Joshua 22:13-34 ▼

13 And the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest,

14 and ten leaders with him, one leader, one leader from the house of a father of every tribe of Israel; and each one was the head of the house of his father among the divisions of Israel.

15 And they came to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,

16 “Thus says the whole congregation of YHWH: ‘What is this treachery that you? have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following YHWH, in that you? have built for yourselves an altar, that you? might rebel this day against YHWH?

17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day? And there was a plague in the congregation of YHWH.

18 And you? turn away this day from following YHWH? And if it comes to pass that you? rebel today against YHWH, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 And nevertheless, if the land of your? possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of YHWH, where the tabernacle of YHWH stands, and take possession in our midst. And against YHWH do not rebel, and against us do not rebel, by building for yourselves an altar besides the altar of YHWH our God.

20 Did not Achan son of Zerah act unfaithfully—an unfaithfulness—with the devoted thing, so that wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And not only he, one man, perished in his iniquity.’”

21 And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel,

22 “God of gods—YHWH, God of gods—YHWH, He knows, and Israel He does know. If it is in rebellion or if in treachery against YHWH, do not save us this day!

23 If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn from following YHWH, or if to offer on it burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer on it peace offerings, YHWH Himself will require it.

24 And nevertheless, we have done it from fear of this thing, saying, hereafter your? sons may speak to our seed, saying, ‘And what have you? to do with YHWH, God of Israel?

25 For YHWH a border has given between us and between you?, sons of Reuben and sons of Gad—the Jordan. To you? is no portion in YHWH.’ And your? sons would make our sons cease from fearing YHWH.

26 And we said, ‘Let us now prepare ourselves to build the altar—not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice—

27 but that a witness it may be between us and between you? and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of YHWH before Him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings,’ that your? sons may not say hereafter to our sons, ‘To you? is no portion in YHWH.’

28 And we said, ‘And it will come to pass, when they say this to us or to our generations hereafter, that we may say: Here is the replica of the altar of YHWH, which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices, but a witness it is between us and between you?.’

29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against YHWH and turn this day from following YHWH to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, and for sacrifice, besides the altar of YHWH our God which is before His tabernacle.”

30 And Phinehas the priest and the princes of the congregation and the heads of the divisions of Israel who were with him heard the words that the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the sons of Manasseh, spoke, and it pleased them.

31 And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the sons of Manasseh, “This day we perceive that YHWH is in our midst, because you? have not committed this treachery against YHWH. Therefore, you? have delivered the sons of Israel out of the hand of YHWH.”

32 And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad, from the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and they brought back to them word.

33 And the word was pleasing in the eyes of the sons of Israel; and the sons of Israel blessed God, and they spoke no more of going against them in battle to destroy the land that the sons of Reuben and of Gad were dwelling in.

34 And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad proclaimed of the altar that, “It is a witness between us that YHWH is God.”