⚔️ Joshua 22 — Key Summary: ๐ The Establishment of the Altar and the Problem of Its Name — Just Like Then and Now... ใ ใ
AI-generated image
In chapter 21, we saw that the distribution of the land of Canaan was completed according to the command of the Lord, without a single one of God's good promises failing to be fulfilled.
⚔️ The Main Point of Joshua 22
Joshua 22 begins with the expression:
“At that time...”
This takes us to the time when the distribution of the land of Canaan and the establishment of the cities of refuge had been completed.
Joshua calls the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh and says to them:
You have done everything that Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you.
You have also obeyed everything that I commanded you.
You have fulfilled your responsibility to the end.
Now that your brothers have received rest, return to your own land, the land you received as your possession, on the other side of the Jordan. (v. 4)
๐ Joshua's Blessing and Advice
Joshua praises their faithfulness and blesses them.
He then tells them that, after returning to their own land, they should continue to obey God's commandments and His Law, and love the Lord with all their heart.
The Division of the Spoils
They return to the land of Gilead carrying many possessions obtained during the wars of conquest:
livestock;
silver;
gold;
bronze;
iron;
clothing;
and many other spoils.
๐ A Great Altar Built Beside the Jordan
When the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh reached the Jordan region, on the side of the land of Canaan, they built a large altar beside the Jordan. (v. 10)
In the Hebrew text, we can also confirm that the three tribes are mentioned.
⚠️ Incomplete Information, a Misunderstanding, and the Absence of Joshua
The Israelites heard that:
“The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the border of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan, on the side belonging to the Israelites.” (v. 11)
When the Israelites heard this, the whole congregation gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them. (v. 12)
๐ Think about this:
“When the Israelites heard this, the whole congregation gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them.”
✔️ They sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, together with ten leaders, chiefs of the families of Israel, to confront and rebuke the tribes on the other side of the Jordan.
๐ The Misunderstanding Is Resolved — The True Purpose of the Altar
The tribes on the other side of the Jordan explain:
“We did this because of a concern and for a purpose.”
They were thinking about the future:
“In time to come, your descendants may say to our descendants, ‘What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?’” (v. 24)
That was why they built the altar.
But they make something very clear:
“It was not for burnt offering or sacrifice.” (v. 26)
Its purpose was to serve as a witness between them and their descendants:
“It is a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, so that your descendants may not say to our descendants, ‘You have no portion in the Lord.’” (v. 27)
The misunderstanding is then cleared up.
✔️ Phinehas the priest and the leaders of Israel heard the explanation of the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh and considered it good. (v. 30)
Thus, the situation ended without war.
AI-generated image
๐ Conclusion — 1
After the distribution of the land among their brothers in Canaan was completed, they were returning to their own tents, carrying many spoils and possessions.
It was during this journey that they built a great altar beside the Jordan.
๐ We cannot say with certainty whether the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh got the idea for this memorial after seeing the 12 stones set up at Gilgal, near Jericho.
But it is an interesting possibility to consider.
๐ And there is something even more interesting:
After the misunderstanding was resolved, the text says:
“And the thing pleased the people of Israel, and the people of Israel spoke no more of war against them, to destroy the land where the people of Reuben and the people of Gad were settled.”
๐ And here we find something curious: Manasseh is not mentioned in this sentence. ๐
✔️ In the case of the tribe of Manasseh, considering that they possessed territory on both sides of the Jordan, we can think that, from the beginning, it would have been difficult to imagine a war against the other tribes as though Manasseh were entirely on the other side.
Could this be one reason?
๐ In the final verse of the chapter, verse 34, Manasseh is also not mentioned.
The text says:
“And the people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Ed...” (v. 34)
Manasseh is also absent from this statement in the Hebrew text.
๐ Conclusion — 2
๐ The memorial of the 12 stones set up at Gilgal was built by the command of the Lord.
Its purpose was to explain to the children of Israel that:
the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan so that they could cross;
just as He had done with the Red Sea;
so that all the peoples of the earth would know that the hand of the Lord is mighty;
and so that the Israelites would continually fear the Lord their God.
๐ But the great altar beside the Jordan was built on their own initiative.
Its purpose was:
to show that they were all brothers before God;
to demonstrate that they also belonged to the people who worshiped and feared the Lord;
to serve as a witness for future generations.
✔️ When God gives a command, no one can argue against it.
But when people create a memorial on their own initiative, we can see that different thoughts and opinions may arise among them.
๐ And here we find something very interesting:
In verse 33, Manasseh is not mentioned in the reaction to the altar.
In verse 34, only the descendants of Reuben and Gad are mentioned as those who gave the altar the name Ed.
✔️ This allows us to consider the possibility that Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh may not have had exactly the same thoughts about building the altar or even about its name. ๐
The text does not state this directly, but it is an interesting observation when we pay attention to the names that appear—and those that do not.
๐ And Then Comes a Comparison With Today...
It is remarkable how this situation can be compared with something that still happens today.
When a church is established, discussions can also arise concerning:
the establishment of the church;
how it should operate;
and even what name it should have.
๐ Yesterday or today, the establishment and naming of an institution can end up creating exactly the same kind of problem.
It is a truly interesting situation to observe in the biblical text.
๐ Once again, the Bible presents an ancient story that, surprisingly, seems very familiar to our own time.
AI-generated image
๋๊ธ
๋๊ธ ์ฐ๊ธฐ