Matthew Poole and continuators on Joshua 22

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.

i. e. For divers years together, so long as the War lasted. See Jos. 11. 18. and 14. 10.

4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get ye unto your tents , and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

i. e. To your settled habitations, as appears from v. 8. which are oft called Tents, as Iudg. 19. 9. 2 Sam. 18. 17. Hos. 9. 6. Mal. 2. 12.

Marginal references: Numb. 32. [illegible: 1 word]. Chap. 13. [illegible: 1+ letters].

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 cleaye unto him, and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul .

Watch over your selves and all your actions.

Two words expressing the same thing, the Law of Commandments delivered by Moses.

With the whole strength of your Minds, and Wills, and Affections.

Marginal references: Deut. 10. 12.

8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattel, 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 .

i. e. With them who stay'd beyond Iordan for the defence of their Land, and Wives, and Children, who therefore were to have a share, though not an equal share with these. See Numb. 31. 27. But for them, 1 Sam. 30. 24. their share was equal, because their danger was equal.

10 ¶ 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.

Or, then, as this Particle is elsewhere used; and so Learned Interpreters understand it, Psal. 14. 5. and 36. 12. Eccles. 3. 17. Hos. 2. 15. And in the Latin Tongue Adverbs of Place are sometimes put for Adverbs of Time: So I take it here. First, Because this best answers to the when in the beginning of the Verse. Secondly, This seems to me to clear a great difficulty as to the place where this Altar was built, which though according to our Translation it seems and is generally thought by Interpreters to have been in the Land of Canaan; yet if things be more narrowly examined, it may be thought to have been on the other side Iordan in Gilead; and that both, First, from v. 11. where it is said to have been built over against, or, in the sight of the land of Canaan, therefore not in it. And Secondly, From the reason they give for the building of this Altar, for fear lest the Israelites within Iordan, and in Canaan, should say unto their Children dwelling beyond Iordan, The Lord hath made Iordan a border between us and you, &c. Which jealousie would have been much confirmed by building the Altar in Canaan, but would be satisfied and confuted by having on the other side of Iordan, and in their own Land, a pattern of that Altar at which God was served in the Land of Canaan, as a Witness that they owned the same God, and the same way of Worship with their Brethren that lived in Canaan. But whether the Hebrew Particle be rendred then or there, it is not to be taken too strictly; if then, the meaning is not, that they did this as soon as ever they came to the borders of Iordan, that are in the land of Canaan; but about that time when they came to them, they thought and designed it, and as soon as ever they were got over Iordan, which was in a very little time, they effected and perfected it: if it be rendred there, it is not to be limited to the very same spot of ground mentioned before, as if it was built at that border of Iordan that was in the Land of Canaan; but to be a little more largely understood; to be built at one or other of the borders of Iordan; or in general, by Iordan: which is here purposely added, for the Explication of the Word there, and to prevent the restraint of it to the border of Iordan, within Canaan.

11 ¶ 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 .

Where they passed over Iordan, either at their first entrance into Canaan, or afterwards, and usually.

12 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 .

Not in their own persons, but by their Elders, who used to transact all Affairs of this kind in the name and stead of all the People.

As Apostates from God, according to Gods command in that case, Deut. 13. 13, &c.

16 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?

Who do and are resolved to cleave unto that God from whom you have revolted, and who speak this to you in the name of the Lord.

How heinous a crime is this!

i. e. so soon after God hath obliged you by such wonderful favours, and when God is now conducting you home to reap the fruits of all your pains and hazards.

With a design to revolt from, and rebel against God, and against his express command of worshipping him at one onely Altar, Exo. l. 20. 24. Levit. 17. 8, 9. Deut. 12. 5, 11, 13.

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)

i. e. Of our worshipping of Baal-Peor, Numb. 25.

For though God had pardoned it, as to the National Punishment of it, Numb. 25. 11. Yet they were not yet thorowly purged from it; partly because the shame and blot of that filthy and odious practise was not yet wiped of: and partly, because some of that corrupt leaven still remained among them, and though smothered for a time, yet was ready to break forth upon all occasions. See Ios. 24. 23. And God also took notice of these Idolatrous inclinations in particular persons, and found out ways to punish them one time or other.

