Joshua 22:18

The Altar of Witness · Joshua 22:9–34
Read Joshua 22

Translations

Modern
And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
Traditional
But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the Lord, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
Literal
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.
Latin
Et vos hodie reliquistis Dominum, et cras in universum Israël ira ejus desæviet.

Original

Hebrew
English
And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

Notes

The direct statements and questions of the group of ten chiefs guaranteed that God's anger did not fall on the nation because of rebellion, like Achan's incident or the event at Peor (7:1–15; Numbers 25).

Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built their own altar, which caused a conflict with the rest of Israel.

Joshua first said goodbye to the tribes east of the Jordan River when he sent them home. As usual, he urged them to remain loyal to God.

Theme notes and profiles

Joshua Altars

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Ammon, Ammonites Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Edh Gad, Tribe of Joshua, Book of Manasseh, Tribe of Phinehas Shiloh Tribe of Dan Witness, Altar of

Topics

Fear of God: The Nine and One-Half Tribes of Israel West of the Jordan River Government: Executive officers of Tribes and Cities Haste in Judgment, by Moses and the Israelites Misjudgment of the Reubenites and Gadites Motive: Misunderstood: when They Built the Memorial Phinehas: Sent Prudence: The Israelites, in the Threatened War with the Two and One-Half Tribes Rebellion Against God: Exhibited in Departing from his Instituted Worship Religious Zeal in Punishing Evil People: Israelites Reproof: Faithfulness in Israelites, of the Two and One-Half Tribes Reubenites: Unite with the Other Tribes in Building a Monument the Tribe of Gad: Assisted in Building the Altar of Witness Which Excited The the Tribe of Reuben: Assisted in Building the Altar of Witness Which offended The Uncharitableness: The Tribes West of the Jordan River Toward the Two and a Half Tribes War: Averted War: Counsels of