Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Overview
Jos 22:1, The two tribes and a half with a blessing are sent home; Jos 22:10, They build the altar of testimony in their journey; Jos 22:11, The Israelites are offended thereat; Jos 22:21, They vindicate their conduct, and give them good satisfaction.
Joshua: Num. 32:18-33; Deu 29:7, Deu 29:8
Reubenites: We have already seen, that a detachment of 40,000 men, of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, had passed over Jordan armed, with their brethren, according to their agreement with Moses. The war being now concluded, the land divided, and their brethren settled, Joshua assembles these warriors; and with commendations for their services and fidelity, he dismisses them, having fist given them the most pious and suitable instructions. They had now been about seven years absent from their respective families; and though there was only the river Jordan between the camp of Gilgal and their own inheritance, yet it does not appear that they had, during that time, ever revisited their home, which they might have done at any time of the year, except the harvest, as the river was at other times easily fordable.
Ye have: Num 32:20-29; Deu 3:16-20
obeyed: Jos 1:12-18
given rest: Jos 21:43, Jos 21:44; Deu 12:9
get: Jos 13:8, 15-33, Jos 14:1-5; Num 32:33-42; Deut. 3:1-17, Deu 29:8
take: Exo 15:26; Deu 4:1, Deu 4:2, Deu 4:6, Deu 4:9, Deu 6:6-9, Deu 6:17, Deu 11:22; Ch1 28:7, Ch1 28:8; Psa 106:3; Psa 119:4-6; Pro 4:23; Isa 55:2; Jer 12:16; Heb 6:11, Heb 6:12, Heb 12:15; Pe2 1:5-10
love: Exo 20:6; Deu 6:5, Deu 10:12, Deu 10:13, Deu 11:1, Deu 11:13; Mat 22:37; Joh 14:15, Joh 14:21-23; Joh 21:15-17; Rom 8:28; Jam 1:12, Jam 2:5; Jo1 5:2, Jo1 5:3
cleave: Jos 23:8; Deu 4:4, Deu 10:20, Deu 13:4; Act 11:23; Rom 12:9
serve: Jos 24:14, Jos 24:15; Sa1 7:3, Sa1 12:20, Sa1 12:24; Mat 4:10, Mat 6:24; Luk 1:74; Joh 12:26; Act 27:23; Rom 1:9
Jos 22:7, Jos 22:8, Jos 14:13; Gen 14:19, Gen 47:7, Gen 47:10; Exo 39:43; Sa1 2:20; Sa2 6:18, Sa2 6:20; Ch2 30:18; Luk 2:34, Luk 24:50; Heb 7:6, Heb 7:7
Return: Deu 8:9-14, Deu 8:17, Deu 8:18; Ch2 17:5, Ch2 32:27; Pro 3:16; Co1 15:58; Heb 11:26
divide: Num 31:27; Sa1 30:24; Psa 68:12
the country of Gilead: Jos 13:11, Jos 13:25, Jos 13:31; Num 32:1, Num 32:26, Num 32:29, Num 32:39, Num 32:40; Deu 3:15, Deu 3:16; Psa 60:7
the children: This verse should probably be rendered, "And when they came to the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, Then built an altar by (or beyond, al) Jordan, a great altar to the view." It would appear, that when they came to the river, they formed the purpose of building the altar; and when they crossed it they put that purpose into execution. It is evident that they did not build it west of the Jordan, for that was not in their territories, and the next verse expressly says that it was built over against the land of Canaan.
built: Jos 22:25-28, Jos 4:5-9, Jos 24:26, Jos 24:27; Gen 28:18, Gen 31:46-52
heard: Lev 17:8, Lev 17:9; Deu 12:5-7, Deu 13:12-14; Joh 20:1, Joh 20:12
at the passage: Jos 2:7, Jos 3:14-16; Jdg 12:5; Joh 1:28
the whole: Supposing they had built this altar for sacrifice, in opposition to the command of God, they considered them as rebels against God and the Israelitish constitution. Deu 13:15; Jdg 20:1-11; Act 11:2, Act 11:3; Rom 10:2; Gal 4:17, Gal 4:18
sent: Deu 13:14; Jdg 20:12; Pro 20:18; Mat 18:15
Phinehas: Exo 6:25; Num 25:7, Num 25:11-13; Jdg 20:28; Psa 106:30, Psa 106:31; Pro 25:9-13
chief house: Heb. house of the father
the whole, Jos 22:12; Mat 18:17; Co1 1:10, Co1 5:4; Gal 1:1, Gal 1:2, trespass, Lev 5:19, Lev 26:40; Num 5:6; Ch1 21:3; Ch2 26:18, Ch2 28:13; Ezr 9:2, Ezr 9:15; Mat 6:14, Mat 6:15, to turn, Jos 22:18; Exo 32:8; Num 14:43, Num 32:15; Deu 7:4, Deu 30:17; Ch2 10:19, Ch2 25:27; Heb 12:25, rebel, Lev 17:8, Lev 17:9; Deu 12:4-6, Deu 12:13, Deu 12:14; Sa1 15:23; Psa 78:8; Isa 63:10
Is the iniquity: Num 25:3, Num 25:4-18; Deu 4:3, Deu 4:4; Psa 106:28, Psa 106:29
from which: Ezr 9:13, Ezr 9:14; Co1 10:8, Co1 10:11
following: Jos 22:16; Deu 7:4; Sa1 12:14, Sa1 12:20; Kg1 9:6; Kg2 17:21; Ch2 25:27, Ch2 34:33
and it will: Ezr 9:13, Ezr 9:14
he will be: Jos 22:20, Jos 7:1, Jos 7:11, Jos 7:21; Num 16:22; Sa2 24:1; Ch1 21:1, Ch1 21:14
unclean: Exo 15:17; Lev 18:25-28; Amo 7:17; Act 10:14, Act 10:15, Act 11:8, Act 11:9
wherein: Jos 18:1; Lev 17:8, Lev 17:9; Deu 12:5, Deu 12:6; Ch2 11:13, Ch2 11:16, Ch2 11:17
Jos 7:1, Jos 7:5, Jos 7:18, Jos 7:24; Co1 10:6; Pe2 2:6; Jde 1:5, Jde 1:6
Then the children: The conduct and answer of these Reubenites and the associates are worthy of admiration and imitation. Though conscious of their innocence, they permitted Phinehas to finish his speech, though composed of little else than accusations, without any interruption; and taking in good part the suspicions, reproofs, and even harshness of their brethren, with the utmost meekness and solemnity they explain their intention, give all the satisfaction in their power, and with great propriety and reverence, appeal to that God against whom they were supposed to have rebelled.
