Joshua Chapter 22
King James Version (KJV)
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
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And they gave them Kiriath-arba,
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which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
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But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
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And unto the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with its suburbs,
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and Jattir with its suburbs, and Eshtemoa with its suburbs,
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and Holon with its suburbs, and Debir with its suburbs,
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and Ain with its suburbs, and Juttah with its suburbs,
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and Beth-shemesh with its suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.
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And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs,
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Anathoth with its suburbs, and Almon with its suburbs; four cities.
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All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
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And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kohath, they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.
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And they gave them Shechem with its suburbs in the hill-country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Gezer with its suburbs,
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and Kibzaim with its suburbs, and Beth-horon with its suburbs; four cities.
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And out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its suburbs, Gibbethon with its suburbs,
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Aijalon with its suburbs, Gath-rimmon with its suburbs; four cities.
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And out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with its suburbs; two cities.
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All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbs.
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And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh
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they gave Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Be-eshterah with its suburbs; two cities.
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And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs,
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Jarmuth with its suburbs, En-gannim with its suburbs; four cities.
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And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs,
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Helkath with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs; four cities.
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And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Hammoth-dor with its suburbs, and Kartan with its suburbs; three cities.
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All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
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And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, and Kartah with its suburbs,
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Dimnah with its suburbs, Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities.
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And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its suburbs, and Jahaz with its suburbs,
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Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; four cities.
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And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,
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Heshbon with its suburbs, Jazer with its suburbs; four cities in all.
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All
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
2
and said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, and have hearkened to my voice in all that I commanded you.
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Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, and ye have kept the charge of the commandment of Jehovah yourGod.
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And now Jehovah yourGod hath given rest to your brethren, as he said unto them; and now return, and get you unto your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan.
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Only, take great heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah yourGod, 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.
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And Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents.
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And to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given [inheritance] in Bashan, and to the other half thereof had Joshua given among their brethren on this side the Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them also,
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and spoke to them, saying, Return unto your tents with much wealth and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with copper, and with iron, and with clothing, in very great quantity; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
9
And 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 to the country of Gilead, into the land of their possession, of which they had become possessed, according to the word of Jehovah through Moses.
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And they came to the districts of the Jordan that are in the land of Canaan; and the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of grand appearance.
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And 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 over against the land of Canaan, in the districts of the Jordan, separately from the children of Israel.
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And when the children of Israel heard [of it], the whole assembly of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.
13
And the children of Israel sent to 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,
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and with him ten princes, of each father's house a prince, out of all the tribes of Israel; and each of them was head of a father's house, of the thousands of Israel.
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And they came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and spoke with them, saying,
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Thus saith the whole assembly of Jehovah: What wickedness is this which ye have committed against theGod of Israel, to turn away this day from following Jehovah, in that ye have built yourselves an altar, rebelling this day against Jehovah?
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Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us? from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the assembly of Jehovah.
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And ye turn away this day from following Jehovah; and it will be, that since ye rebel this day against Jehovah, to-morrow he will be wroth with the whole assembly of Israel.
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Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession is unclean, come over into the land of the possession of Jehovah, where Jehovah's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession amongst us; but rebel not against Jehovah, and rebel not against us, in building for yourselves an altar besides the altar of Jehovah ourGod.
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Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing? and wrath fell on all the assembly of Israel, and he perished not alone in his iniquity.
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And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the thousands of Israel,
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TheGod ofgods, Jehovah, theGod ofgods, Jehovah, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know [it]; if it is in rebellion, or if in trespass against Jehovah, — save us not this day!
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— that we have built for ourselves an altar to turn from following Jehovah, and if it is to offer up burnt-offering and oblation on it, and if to offer peace-offerings thereon, let Jehovah himself require it [from us];
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and if we have not done it from fear of this thing, saying, In future your children will speak to our children, saying, What have ye to do with Jehovah theGod of Israel?
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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! And so shall your children make our children cease from fearing Jehovah.
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And we said, Let us now set to work to build an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice,
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but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we might do service to 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 future, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.
28
And we said, If it shall be that in future they so say to us and to our generations, we will say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you.
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Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn this day from following Jehovah, in building an altar for burnt-offering, for oblation, and for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah ourGod that is before his tabernacle.
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And when Phinehas the priest and the princes of the assembly and 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 spoke, it was good in their sight.
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And 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 perceive that Jehovah is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah: now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.
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And 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, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.
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And the thing was good in the sight of the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessedGod, and no more said that they would go up in warfare against them, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.
