Joshua 22:1-16 ▼

1 THEN Joshua called the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh,

2 And said to them, You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you;

3 You have not deserted your brethren these many days even to this time, but have kept the commandments of the LORD your God.

4 And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brethren, as he promised them; therefore now return, and go to your towns and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan to the east.

5 But only take diligent heed to observe the commandments and the laws which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, to keep his commandments, and to cleave to 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 to their towns.

7 Now to the half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given an inheritance in Mathnin; but to the other half thereof Joshua had given an inheritance among their brethren on this side of the Jordan to the west. And when Joshua sent them away to their towns, he blessed them;

8 And he spoke to them, saying, Return to your towns and to the land of your inheritance with much wealth and with very many cattle, with silver, with gold, with brass, with iron, and with very much clothing; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.

9 So the Reubenites and the Gadites 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 to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possessions, in which they were given an inheritance, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

10 And when they came to Gilgal, which is by the side of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a large and remarkable altar.

11 And the children of Israel heard it said, Behold, the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the border of the land of Canaan, in Gilgal which is by the side of the Jordan, in the land of the children of Israel.

12 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 And the children of Israel sent to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

14 And with him ten princes, one prince from every tribe of Israel; and these men were chiefs of the armies of Israel.

15 And they came to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying.

16 Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, What treachery is this which you have committed against the God of Israel, in turning away from following the LORD, in that you have builded yourselves an altar, that you might abandon the worship of the LORD?