lord. They are to be shared with allies, or covenant partners, regardless of their actual role in the conflict (see Numbers 31:25; 1 Samuel 30:24). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.get... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSHUA—NOTE ON JOSHUA 22:10 As they returned to their homes east of the Jordan, the eastern tribes built an ALTAR OF IMPOSING SIZE, apparently on the western shore of the Jordan (ON THE SIDE THAT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL) but large enough to be seen from either side. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = docum... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSHUA—NOTE ON JOSHUA 22:13 Fearing that the altar means the eastern tribes have strayed from following God, the tribes west of the Jordan send a group to confront them. PHINEHAS THE SON OF ELEAZAR. See Numbers 25:1. Given its communal responsibility, all Israel can suffer for the sins of a few or e... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSHUA—NOTE ON JOSHUA 22:21 The group from the western tribes is relieved that the altar built by the eastern tribes is only a COPY OF THE ALTAR OF THE LORD (v. Joshua 22:28). It is not intended to rival the altar at Shiloh. It is only to serve as a WITNESS (v. Joshua 22:28), a visible monument to c... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSHUA—NOTE ON JOSHUA 22:34 CALLED THE ALTAR WITNESS. This sixth monument in the land (see note on 4:20) bears witness to the unity of the Israelite tribes on both sides of the Jordan. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]