Yehoshua (Joshua) 22
22
1Then Yehoshua called for the Re’uḇĕnites, and the Gaḏites, and half the tribe of Menashsheh,
2and said to them, “You, you have guarded all that Mosheh the servant of יהוה commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.
3“You have not left your brothers these many days, up to this day, but have guarded the Charge, the command of יהוה your Elohim.
4“And now יהוה your Elohim has given rest to your brothers, as He promised them. So now, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Mosheh the servant of יהוה gave you beyond the Yardĕn.
5“Only, diligently guard to do the command and the Torah which Mosheh the servant of יהוה commanded you, to love יהוה your Elohim, and to walk in all His ways, and to guard His commands, and to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your being.”
6And Yehoshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
7And to half the tribe of Menashsheh Mosheh had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half of it Yehoshua gave land among their brothers beyond the Yardĕn, westward. So when Yehoshua sent them away to their tents, he also blessed them,
8and spoke to them, saying, “Return to your tents with great riches, and with very much livestock, and with silver, and with gold, and with bronze, and with iron, and with countless garments. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.”
9And the children of Re’uḇĕn, and the children of Gaḏ, and half the tribe of Menashsheh returned, and left the children of Yisra’ĕl at Shiloh, which is in the land of Kena‛an, to go to the land of Gil‛aḏ, to the land of their possession, which they possessed according to the mouth of יהוה by the hand of Mosheh.
10And they came to the districts of the Yardĕn which is in the land of Kena‛an, and the children of Re’uḇĕn, and the children of Gaḏ, and half the tribe of Menashsheh built a slaughter-place there by the Yardĕn, a great conspicuous slaughter-place.
11And the children of Yisra’ĕl heard it said, “See, the children of Re’uḇĕn, and the children of Gaḏ, and half the tribe of Menashsheh have built a slaughter-place opposite the land of Kena‛an, in the districts of the Yardĕn, at the border of the children of Yisra’ĕl.”
12And when the children of Yisra’ĕl heard, all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl assembled at Shiloh to go to fight against them.
13So the children of Yisra’ĕl sent Pineḥas son of El‛azar the priest to the children of Re’uḇĕn, and to the children of Gaḏ, and to half the tribe of Menashsheh, into the land of Gil‛aḏ,
14and ten rulers with him, one ruler each from the chief house of every tribe of Yisra’ĕl. And each one was the head of the house of his father among the divisions of Yisra’ĕl.
15And they came to the children of Re’uḇĕn and to the children of Gaḏ, and to half the tribe of Menashsheh, to the land of Gil‛aḏ, and spoke with them, saying,
16“Thus says all the congregation of יהוה, ‘What is this trespass you have committed against the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, to turn away this day from following יהוה, in that you have built for yourselves a slaughter-place, to rebel against יהוה this day?
17Is the crookedness of Pe‛or not enough for us, from which we have not been cleansed till this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of יהוה,
18that you turn away today from following יהוה? And it shall be, if you rebel today against יהוה, that tomorrow He is wroth with all the congregation of Yisra’ĕl.
19And indeed, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of יהוה, where the Dwelling Place of יהוה dwells, and take possession among us. But do not rebel against יהוה, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves a slaughter-place besides the slaughter-place of יהוה our Elohim.
20Did not Aḵan son of Zeraḥ commit a trespass in that which is under the ban, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Yisra’ĕl? And he was not the only one to die in his crookedness.’ ”
21Then the children of Re’uḇĕn, and the children of Gaḏ, and half the tribe of Menashsheh answered and said to the heads of the divisions of Yisra’ĕl,
22"Ěl Elohim יהוה, Ěl Elohim יהוה, He knows, and let Yisra’ĕl itself know. If this has been in rebellion, or if in trespass against יהוה, do not save us this day.
23“If we have built ourselves a slaughter-place to turn from following יהוה, or if to offer ascending offerings or grain offerings on it, or if to make slaughterings of peace offerings on it, let יהוה Himself require it.
24“But truly, from fear, for a reason we did this, saying, ‘In time to come your sons might speak to our sons, saying, “What have you to do with יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl?
25“For יהוה has made the Yardĕn a border between you and us, you children of Re’uḇĕn and children of Gaḏ. You have no portion with יהוה.” So your sons would make our sons stop fearing יהוה.’
26“So we said, ‘Let us now prepare to build ourselves a slaughter-place, not for ascending offering nor for slaughtering,
27but to be a witness between you and us and our generations after us, to do the service of יהוה before Him with our ascending offerings, with our slaughterings, and with our peace offerings, that your sons should not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no portion with יהוה.” ’
28“So we said that it shall be, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, ‘See the pattern of the slaughter-place of יהוה which our fathers made, though not for ascending offerings nor for slaughterings, but it is a witness between you and us.’
29“Far be it from us to rebel against יהוה, and to turn from following יהוה this day, to build a slaughter-place for ascending offerings, for grain offerings, or for slaughterings, besides the slaughter-place of יהוה our Elohim which is before His Dwelling Place.”
30And Pineḥas the priest and the rulers of the congregation, and the heads of the thousands of Yisra’ĕl who were with him, heard the words that the children of Re’uḇĕn, and the children of Gaḏ, and the children of Menashsheh spoke, and it was good in their eyes.
31And Pineḥas son of El‛azar the priest said to the children of Re’uḇĕn, and to the children of Gaḏ, and to the children of Menashsheh, “Today we know that יהוה is in our midst, because you have not committed against יהוה this trespass. Now you have delivered the children of Yisra’ĕl out of the hand of יהוה.”
32And Pineḥas son of El‛azar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the children of Re’uḇĕn and the children of Gaḏ, from the land of Gil‛aḏ to the land of Kena‛an, to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and brought back word to them.
33So the matter was good in the eyes of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the children of Yisra’ĕl blessed Elohim. And they spoke no more of going against to fight, to destroy the land where the children of Re’uḇĕn and Gaḏ dwelt.
34And the children of Re’uḇĕn and the children of Gaḏ called the slaughter-place, “A witness between us that יהוה is Elohim.”
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Yehoshua (Joshua) 22: TS2009
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Joshua 22
22
1Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 2and 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: 3ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 4And 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. 5But 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. 6So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.
7Now 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, 8and 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. 9And 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.
Altar of Witness
10And 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. 11And 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. 12And 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.
13And 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, 14and 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. 15And 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, 16Thus 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? 17Is 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, 18but 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. 19Notwithstanding, 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 LORD our God. 20Did 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.
21Then 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, 22the 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,) 23that 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; 24and 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? 25For 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. 26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 27but 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 the LORD. 28Therefore 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. 29God 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.
30And 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. 31And 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 of the hand of the LORD. 32And 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 land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 33And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. 34And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.
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