Joshua 22: People of God – still just (sinful) people

This chapter describes a rather strange event that resulted in a misunderstanding between the Israel tribes on the west and east side of the Jordan River. Although the Israelites were chosen by God to be His people, from this episode, we find that they were just a group of people prone to sin, misunderstanding, and insecurity. 

Summary

After the distribution of the land, Joshua commended the two and a half tribes (Rebeun, Gad, and half tribe of Manassah) for having faithfully engaged in a long battle with their fellow brothers in the past seven years to help them inherit the land on the west side of the Jordan River. Before sending them back to their land, Joshua blessed them, commanding them to follow the law of the LORD, to love the LORD their God, and to share their plunder with those who stayed on the east side of the Jordan River. 

On their way back, the two and a half tribes built an altar on the west side of the Jordan River, which became a source of confusion to the rest of the Israelites (nine and a half tribes on the west side of the Jordan River), almost to the point of a civil war breakout. The two and a half tribes explained the true intent of the altar as a witness, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, and their explanation mitigated the tension. After listening to the explanation provided came the praise to the LORD God by the nine and a half tribes. Then, all of them went back to their land.

Compliment to the two and a half tribes (Joshua 22:1-9)

Joshua gave a full compliment to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (the two and half tribes) because they had kept the charge of the commandments of the LORD God by fighting along with the rest of the Israel tribes for all the long seven years of battle. Joshua’s praise to the two and a half tribes was fitting as they remained steadfast for seven years for the land that would be inherited for the other tribes, not for themselves. For this reason, Joshua blessed them (Joshua 22:6-7). 

Although the battles with the enemies might have ended, Joshua, in his blessing, also commanded the two and half tribes to observe the commandment and the law of the law and love the LORD. In addition, he also commanded them to share the wealth with those who stayed behind in their land on the east side of the Jordan. Note that this was Joshua’s version of the greatest command to the two and half tribes – first, love the LORD, and second, love your neighbor by sharing your great riches and spoil that they attained during the war time. The two and a half tribes would now face a different battle of keeping the law of the LORD to build up their society that would be worthy of God’s kingdom. 

Large “Strange” Altar (Joshua 22:10)

Then an unexpected event took place. The two and half tribes on their way back to their home built a large altar in appearance by the Jordan, which would eventually cause confusion and an escalated hostile response from the rest of the Israelite tribes (nine and half tribes) on the west side of the Jordan River. 

Why did they build the altar absent of God’s command? Let’s find out. 

Fast and Furious Initial Reaction (Joshua 22:11-15)

After hearing about the altar, the Israelites on the west side of the Jordan were alarmed and reacted hostile and quickly mobilized to go up against the two tribes in war. Positively viewed, their reaction was based on the LORD’s strict command to worship Him only in one designated place and to purge any person who prophesied false gods based on Moses’ last words (Dueteronomy 12 and 13). Therefore, in accordance with these commands, their quick reaction and determination to punish anything that rebelled against the LORD was understandable. 

On the other hand, however, in response to a strange, large altar, the rest of the Israel tribes could have sought first to have a session of conversations. In addition, given that two and half tribes fought along with them for a long seven years to help them settle over the Canaan region on the west side of the Jordan River, the rest of the Israelites could have demonstrated patience.  

Premature Accusation (Joshua 22:16-20)

This section covers the accusation by the sons of Israel against the two tribes. The content of the accusation shows two elements: 1) danger of premature assumption; and 2) hidden superior mentality of the Israel tribes on the west side of the Jordan River. 

First, this event shows that a premature, unverified assumption is dangerous. The sons of Israel assumed that the two and a half tribes already turned away from the following the LORD (Joshua 22:16) and built an altar. They already assessed that the sins committed by the two and a half tribes was commensurate with the iniquity of Peor (Numbers 25) and sin by Achan (Joshua 7). It was surprising to see how quickly this assumption was made by the Israelites on the west side of the Jordan. Didn’t they fight together with the two and a half tribes, and underwent a few life and death situations in the past seven years against the other nations? I thought that the camaraderie among them would have been stronger than what can be referred in this accusation. 

Second, in this accusation some superiority mentalities were demonstrated. In Joshua 20:19, the sons of Israel told the two and half tribes that if their land were unclean, “cross ino the the land of possession of the LORD, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands.” This statement shows that the nine and half tribes on the west side of the Jordan River consciously or unconsciously viewed their land “cleaner” than the land on the east side of the Jordan River. 

Although the entire Israel was chosen by God, the unity among the twelve tribes does not seem to be strong. Although chosen by God, they were still sinful humans. 

Defense and Insecurity (Joshua 22:21-29)

In response, the two and a half tribes told the rest of the sons of Israel that they did not turn away from the LORD. They articulated the reason for building an altar (Josh 22:24). They were concerned that their children would be blocked out of the land of the LORD and His tabernacle by the sons of the nine tribes in the west of Jordan. Because of this concern, they build the altar as a witness between the east and west side of the Israelite tribes. 

This was a strange reason. Why did the two and half tribes feared that in the future generation, the tribes on the west side of the Jordan River could block them from worshiping the LORD? Although all of them were one nation as God’s chosen people, a geographical division had already caused an anxiety and the fear of being left out. I would call this “insecurity.”

Again, this kind of insecurity seemed to be a byproduct of lack of unity among the Israelites although they fought together for seven years of long war against the inhabitants of the Canaan region. 

Conclusion

Although the hostile reaction was mitigated by the explanation provided by the two and half tribes, building an altar that the LORD God did not command was not a good idea. This event brought a division embedded among the twelve tribes of Israel into the surface. Noticeably, the LORD God and Joshua remained absent throughout this episode. The event indirectly shows that the “people” of God were still just humans prone to sin. 

On the other hand, we see a steadfastness of God – as demonstrated in the next chapters of Joshua (Joshua’s last messages) and all throughout the Bible – in continually pursuing His sinful people. Also, another aspect of the Bible is that it never shies away from depicting the shortcomings and depravity of people – even if they are people chosen by God.