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And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad gave a name to the altar; for it is a witness between us that Jehovah isGod.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
Then Joshua called together the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse,
2
and said to them, Ye have heard all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and ye have hearkened to my voice in all that he commanded you.
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Ye have not deserted your brethren these many days: until this day ye have kept the commandment of the Lord your God.
4
And now the Lord our God has given our brethren rest, as he told them: now then return and depart to your homes, and to the land of your possession, which Moses gave you on the other side Jordan.
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But take great heed to do the commands and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you to do; to love the Lord our God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commands, and to cleave to him, and serve him with all your mind, and with all your soul.
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And Joshua blessed them, and dismissed them; and they went to their homes.
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And to [one] half the tribe of Manasse Moses gave a portion in the land of Basan, and to [the other] half Joshua gave a portion with his brethren on the other side of Jordan westward: and when Joshua sent them away to their homes, then he blessed them.
8
And they departed with much wealth to their houses, and they divided the spoil of their enemies with their brethren; very much cattle, and silver, and gold, and iron, and much raiment.
9
So the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse, departed from the children of Israel in Selo in the land of Chanaan, to go away into Galaad, into the land of their possession, which they inherited by the command of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.
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And they came to Galaad of Jordan, which is in the land of Chanaan: and the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to look at.
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And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse have built an altar at the borders of the land of Chanaan at Galaad of Jordan, on the opposite side to the children of Israel.
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And all the children of Israel gathered together to Selo, so as to go up and fight against them.
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And the children of Israel sent to the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and to the sons of the half tribe of Manasse into the land of Galaad, both Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest,
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and ten of the chiefs with him; [there was] one chief of every household out of all the tribes of Israel; (the heads of families are the captains of thousands in Israel.)
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And they came to the sons of Ruben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasse into the land of Galaad; and they spoke to them, saying,
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Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord, What [is] this transgression that ye have transgressed before the God of Israel, to turn away today from the Lord, in that ye have built for yourselves an altar, so that ye should be apostates from the Lord?
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Is the sin of Phogor too little for you, whereas we have not been cleansed from it until this day, though there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord?
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And ye have this day revolted from the Lord; and it shall come to pass if ye revolt this day from the Lord, that to-morrow there shall be wrath upon all Israel.
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And now if the land of your possession [be too] little, cross over to the land of the possession of the Lord, where the tabernacle of the Lord dwells, and receive ye an inheritance among us; and do not become apostates from God, neither do ye apostatize from the Lord, because of your having built an altar apart from the altar of the Lord our God.
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Lo! did not Achar the [son] of Zara commit a trespass [taking] of the accursed thing, and there was wrath on the whole congregation of Israel? and he himself died alone in his own sin.
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And the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse answered, and spoke to the captains of the thousands of Israel, saying,
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God [even] God is the Lord, and God [even] God himself knows, and Israel he shall know; if we have transgressed before the Lord by apostasy, let him not deliver us this day.
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And if we have built to ourselves an altar, so as to apostatize from the Lord our God, so as to offer upon it a sacrifice of whole-burnt-offerings, so as to offer upon it a sacrifice of peace-offering,—the Lord shall require it.
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But we have done this for the sake of precaution [concerning this] thing, saying, Lest hereafter your sons should say to our sons, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel?
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Whereas the Lord has set boundaries between us and you, even Jordan, and ye have no portion in the Lord: so your sons shall alienate our sons, that they should not worship the Lord.
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And we gave orders to do thus, to build this altar, not for burnt-offerings, nor for meat-offerings;
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but that this may be a witness between you and us, and between our posterity after us, that we may do service to the Lord before him, with our burnt-offerings and our meat-offerings and our peace-offerings: so your sons shall not say to our sons, hereafter, Ye have no portion in the Lord.
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And we said, If ever it should come to pass that they should speak [so] to us, or to our posterity hereafter; then shall they say, Behold the likeness of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for the sake of burnt-offerings, nor for the sake of meat-offerings, but it is a witness between you and us, and between our sons.
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Far be it from us therefore that we should turn away from the Lord this day so as to apostatize from the Lord, so as that we should build an altar for burnt-offerings, and for peace-offerings, besides the altar of the Lord which is before his tabernacle.
30
And Phinees the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation of Israel who were with him heard the words which the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse spoke; and it pleased them.
31
And Phinees the priest said to the sons of Ruben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half of the tribe of Manasse, To-day we know that the Lord [is] with us, because ye have not trespassed grievously against the Lord, and because ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.
