Holy Bible
(King James Version)
Joshua
Chapter 22
1. THEN Joshua called the
Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Ma-nas-seh,
2. And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the
LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded
you:
3. Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but
have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.
4. And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he
promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and
unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD
gave you on the other side Jordan.
5. But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses
the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to
walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto
him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
6. So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their
tents.
7. Now to the one half of the tribe of Ma-nas-seh Moses had given
possession in Ba-shan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among
their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent
them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them.
8. And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your
tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with
brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of
your enemies with your brethren.
9. And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe
of Ma-nas-seh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of
Shiloh, which is in the land of Ca-na-an, to go unto the country of
Gil-e-ad, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed,
according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
10. And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land
of Ca-na-an, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half
tribe of Ma-nas-seh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see
to.
11. And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben
and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Ma-nas-seh have built an
altar over against the land of Ca-na-an, in the borders of Jordan, at
the passage of the children of Israel.
12. And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation
of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go
up to war against them.
13. And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to
the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Ma-nas-seh, into the land
of Gil-e-ad, Phin-e-has the son of El-e-a-zar the priest,
14. And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout
all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their
fathers among the thousands of Israel.
15. And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of
Gad, and to the half tribe of Ma-nas-seh, unto the land of Gil-e-ad, and
they spake with them saying,
16. Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this
that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day
from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye
might rebel this day against the LORD?
17. Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not
cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation
0f the LORD,
18. But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it
will be, seeing ye rebel today against the LORD, that to-mor-row he will
be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
19. Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then
pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the
LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not
against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside
the altar of the LORD our God.
20. Did not A-chan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed
thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man
perished not alone in his iniquity.
21. Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half
tribe of Ma-nas-seh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands
of Israel,
22. The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel
he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the
LORD, (save us not this day,)
23. That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or
if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer
peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it;
24. And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In
time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What
have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?
25. For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye
children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so
shall your children make our children cease for fearing the LORD.
26. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for
burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
27. But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our
generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before
him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our
peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time
to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.
28. Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us
or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the
pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt
offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
29. God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day
from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat
offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that
is before his tabernacle.
30. And when Phin-e-has the priest, and the princes of the congregation
and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the
words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the
children of Ma-nas-seh spake, it pleased them.
31. And Phin-e-has the son of El-e-a-zar the priest said unto the
children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of
Ma-nas-seh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye
have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered
the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.
32. And Phin-e-has the son of El-e-a-zar the priest, and the princes,
returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out
of the land of Gil-e-ad, unto the land of Ca-na-an, to the children of
Israel, and brought them word again.
33. And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of
Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle,
to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of
Gad dwelt.
34. And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar
Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.
Mar.
26 Daily reading schedule.. go to chapter 23
|
Art by: Penny Parker. Visit her site HERE
|