Josh. 22 The two tribes and half are sent home with, a blessing, strict charge to fear the Lord, and great booty, Josh. 22:1–9. They build an altar of testimony at the brink of Jordan, Josh. 22:10. The Israelites are offended, and assemble to wage war against them, Josh. 22:11–12.

These many days, i.e. for divers years together, so long as the war lasted. See Josh. 11:18, Josh. 14:10.

Unto your tents, i.e. to your settled habitations, as appears from Deut. 22:8, which are oft called tents, as Judg. 19:9, 2 Sam. 17:17, Hos. 9:6, Mal. 2:12.

Take diligent heed; watch over yourselves and all your actions. The commandment and the law; two words expressing the same thing, the law of commandments delivered by Moses. With all your heart and with all your soul; with the whole strength of your minds, and wills, and affections.

i.e. With them who staid beyond Jordan for the defence of their land, and wives, and children, who therefore were to have a share, though not an equal share, with these. See Num. 31:27. But for them, 1 Sam. 30:24, their share was equal, because their danger was equal.

Or, built then, as this particle is elsewhere used; and so learned interpreters understand it, Ps. 14:5, Ps. 36:12, Eccles. 3:17, Hos. 2:15. And in the Latin tongue adverbs of place are sometimes put for adverbs of time: so I take it here.

Where they passed over Jordan, either at their first entrance into Canaan, or afterwards, and usually.

The children of Israel; not in their own persons, but by their elders, who used to transact all affairs of this kind in the name and stead of all the people. To go up to war against them; as apostates from God, according to God’s command in that case, Deut. 13:13;c.

The whole congregation of the Lord, who do and are resolved to cleave unto that God from whom you have revolted, and who speak this to you in the name of the Lord. What trespass is this? how heinous a crime is this! To turn away this day, i.e.

The iniquity of Peor, i.e. of our worshipping of BaalPeer, Num. 25:0. From which we are not cleansed until this day; for though God had pardoned it, as to the national punishment of it, Num.

To-morrow, i.e. suddenly, as that word is oft used, as Matt. 6:30, 1 Cor. 15:32. He will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel; with you for doing so, and with us for suffering, or not punishing it.

If the land of your possession be clean; if you apprehend it to be so for want of the tabernacle and altar there, as the following words imply; if you now repent of your former choice in preferring the worldly commodities of that country before the advantage of God’s presence and favour, and more…

The son of Zerah, i.e. one of his posterity, Josh. 7:17–18. Perished not alone, but brought destruction upon his whole family, and part of our forces sent against Ai. In his iniquity, or, for his sin; of which see Josh. 7:24.

Either, first, properly, each was a governor of a thousand; for there were among them divers rulers, some of tens, some of hundreds, and some of thousands; or rather, secondly, improperly, and indefinitely, i.e.

The Lord God of gods; that Jehovah whom we, no less than you, acknowledge and adore as the God of gods, infinitely superior to all that are called gods.

i.e. Call us to an account, and punish us for it; as that phrase is oft used, as Deut. 18:19, 1 Sam. 20:16, Job 10:6, Ps. 10:13.

You have no relation to him, nor interest in him, or his worship.

A border between us and you, to shut you out of the Land. of Promise, and consequently from thee covenant made, between God and our father. Ye have no part in the Lord; nothing to do with him; no right to serve him or expect favour from him. See the like phrase 2 Sam. 20:1, Ezra 4:3, John 13:8.

That we might do the service of the Lord before him; that we and ours may have and hold our privilege of serving and worshipping God, not upon this altar, but in the office of God’s presence, in your tabernacle, and upon your altar.

The pattern; an exact representation and resemblance. A witness between us and you, that we both serve one God, and approve and make use of one and the same altar.

They were fully satisfied with this answer.

The Lord is among us, by his gracious presence and preventing goodness, in keeping you from so great an offence, and all of us from those dismal calamities that would have followed upon it. Out of the hand of the Lord, i.e.

As they were by the law of God obliged to do, if they had been guilty and persisted therein; as afterwards they did they tribe of Benjamin for the same reason.