32
So Phinees the priest and the princes departed from the children of Ruben, and from the children of Gad, and from the half tribe of Manasse out of Galaad into the land of Chanaan to the children of Israel; and reported the words to them.
33
And it pleased the children of Israel; and they spoke to the children of Israel, and blessed the God of the children of Israel, and told them to go up no more to war against the others to destroy the land of the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse: so they dwelt upon it.
34
And Joshua gave a name to the altar of the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, and of the half tribe of Manasse; and said, It is a testimony in the midst of them, that the Lord is their God.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Eodem tempore vocavit Iosue Rubenitas, et Gaditas, et dimidiam tribum Manasse,
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dixitque ad eos: Fecistis omnia quæ præcepit vobis Moyses famulus Domini: mihi quoque in omnibus obedistis,
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nec reliquistis fratres vestros longo tempore, usque in præsentem diem, custodientes imperium Domini Dei vestri.
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Quia igitur dedit Dominus Deus vester fratribus vestris quietem et pacem, sicut pollicitus est: revertimini, et ite in tabernacula vestra, et in terram possessionis, quam tradidit vobis Moyses famulus Domini trans Iordanem:
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ita dumtaxat, ut custodiatis attente, et opere compleatis mandatum et legem quam præcepit vobis Moyses famulus Domini, ut diligatis Dominum Deum vestrum, et ambuletis in omnibus viis eius, et observetis mandata illius, adhæreatisque ei, ac serviatis in omni corde, et in omni anima vestra.
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Benedixitque eis Iosue, et dimisit eos. Qui reversi sunt in tabernacula sua.
7
Dimidiæ autem tribui Manasse possessionem Moyses dederat in Basan: et idcirco mediæ, quæ superfuit, dedit Iosue sortem inter ceteros fratres suos trans Iordanem ad Occidentalem plagam. Cumque dimitteret eos in tabernacula sua, et benedixisset eis,
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dixit ad eos: In multa substantia atque divitiis revertimini ad sedes vestras, cum argento et auro, ære ac ferro, et veste multiplici: dividite prædam hostium cum fratribus vestris.
9
Reversique sunt, et abierunt filii Ruben, et filii Gad, et dimidia tribus Manasse, a filiis Israel de Silo, quæ sita est in Chanaan, ut intrarent Galaad Terram possessionis suæ, quam obtinuerant iuxta imperium Domini in manu Moysi.
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Cumque venissent ad tumulos Iordanis in Terram Chanaan, ædificaverunt iuxta Iordanem altare infinitæ magnitudinis.
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Quod cum audissent filii Israel, et ad eos certi nuncii detulissent ædificasse filios Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiæ tribus Manasse, altare in Terra Chanaan, super Iordanis tumulos, contra filios Israel:
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convenerunt omnes in Silo, ut ascenderent, et dimicarent contra eos.
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Et interim miserunt ad illos in Terram Galaad Phinees filium Eleazari sacerdotis,
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et decem principes cum eo, singulos de singulis tribubus.
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Qui venerunt ad filios Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiæ tribus Manasse in Terram Galaad, dixeruntque ad eos:
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Hæc mandat omnis populus Domini: Quæ est ista transgressio? Cur reliquistis Dominum Deum Israel, ædificantes altare sacrilegum, et a cultu illius recedentes?
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An parum vobis est quod peccastis in Beelphegor, et usque in præsentem diem macula huius sceleris in nobis permanet? multique de populo corruerunt.
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Et vos hodie reliquistis Dominum, et cras in universum Israel ira eius desæviet.
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Quod si putatis immundam esse terram possessionis vestræ, transite ad Terram, in qua tabernaculum Domini est, et habitate inter nos: tantum ut a Domino, et a nostro consortio non recedatis, ædificato altari præter altare Domini Dei nostri.
20
Nonne Achan filius Zare præteriit mandatum Domini, et super omnem populum Israel ira eius incubuit? Et ille erat unus homo, atque utinam solum periisset in scelere suo.
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Responderuntque filii Ruben et Gad, et dimidia tribus Manasse principibus legationis Israel:
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Fortissimus Deus Dominus, Fortissimus Deus Dominus, ipse novit, et Israel simul intelliget: si prævaricationis animo, hoc altare construximus, non custodiat nos, sed puniat nos in præsenti:
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et si ea mente fecimus ut holocausta, et sacrificium, et pacificas victimas super eo imponeremus, ipse quærat et iudicet:
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et non ea magis cogitatione atque tractatu, ut diceremus: Cras dicent filii vestri filiis nostris: Quid vobis et Domino Deo Israel?
