_JOSHUA DISMISSETH THE TWO TRIBES AND A HALF. THEY BUILD AN ALTAR OF TESTIMONY ON THE BANKS OF JORDAN; THE PURPOSE OF WHICH, BEING MISTAKEN BY THE OTHER TRIBES, IS SATISFACTORILY CLEARED UP._ _Before Christ 1444._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 1-4. _THEN JOSHUA CALLED THE REUBENITES,_ &C.— The war against the Canaanites being happily concluded, the conquered country divided, and the priests and people settled in the peaceable possession of the cities which had been assigned them; Joshua thought it was just to dismiss the 40,000 men... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 7. _NOW TO THE ONE HALF OF THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH MOSES HAD GIVEN,_ &C.— These words seem to be here inserted, 1. Merely by way of parenthesis, and as it were to bring back to the reader's view the present state of the tribe of Manasseh settled as well as the other on this side of the Jordan.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 8. _RETURN WITH MUCH RICHES, &C. AND—DIVIDE THE SPOIL—WITH YOUR BRETHREN_— Nothing could be more just than this command; for, notwithstanding those who remained beyond Jordan had not shared in the dangers of the war, like those who had gone through it; yet they had during that period watched... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 10. _AND WHEN THEY CAME UNTO THE BORDERS OF JORDAN, THAT ARE IN THE LAND OF CANAAN_— From the first reading of these words, one would conceive that the sacred writer means to say, that the Israelites built the altar, of which he proceeds to speak, on this side Jordan, before they had repassed... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 11. _AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,_ &C.— That is, those who were in the land of Canaan to the west of Jordan. This is a proof of the observation we just now made, that there are many things to be supplied in this narration; for the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, were no less _... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 12. _AND—THE WHOLE CONGREGATION—GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER AT SHILOH_— That is, the elders and princes of the tribes came from their several cities thither to consult what, in consequence of this step of the two tribes and a half, was necessary to be done. On the first advice of the erectio... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 17. _IS THE INIQUITY OF PEOR TOO LITTLE FOR US,_ &C.— "Were not the abominable transgressions of which ye were guilty, respecting the idol of Peor, enough; and was it necessary, by adding sin to sin, to draw down fresh evils upon the nation, and shew yourselves to be so imperfectly cleansed,... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 19. _NOTWITHSTANDING, IF THE LAND OF YOUR POSSESSION BE UNCLEAN_— This fully justifies the piety, disinterestedness, and benevolent intentions of Phinehas: he even himself seeks out some plausible pretence for the step against which he inveighs. He supposes, that the Israelites beyond the riv... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 21, 22. _THEN THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN, &C.—ANSWERED—THE LORD GOD OF GODS,_ &C.— No sooner had Phinehas ended his discourse, than the president of the congregation of the two tribes and a half, to remove the suspicions that had been entertained of their faith, takes up the conference, and begin... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 23-25. _WHAT HAVE YE TO DO WITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL?_ &C.— Not satisfied with justifying themselves from the crime imputed to them, of having dared to erect a new altar, to rival, as it were, the holy altar: not content with having submitted in that case to whatever the most formidable jud... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 29. _GOD FORBID THAT WE SHOULD REBEL AGAINST THE LORD,_ &C.— They conclude, as they began, by protesting in the most sacred manner before God, that they have an utter abhorrence of the very idea, of the least tendency to rebellion _against Jehovah;_ or, as the Chaldee paraphrase, both here an... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 31. _THIS DAY WE PERCEIVE THAT THE LORD IS AMONG US, BECAUSE,_ &C.— Rejoiced to find by the answer of their brethren, that they were perfectly innocent, Phinehas and his associates think it their duty to acknowledge that God was among them; that they had done nothing unworthy of his protectio... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 33. _DID NOT INTEND TO GO UP_— Or, _Talked no more of going up._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 34. _AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN, AND—GAD, CALLED THE ALTAR ED_— The word עד _ad,_ is evidently wanting in the Hebrew, which only says _the children of Reuben,_ &c. _called the altar; for it is,_ or _shall be_ OD, i.e. a witness _between us, that Jehovah is God;_ or as the LXX very well transl... [ Continue Reading ]