1Then Joshua called the Reubenites , and the Gadites , and the half-tribe of Manasseh , 2and said unto them , Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you , and have hearkened unto my voice in all that I commanded you : 3ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day , but have kept the charge of the commandment of Jehovah your God . 4And now Jehovah your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he spake unto them : therefore now turn ye , and get you unto your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan . 5Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you , to love Jehovah your God , and to walk in all his ways , and to keep his commandments , and to cleave unto him , and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul . 6So Joshua blessed them , and sent them away ; and they went unto their tents. 7Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan ; but unto the other half gave Joshua among their brethren beyond the Jordan westward . Moreover when Joshua sent them away unto their tents, he blessed them , 8and spake unto them , saying, Return with much wealth unto your tents, and with very much cattle , with silver , and with gold , and with brass , and with iron , and with very much raiment : divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren. 9And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned , and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh , which is in the land of Canaan , to go unto the land of Gilead , to the land of their possession , whereof they were possessed, according to the commandment of Jehovah by Moses .
The Altar of Witness
10And when they came unto the region about the Jordan , that is in the land of Canaan , the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan , a great altar to look upon . 11And the children of Israel heard say , Behold , the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan , in the region about the Jordan , on the side that pertaineth to the children of Israel . 12And when the children of Israel heard of it , the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh , to go up against them to war . 13And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben , and to the children of Gad , and to the half-tribe of Manasseh , into the land of Gilead , Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest , 14and with him ten princes , one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel ; and they were every one of them head of their fathers’ houses among the thousands of Israel . 15And they came unto the children of Reuben , and to the children of Gad , and to the half-tribe of Manasseh , unto the land of Gilead , and they spake with them , saying , 16Thus saith the whole congregation of Jehovah , What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel , to turn away this day from following Jehovah , in that ye have builded you an altar , to rebel this day against Jehovah ? 17Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us , from which we have not cleansed ourselves unto this day , although there came a plague upon the congregation of Jehovah , 18that ye must turn away this day from following Jehovah ? and it will be , seeing ye rebel to-day against Jehovah , that to-morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel . 19Howbeit, if the land of your possession be unclean , then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of Jehovah , wherein Jehovah ’s tabernacle dwelleth , and take possession among us : but rebel not against Jehovah , nor rebel against us , in building you an altar besides the altar of Jehovah our God . 20Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing , and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel ? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity .
The Response of the Western Tribes
21Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered , and spake unto the heads of the thousands of Israel , 22The Mighty One , God , Jehovah , the Mighty One , God , Jehovah , he knoweth ; and Israel he shall know : if it be in rebellion , or if in trespass against Jehovah ( save thou us not this day ), 23that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Jehovah ; or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon , let Jehovah himself require it ; 24and if we have not rather out of carefulness done this , and of purpose , saying , In time to come your children might speak unto our children , saying , What have ye to do with Jehovah , the God of Israel ? 25for Jehovah hath made the Jordan a border between us and you , ye children of Reuben and children of Gad ; ye have no portion in Jehovah : so might your children make our children cease from fearing Jehovah . 26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar , not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice : 27but it shall be a witness between us and you , and between our generations after us , that we may do the service of Jehovah before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices , and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come , Ye have no portion in Jehovah . 28Therefore said we , It shall be , when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come , that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah , which our fathers made , not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice ; but it is a witness between us and you . 29Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah , and turn away this day from following Jehovah , to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice , besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle . 30And when Phinehas the priest , and the princes of the congregation , even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him , heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake , it pleased them well .
Clarification and Reconciliation
31And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben , and to the children of Gad , and to the children of Manasseh , This day we know that Jehovah is in the midst of us , because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah : now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah . 32And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest , and the princes , returned from the children of Reuben , and from the children of Gad , out of the land of Gilead , unto the land of Canaan , to the children of Israel , and brought them word again . 33And the thing pleased the children of Israel ; and the children of Israel blessed God , and spake no more of going up against them to war , to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt . 34And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed : For , said they , it is a witness between us that Jehovah is God .