Joshua Chapter 22

This chapter is about the eastern tribes returning home. This is pretty much the Reubenites, Gadites, & the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh being done with their military service for the Israelite nation. Joshua releases them from their military service & lets them go back to the other side of the River Jordan. Since they cried so much about it. Let’s get into it, friends. Enjoy.

Joshua calls upon the tribes of Reuben, Gad, & the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh. He tells them, “Look y’all. You’ve done what Moses told y’all to do. You’ve done everything that I’ve asked you to do, too. From then until now, you guys haven’t deserted the other Israelites. But y’all carried out the mission God set out before you. We’re done being at war. Go to where you’ve made your home. But be careful to keep God’s commandments since y’all ain’t gonna be with the rest of us.”

Joshua blesses them & sends them on their way. They went to their homes on the other side of the Jordan River. So the Reubenites, Gadites, & the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh left the rest of the Israelites at Shiloh in Canaan. When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan River in Canaan, the 2 1/2 tribes built an imposing altar by the Jordan River. When the rest of the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan River, they came to see.

The other 9 1/2 tribes were super mad. They wanted to go to war with them. So the Israelites sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazer the priest, to the Gadites, Reubenites, & 1/2 tribe of Manasseh. Phinehas went with 10 chosen men from the other tribes.

When they got there, they said, “Look, guys. What are you doing? Everyone’s asking why you’ve all broken faith with God. Wasn’t the sin of Peor enough for us? We still haven’t cleansed ourselves from that particular sin. Even though we’ve already paid the price for it. Are y’all turning from God?”

They keep talking smack for 10 more verses, without letting them explain why they built the altar in the first place. So when they FINALLY shut up & let them talk, they find out why they built the altar. They were happy to hear it. They kinda apologized that they jumped the gun.

Phinehas & his posse return to Canaan, after meeting with these 2 1/2 tribes that lived on the other side of the Jordan. The Israelites were cool with Phinehas’ report of what happened. They didn’t talk anymore about starting a Jew-on-Jew civil war.

They even gave this altar a name. The Reubenites & Gadites named it: A Witness Between Us that the Lord is God.