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terminum posuit Dominus inter nos et vos, o filii Ruben, et filii Gad, Iordanem fluvium: et idcirco partem non habetis in Domino. Et per hanc occasionem avertent filii vestri filios nostros a timore Domini. Putavimus itaque melius,
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et diximus: Extruamus nobis altare, non in holocausta, neque ad victimas offerendas,
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sed in testimonium inter nos et vos, et sobolem nostram vestramque progeniem, ut serviamus Domino, et iuris nostri sit offerre et holocausta, et victimas, et pacificas hostias: et nequaquam dicant cras filii vestri filiis nostris: Non est vobis pars in Domino.
28
Quod si voluerint dicere, respondebunt eis: Ecce altare Domini, quod fecerunt patres nostri, non in holocausta, neque in sacrificium, sed in testimonium nostrum ac vestrum.
29
Absit a nobis hoc scelus ut recedamus a Domino, et eius vestigia relinquamus, extructo altari ad holocausta, et sacrificia, et victimas offerendas, præter altare Domini Dei nostri, quod extructum est ante tabernaculum eius.
30
Quibus auditis, Phinees sacerdos, et principes legationis Israel, qui erant cum eo, placati sunt: et verba filiorum Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiæ tribus Manasse, libentissime susceperunt.
31
Dixtque Phinees filius Eleazari sacerdos ad eos: Nunc scimus quod nobiscum sit Dominus, quoniam alieni estis a prævaricatione hac, et liberastis filios Israel de manu Domini.
32
Reversusque est cum principibus a filiis Ruben et Gad de Terra Galaad, finium Chanaan ad filios Israel, et retulit eis.
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Placuitque sermo cunctis audientibus. Et laudaverunt Deum filii Israel, et nequaquam ultra dixerunt, ut ascenderent contra eos, atque pugnarent, et delerent Terram possessionis eorum.
34
Vocaveruntque filii Ruben, et filii Gad altare, quod extruxerant, Testimonium nostrum, quod Dominus ipse sit Deus.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
2
and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you.
3
You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of the LORD your God.
4
Now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan.
5
Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, 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.”
6
So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents.
7
Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but Joshua gave to the other half among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,
8
and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the plunder of your enemies with your brothers.”
9
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 to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.
10
When they came to the region near 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 an altar there by the Jordan, a great altar to look at.
11
The children of Israel heard this, “Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar along the border of the land of Canaan, in the region around the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the children of Israel.”
12
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.
13
The children of Israel sent to 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.
14
With him were ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were each head of their fathers’ houses among the thousands of Israel.
15
They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,
16
“The whole congregation of the LORD says, ‘What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away today from following the LORD, in that you have built yourselves an altar, to rebel today against the LORD?
17
Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of the LORD,
18
that you must turn away today from following the LORD? It will be, since you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
19
However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of the LORD, in which the LORD’s tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us; but don’t rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than the LORD our God’s altar.
20
Didn’t Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity.’”
21
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22
“The Mighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD, he knows; and Israel shall know: if it was in rebellion, or if in trespass against the LORD (don’t save us today),
23
that we have built us an altar to turn away from following the LORD; or if to offer burnt offering or meal offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings, let the LORD himself require it.
24
“If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?
25
For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.”’ So your children might make our children cease from fearing the LORD.
26
“Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;
27
but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;’ that your children may not tell our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in the LORD.’
28
“Therefore we said, ‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of the LORD’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’
29
“Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn away today from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides the LORD our God’s altar that is before his tabernacle!”
30
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 spoke, it pleased them well.
31
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this trespass against the LORD. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the LORD’s hand.”
32
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, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.
33
The thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad lived.
34
The children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar “A Witness Between Us that the LORD is God.”
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
Then Joshua calleth for the Reubenite, and for the Gadite, and for the half of the tribe of Manasseh,
2
and saith unto them, `Ye--ye have kept the whole of that which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, and ye hearken to my voice, to all that I have commanded you;
3
ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, and have kept the charge--the command of Jehovah your God.
4
`And, now, Jehovah your God hath given rest to your brethren, as He spake to them; and now, turn ye, and go for yourselves to your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses, servant of Jehovah, hath given to you beyond the Jordan.
5
Only, be very watchful to do the command and the law which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands, and to cleave to Him, and to serve Him, with all your heart, and with all your soul.'