answered: Pro 15:1, Pro 16:1, Pro 18:13, Pro 24:26; Act 11:4; Jam 1:19; Pe1 3:15
heads: Exo 18:21-25; Mic 5:2
Lord God: יהוה [Strong's H3068] אלהים [Strong's H430] אל [Strong's H410], El Elohim Yehowah, literally "The strong God, Elohim Jehovah," which is nearly the version of Luther, der starke Gott, der Herr, "The strong God, the Lord." Exo 18:11; Deu 10:17; Psa 82:1, Psa 95:3, Psa 97:7, Psa 136:2; Dan 2:47, Dan 11:36; Ti1 6:16; Rev 19:16
he knoweth: Kg1 8:39; Job 10:7, Job 23:10; Psa 7:3, Psa 44:21, Psa 139:1-12; Jer 12:3, Jer 17:10; Joh 2:24, Joh 2:25, Joh 21:17; Act 1:24; Co2 11:11, Co2 11:31; Heb 4:13; Rev 2:23
Israel: Psa 37:6; Mic 7:9; Mal 3:18; Acts 11:2-18; Co2 5:11
if it be: Sa1 15:23; Job 31:5-8, Job 31:38-40; Psa 7:3-5; Act 25:11
let the Lord: Gen 9:4; Deu 18:19; Sa1 20:16; Ch2 24:22; Psa 10:13, Psa 10:14; Eze 3:18; Eze 33:6, Eze 33:8
for fear: Gen 18:19
In time to come: Heb. To-morrow, Jos 4:6; Gen 30:33; Exo 13:14; Deu 6:20 *marg.
ye have: Jos 22:27; Sa2 20:1; Kg1 12:16; Ezr 4:2, Ezr 4:3; Neh 2:20; Act 8:21
make: Sa1 26:19; Kg1 12:27-30, Kg1 14:16, Kg1 15:30
a witness: Jos 22:10, Jos 22:34, Jos 24:27; Gen 31:48, Gen 31:52; Sa1 7:12
that we: Deu 12:5, Deu 12:6, Deu 12:11, Deu 12:17, Deu 12:18, Deu 12:26, Deu 12:27
Behold: Exo 25:40; Kg2 16:10; Eze 43:10, Eze 43:11; Heb 8:5
God forbid: Jos 24:16; Gen 44:7, Gen 44:17; Sa1 12:23; Kg1 21:3; Rom 3:6, Rom 6:2, Rom 9:14
to build: Jos 22:23, Jos 22:26; Deu 12:13, Deu 12:14; Kg2 18:22; Ch2 32:12
it pleased them: Heb. it was good in their eyes, It is remarkable, that Joshua is not once named in this transaction; but this only shews, that he did not in his old age assume any regal authority, but left the elders and magistrates to conduct the general business, only acting himself when great occasions made it necessary. Yet we cannot doubt, that his wisdom and piety influenced the counsels of the elders and people at this time. Jos 22:33; Gen 28:8; Jdg 8:3; Sa1 25:32, Sa1 25:33, Sa1 29:6; Ch2 30:4; Est 1:21 *marg. Pro 15:1; Act 11:18
the Lord is: Jos 3:10; Lev 26:11, Lev 26:12; Num 14:41-43; Ch2 15:2; Psa 68:17; Isa 12:6; Zac 8:23; Mat 1:23; Co1 14:25
now: Heb. then
and brought: Jos 22:12-14; Pro 25:13
the thing: Jos 22:30; Act 15:12, Act 15:31; Co2 7:7; Th1 3:6-8
blessed: Sa1 25:32, Sa1 25:33; Ch1 29:20; Neh 8:5, Neh 8:6; Dan 2:19; Luk 2:28; Eph 1:3
Ed: i.e. a witness, The word witness, or testimony, is not found in the common editions of the Hebrew Bible; and is supplied in Italics by our venerable translators, at least in our modern copies; for in the first edition of this translation, it stands in the text without any note of this kind; but it is found in several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's manuscripts, and also in the Syriac and Arabic. Several also of the early printed editions of the Hebrew Bible have the word ed, either in the text or in the margin; and it must be allowed to be necessary to complete the sense. It is very probable that an inscription was put on this altar, signifying the purpose for which it was erected. Thus was this affair most happily terminated. Jos 22:27, Jos 24:27; Kg1 18:39; Isa 43:10; Mat 4:10
the Lord is God: Several manuscripts read more emphatically, אלהים [Strong's H3068] הוא [Strong's H1931] יהוה, Yehowah, hoo Elohim, "Jehovah he is God.