Yehoshua 22 - Summary
(Text) - Yehoshua summons the tribes of Reuven, Gad and the half of Menashe whose land is on the other side of the Jordan River. He tells them that they have fulfilled their duty as given to them by Moshe (to aid in the conquering of the Land of Israel). Now that this task has been completed, they are given leave to return to their land and cities East of the Jordan River. Yehoshua cautions them to safeguard the Torah, to Love God, walk in his ways and cling to him with their entire beings. He blesses them and sends them on their way, reminding them to share the spoils of war they had claimed during the conquest of the Land with their brothers (commentators differ whether this means to share it with their own tribes, or with the other tribes).
So the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe return on their way to their land, East of the Jordan River. When they reach the other side of the Jordan, they build a large altar facing the Land of Israel. When the rest of Bnei Yisrael hear of this act, they gather together in Shiloh an army to go against the two and a half tribes. (This is because once the mishkan was established in Shiloh, no other altars were permitted to be built. Thus, it appeared that the two and a half tribes had deliberately broken this dictum).
Before attacking, Pinchas the son of Elazar the Cohen, along with the leaders of the 10 tribes from the Land of Israel went to the two and a half tribes, to inquire why they had rebelled against God to build an a forbidden altar. They cited their fear that all of the Jewish people would be punished for this sin, as had happened previously in the incident of ba’al pe-or, as well as with the incident of Achan (where one person sinned and everyone was punished). They said to the two and a half tribes that if they were worried because their land (East of the Jordan) was impure land (in relation to the Land of Israel), they were welcome to join their brothers in the Land of Israel - they should just not commit this sin against God.
The leaders of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe respond: If they intended this as a rebellion against God, to build an altar for sacrifices when this was forbidden, then they should not be allowed to be saved (from punishment). Rather, they built the altar out of worry that their children would forget where they came from, and who was their God, and would feel complete separation from the tribes living to the West of the Jordan River. Therefore, they decided to build an altar not for sacrifices, but rather as a monument to their descendants to show them their past and their connection to the rest of the Jewish people.
These words were received favorably by Pinchas and the tribal leaders and the rest of Israel. And the army that had gathered dispersed, and the people returned to their homes - there was no need to wage war, and the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe called their show-altar a monument to God.
Posted in Chapter 22, Summaries, Yehoshua - Joshua by Yaakov Ellis on June 11, 2007 | No Comments
Yehoshua 22 - Review Questions
- Why are the two and a half tribes allowed to leave?
- Where do they go?
- What does Yehoshua tell the two and a half tribes to remember?
- What do the two and a half tribes do after crossing the Jordan River?
- What is the reaction of the rest of Bnei Yisrael? Why do they respond in this way?
- Who is sent to talk with the two and a half tribes?
- What examples of sinning and collective punishment are cited? What is the difference between these different citations?
- What is the response of the two and a half tribes?
- Does the rest of Bnei Yisrael find this explanation satisfactory? How does the dispute end?
Posted in Chapter 22, Review Questions, Yehoshua - Joshua by Yaakov Ellis on June 11, 2007 | No Comments