6
And Joshua blesseth them, and sendeth them away, and they go unto their tents.
7
And to the half of the tribe of Manasseh hath Moses given, in Bashan, and to its <FI>other<Fi> half hath Joshua given with their brethren beyond the Jordan westward; and also when Joshua hath sent them away unto their tents, then he doth bless them,
8
and speak unto them, saying, `With great riches turn ye back 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.'
9
And the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, turn back and go from the sons of Israel out of Shiloh, which <FI>is<Fi> in the land of Canaan, to go unto the land of Gilead, unto the land of their possession, in which they have possession, according to the command of Jehovah, by the hand of Moses;
10
and they come in unto the districts of the Jordan, which <FI>are<Fi> in the land of Canaan, and the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, build there an altar by the Jordan--a great altar for appearance.
11
And the sons of Israel hear, saying, `Lo, the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, have built the altar over-against the land of Canaan, on the districts of the Jordan, at the passage of the sons of Israel.'
12
And the sons of Israel hear, and all the company of the sons of Israel is assembled at Shiloh, to go up against them to war;
13
and the sons of Israel send unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the half of the tribe of Manasseh--unto the land of Gilead--Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest,
14
and ten princes with him, one prince, one prince, for a house of a father, for all the tribes of Israel, and each of them a head of a house of their fathers, for the thousands of Israel.
15
And they come in unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the half of the tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and speak with them, saying,
16
`Thus said all the company of Jehovah, What <FI>is<Fi> this trespass which ye have trespassed against the God of Israel, to turn back to-day from after Jehovah, by your building for you an altar, for your rebelling to-day against Jehovah?
17
Is the iniquity of Peor little to us, from which we have not been cleansed till this day--and the plague is in the company of Jehovah,
18
that ye turn back to-day from after Jehovah? and it hath been--ye rebel to-day against Jehovah--and to-morrow against all the company of Israel He is wroth.
19
`And surely, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over for you unto the land of the possession of Jehovah, where the tabernacle of Jehovah hath tabernacled, and have possession in our midst; and against Jehovah rebel not, and against us rebel not, by your building for you an altar, besides the altar of Jehovah our God.
20
Did not Achan son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and on all the company of Israel there was wrath? and he alone expired not in his iniquity.'
21
And the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, answer and speak with the heads of the thousands of Israel:
22
`The God of gods--Jehovah, the God of gods--Jehovah, He is knowing, and Israel, he doth know, if in rebellion, and if in trespass against Jehovah (Thou dost not save us this day!)
23
<FI> we are<Fi> building for ourselves an altar to turn back from after Jehovah, and if to cause to go up on it burnt-offering and present, and if to make on it peace-offerings--Jehovah Himself doth require <FI>it<Fi> .
24
`And if not, from fear of <FI>this<Fi> thing we have done it, saying, Hereafter your sons do speak to ours sons, saying, What to you and to Jehovah God of Israel?
25
for a border hath Jehovah put between us and you, O sons of Reuben, and sons of Gad--Jordan; ye have no portion in Jehovah--and your sons have caused our sons to cease, not to fear Jehovah.
26
`And we say, Pray let us prepare for ourselves to build the altar--not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice--
27
but a witness it <FI>is<Fi> between us and you, and between our generations after us, to do the service of Jehovah before Him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings, and your sons do not say hereafter to our sons, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.
28
`And we say, And it hath been, when they say <FI>so<Fi> unto us, and unto our generations hereafter, that we have said, See the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made--not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice--but a witness it <FI>is<Fi> between us and you.
29
`Far be it from us to rebel against Jehovah, and to turn back to-day from after Jehovah, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for present, and for sacrifice, apart from the altar of Jehovah our God, which <FI>is<Fi> before His tabernacle.'
30
And Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the company, and the heads of the thousands of Israel, who <FI>are<Fi> with him, hear the words which the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the sons of Manasseh have spoken, and it is good in their eyes.
31
And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest saith unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the sons of Manasseh, `To-day we have known that Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> in our midst, because ye have not committed against Jehovah this trespass--then ye have delivered the sons of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.'
32
And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, turn back from the sons of Reuben, and from the sons of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, unto the sons of Israel, and bring them back word;
33
and the thing is good in the eyes of the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel bless God, and have not said to go up against them to war, to destroy the land which the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, are dwelling in.
34
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad proclaim concerning the altar, that `it <FI>is<Fi> a witness between us that Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> God.'
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).