Joshua 22:11-27

¹¹And the sons of Israel hear, saying, 'Lo, the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, have built the altar over-against the land of Canaan, on the districts of the Jordan, at the passage of the sons of Israel.'

¹²And the sons of Israel hear, and all the company of the sons of Israel is assembled at Shiloh, to go up against them to war;

¹³and the sons of Israel send unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the half of the tribe of Manasseh — unto the land of Gilead — Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest,

¹⁴and ten princes with him, one prince, one prince, for a house of a father, for all the tribes of Israel, and each of them a head of a house of their fathers, for the thousands of Israel.

¹⁵And they come in unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the half of the tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and speak with them, saying,

¹⁶'Thus said all the company of Jehovah, What is this trespass which ye have trespassed against the God of Israel, to turn back to-day from after Jehovah, by your building for you an altar, for your rebelling to-day against Jehovah?

¹⁷Is the iniquity of Peor little to us, from which we have not been cleansed till this day — and the plague is in the company of Jehovah,

¹⁸that ye turn back to-day from after Jehovah? and it hath been — ye rebel to-day against Jehovah — and to-morrow against all the company of Israel He is wroth.

¹⁹'And surely, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over for you unto the land of the possession of Jehovah, where the tabernacle of Jehovah hath tabernacled, and have possession in our midst; and against Jehovah rebel not, and against us rebel not, by your building for you an altar, besides the altar of Jehovah our God.

²⁰Did not Achan son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and on all the company of Israel there was wrath? and he alone expired not in his iniquity.'

²¹And the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, answer and speak with the heads of the thousands of Israel:

²²'The God of gods — Jehovah, the God of gods — Jehovah, He is knowing, and Israel, he doth know, if in rebellion, and if in trespass against Jehovah (Thou dost not save us this day!)

²³we are building for ourselves an altar to turn back from after Jehovah, and if to cause to go up on it burnt-offering and present, and if to make on it peace-offerings — Jehovah Himself doth require it.

²⁴'And if not, from fear of this thing we have done it, saying, Hereafter your sons do speak to ours sons, saying, What to you and to Jehovah God of Israel?

²⁵for a border hath Jehovah put between us and you, O sons of Reuben, and sons of Gad — Jordan; ye have no portion in Jehovah — and your sons have caused our sons to cease, not to fear Jehovah.

²⁶'And we say, Pray let us prepare for ourselves to build the altar — not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice —

²⁷but a witness it is between us and you, and between our generations after us, to do the service of Jehovah before Him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings, and your sons do not say hereafter to our sons, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.