The Eastern Tribes' Altar of Witness

Joshua 22

10 And when they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan - a great, impressive altar. 11 Now the children of Israel k heard someone say, "Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the 1 frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan - on the children of Israel's side." 12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, l the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 Then the children of Israel m sent n Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, 14 and with him ten rulers, one ruler each from the chief house of every tribe of Israel; and o each one was the head of the house of his father among the 2 divisions of Israel. 15 Then they came to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16 "Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD: 'What p treachery 3 is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that you have built for yourselves an altar, q that you might rebel this day against the LORD? 17 'Is the iniquity r of Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed till this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD, 18 'but that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? And it shall be, if you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow s He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 4 'Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then cross over to the land of the possession of the LORD, t where the LORD's tabernacle stands, and take possession among us; but do not rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God. 20 u 'Did not Achan the son of Zerah 5 commit a trespass in the 6 accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.' "

21 Then the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the 7 divisions of Israel: 22 "The LORD v God of gods, the LORD God of gods, He w knows, and let Israel itself know - if it is in rebellion, or if in treachery against the LORD, do not save us this day. 23 "If we have built ourselves an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer on it burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings on it, let the LORD Himself x require an account. 24 "But in fact we have done it 8 for fear, for a reason, saying, 'In time to come your descendants may speak to our descendants, saying, "What have you to do with the LORD God of Israel? 25 "For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between you and us, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no part in the LORD." So your descendants would make our descendants cease fearing the LORD.' 26 "Therefore we said, 'Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice, 27 'but that it may be y a 9 witness between you and us and our generations after us, that we may z perform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, "You have no part in the LORD." ' 28 "Therefore we said that it will be, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, 'Here is the replica of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between you and us.' 29 "Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn from following the LORD this day, a to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD our God which is before His tabernacle."

30 Now when Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregation, the heads of the 10 divisions of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. 31 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh, "This day we perceive that the LORD is b among us, because you have not committed this treachery against the LORD. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD."

32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought back word to them. 33 So the thing pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israel c blessed God; they spoke no more of going against them in battle, to destroy the land where the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. 34 The children of Reuben and the children of 11 Gad called the altar, Witness, "For it is a witness between us that the LORD is God."

  1. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:12 - 18
    If you hear someone in one of your cities, which the LORD your God gives you to dwell in, saying.
    Judges 20:12
    Then the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?
    Judges 20:13
    Now therefore, deliver up the men, the perverted men who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove the evil from Israel!" But the children of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 18:1
    Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.
    Judges 20:1
    So all the children of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, as well as from the land of Gilead, and the congregation gathered together as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
  3. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:14
    Then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you.
    Judges 20:12
    Then the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 6:25
    Eleazar, Aaron's son, took for himself one of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites according to their families.
    Numbers 25:7
    Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand.
    Numbers 25:11 - 13
    Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal.
  5. Cross References
    Numbers 1:4
    And with you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one the head of his father's house.
  6. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:5 - 14
    But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.
  7. Cross References
    Leviticus 17:8
    Also you shall say to them: 'Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice.
    Leviticus 17:9
    And does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to offer it to the LORD, that man shall be cut off from among his people.
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 25:1 - 9
    Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.
    Deuteronomy 4:3
    Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal Peor; for the LORD your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor.
  9. Cross References
    Numbers 16:22
    Then they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?
  10. Cross References
    Joshua 18:1
    Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.
  11. Cross References
    Joshua 7:1 - 26
    But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.
  12. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:35
    To you it was shown, that you might know that t...
    Deuteronomy 10:17
    For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord o...
    Isaiah 44:8
    Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you...
    Isaiah 45:5
    I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is ...
    Isaiah 46:9
    Remember the former things of old, For I am God...
    1 Corinthians 8:5
    For even if there are so-called gods, whether i...
    1 Corinthians 8:6
    Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of who...
  13. Cross References
    Job 10:7
    Although You know that I am not wicked, And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
    Job 23:10
    But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
    Jeremiah 12:3
    But You, O LORD, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, And prepare them for the day of slaughter.
    2 Corinthians 11:11
    Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
    2 Corinthians 11:31
    The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
  14. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 18:19
    And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
    1 Samuel 20:16
    So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "Let the LORD require it at the hand of David's enemies.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 31:48
    And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore its name was called Galeed.
    Joshua 22:34
    The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar, Witness, "For it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.
    Joshua 24:27
    And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God.
  16. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:5
    But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.
    Deuteronomy 12:14
    But in the place which the LORD chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:13
    Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see.
    Deuteronomy 12:14
    But in the place which the LORD chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
  18. Cross References
    Exodus 25:8
    And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
    Leviticus 26:11
    I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you.
    Leviticus 26:12
    I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.
    2 Chronicles 15:2
    And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
    Zechariah 8:23
    "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." '"
  19. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 29:20
    Then David said to all the assembly, "Now bless the LORD your God." So all the assembly blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king.
    Nehemiah 8:6
    And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. Then all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
    Daniel 2:19
    Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
    Luke 2:28
    He took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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