Marginal references: Numb. 25. 4.

18 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 .

i. e. Suddenly, as that word is oft used, as Matt. 6. 30. 1 Cor. 15. 32.

With you for doing so, and with us for suffering, or not punishing it.

19 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 LORD our God.

If you apprehend it to be so for want of the Tabernacle and Altar there; as the following words imply: if you now repent of your former choice in preferring the worldly commodities of that Country before the advantage of Gods presence and favour, and more frequent opportunities of his Service.

We will readily resign part of our possessions to you for the prevention of this sin and mischief, wherein they shew great zeal for Gods honour, and great pity and charity to their Brethren.

For all the tribes were united in one Body Politick, and made one Commonwealth, and one Church; and each Tribe was subject to the Laws and Commands of the whole Society, and of the Chief Ruler or Rulers thereof; so its disobedience to their just commands was properly Rebellion against them.

20 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 ?

i. e. One of his Posterity, Ios. 7. 17, 18.

But brought destruction upon his whole Family, and part of our Forces sent against Ai.

Or, for his sin, of which see Ios. 7. 24.

Marginal references: Chap. 7. 1, 5.

21 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 ,

Either First properly, each was a Governour of a thousand: for there were among them divers Rulers, some of Tens, some of Hundreds, and some of Thousands; or rather, Secondly, improperly, and indefinitely, i. e. of the People of Israel, which consist of so many Thousands more than you, whose Authority therefore you owe a reverence to. For by comparing v. 14. these seem to be greater Persons than those that were Rulers of thousands.

22 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 ).

That Iehovah, whom we no less than you acknowledge and adore as the God of gods, infinitely superiour to all that are called Gods. The multiplying of his Titles, and the repetition of these words, shew their zeal and earnestness in this matter, and their abhorrency of the very thoughts of it.

To him we appeal who knoweth all things, and the truth of what we are now saying.

Not onely our present words, but our future and constant course shall satisfie all Israel of our perseverance in the true Religion.

If this have been done by us with such design, or in such a manner.

Thou, O Lord, to whom we have appealed, and without whom we cannot be saved or preserved, save us not from any of our Enemies, nor from the Sword of our Brethren. It is a sudden Apostrophe to God, usual in such vehement speeches.

23 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 .

i. e. Call us to an account and punish us for it, as that Phrase is oft used, as Deut. 18. 19. 1 Sam. 20. 16. Iob 10. 6. Psal. 10. 13.

24 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?

You have no relation to him, nor interest in him, or his Worship.

Marginal references: Heb. tomorrow.

25 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.

To shut you out of the Land of Promise, and consequently from the Covenant made between God and our fathers.

Nothing to do with him, no right to serve him or expect favour from him. See the like Phrase. 2 Sam. 20. 1. Ezra 4. 8. Ioh. 13. 3.

27 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 the LORD.

That we and ours may have and hold our Priviledge of serving and worshipping God; not upon this Altar, but in the place of Gods presence, in your Tabernacle, and upon your Altar.

Marginal references: Gen. 31. 48. Chap. 24. 27. vers. 34.

28 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 .

An exact representation and resemblance.

That we both serve one God, and approve and make use of one and the same Altar.

30 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 .

They were fully satisfied with this answer.

Marginal references: Heb. it was [illegible: 1 word] in their eyes.

31 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 of the hand of the LORD▪ .

By his gracious presence, and preventing goodness, in keeping you from so great an offence, and all of us from those dismal calamities that would have followed upon it.

i. e. From the Wrath and dreadful Judgments of God, by avoiding that Sin which would have involved both you and us in a most Bloody War; you have delivered us from the evils we feared. He that prevents an unexpected or approaching Disease or Mischief, doth as truly deliver a man from it, as he that cures or removes it after it hath been inflicted.

Marginal references: Heb. then

33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battel, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

As they were by the Law of God obliged to do, if they had been guilty and persisted therein, as afterwards they did the Tribe of Benjamin for the same reason.