The Eastern Tribes Return Home

1Then Joshua (YHWH saves) summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites (a troop / fortune), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) 2and told them, “You⁺ have done all that Moses (drawn out) the servant of the LORD {YHWH} commanded you⁺, and you⁺ have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you⁺. 3All this time you⁺ have not deserted your⁺ brothers, up to this very day, but have kept the charge given you⁺ by the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}.

4And now that the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem} has given your⁺ brothers rest as He promised them, you⁺ may return to your⁺ homes in the land that Moses (drawn out) the servant of the LORD gave you⁺ across the Jordan (flowing down). 5But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses (drawn out) the servant of the LORD {YHWH} gave you⁺: to love the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your⁺ heart and with all your⁺ soul.”

6So Joshua (YHWH saves) blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes. 7(To the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) Moses (drawn out) had given land in Bashan (fruitful), and to the other half Joshua (YHWH saves) gave land on the west side of the Jordan (flowing down) among their brothers.) When Joshua sent them to their homes he blessed them, 8saying, “Return to your⁺ homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your⁺ brothers the spoil of your⁺ enemies.”

The Altar of Witness

9So the Reubenites (behold a son), the Gadites (troop), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) left the Israelites (God prevails) at Shiloh (place of rest) in the land of Canaan (lowland) to return to their own land of Gilead (rocky region), which they had acquired according to the command of the LORD {YHWH} through Moses (drawn out). 10And when they came to Geliloth (to the circle of stones)a near the Jordan (flowing down) in the land of Canaan (lowland), the Reubenites (behold a son), the Gadites (troop), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.

11Then the Israelites (God prevails) received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites (behold a son), the Gadites (troop), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan (lowland), at Geliloth (circuit) near the Jordan (flowing down) on the Israelite side.” 12And when they (he wrestles with God) heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh (place of rest) to go to war against them.

13The Israelites (God prevails) sent Phinehas (mouth of brass) son of Eleazar (God has helped) the priest to the land of Gilead (rocky region), to the Reubenites (behold a son), the Gadites (troop), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget). 14With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel (he wrestles with God), each the head of a family among the clans of Israel.

15They went to the Reubenites (behold a son), the Gadites (troop), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) in the land of Gilead (rocky region) and said to them, 16“This is what the whole congregation of the LORD {YHWH} says: ‘What is this breach of faith you⁺ have committed today against the God {Elohim} of Israel (he wrestles with God) by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you⁺ might rebel against the LORD this day?

17Was not the sin of Peor (cleft) enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD {YHWH}. 18And now, would you⁺ turn away from the LORD {YHWH}? If you⁺ rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God).

19If indeed the land of your⁺ inheritance is unclean, then cross over to the land of the LORD’s {YHWH} possession, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession of it among us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu}.

20Was not Achan (troubler)b son of Zerah (rising) unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction {cherem},c bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God)? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”

21Then the Reubenites (behold a son), the Gadites (troop), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) answered the leaders of the clans of Israel (he wrestles with God): 22“The LORD {YHWH}, the Mighty One, is God {Elohim}! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel (he wrestles with God) also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today. 23If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him {YHWH} and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.

24But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your⁺ descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you⁺ to do with the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God)? 25For the LORD {YHWH} has made the Jordan (flowing down) a border between us and you⁺ Reubenites (behold a son) and Gadites (troop). You⁺ have no share in the LORD!’ So your⁺ descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.

26That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices. 27Rather, let it be a witness between us and you⁺ and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD {YHWH} in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your⁺ descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You⁺ have no share in the LORD!’

28Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD {YHWH} that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you⁺.’

29Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD {YHWH} and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu}, which stands before His tabernacle.”

30When Phinehas (mouth of brass) the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s (he wrestles with God) clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben (behold a son), Gad (troop), and Manasseh (causing to forget) had to say, they were satisfied. 31Phinehas (mouth of brass) son of Eleazar (God has helped) the priest said to the descendants of Reuben (behold a son), Gad (troop), and Manasseh (causing to forget), “Today we know that the LORD {YHWH} is among us, because you⁺ have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you⁺ have delivered the Israelites (God prevails) from the hand of the LORD.”

32Then Phinehas (mouth of brass) son of Eleazar (God has helped) the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites (God prevails) in the land of Canaan (lowland) and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites (behold a son) and Gadites (troop) in the land of Gilead (rocky region). 33The Israelites (God prevails) were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God {Elohim} and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites (behold a son) and Gadites (troop) lived. 34So the Reubenites (behold a son) and Gadites (troop) named the altar Witness, for they said \named the altar, for/,d “It is a witness between us that the LORD {YHWH} is God {Elohim}.”