Context No. 3539 of 4322 · Joshua

Joshua 22:6-20: in context

6So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents. 7Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but Joshua gave to the other half among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the plunder of your enemies with your brothers.” 9The children of Reuben and the children of Gad 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 possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses. 10When they came to the region near the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a great altar to look at. 11The children of Israel heard this, “Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar along the border of the land of Canaan, in the region around the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the children of Israel.” 12When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war. 13The children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest. 14With him were ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were each head of their fathers’ houses among the thousands of Israel. 15They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16“The whole congregation of the LORD says, ‘What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away today from following the LORD, in that you have built yourselves an altar, to rebel today against the LORD? 17Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of the LORD, 18that you must turn away today from following the LORD? It will be, since you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of the LORD, in which the LORD’s tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us; but don’t rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than the LORD our God’s altar. 20Didn’t Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity.’”

When the eastern tribes build a large altar by the Jordan on their way home, the rest of Israel jumps to a fearful conclusion, that their brothers are rebelling against God, and they gather for war. But before attacking, they do a wise thing: they send a delegation, led by Phinehas, to confront and question them first.

And, as the next verses reveal, the whole thing was a misunderstanding. The altar was not for rival worship but a memorial, a witness that the eastern tribes truly shared in the LORD. There are two lessons here. Zeal for God can be misdirected into false accusation when we assume the worst about others without first seeking to understand. And the right response to a suspected wrong is not an immediate attack but honest conversation, going and asking before condemning. Israel was right to care deeply about faithfulness to God, yet nearly went to war over a misunderstanding that a single honest conversation cleared up completely.

When I suspect another of wrong, do I go and ask honestly before condemning, rather than assuming the worst and rushing to accuse?

Sources

Joshua 22:16: "What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away today from following the LORD... to rebel today against the LORD?"
Joshua 22:19: "But don't rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than the LORD our God's altar."
Proverbs 18:13: "He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him."