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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Joshua 22 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/joshua/22.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/joshua/22-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Joshua 22</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../joshua/21.htm" title="Joshua 21">◄</a> Joshua 22 <a href="../joshua/23.htm" title="Joshua 23">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">The Two and a Half Tribes Return Home</h3><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_1"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.1" class="v6_22_1">1</span>Joshua held a meeting with the men of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh, and he told them:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_2"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.2-Josh.22.3" class="v6_22_2">2-3</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.2-Josh.22.3!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> You have obeyed every command of the <span class="nd">Lord</span> your God and of his servant Moses. And you have done everything I've told you to do. It's taken a long time, but you have stayed and helped your relatives. </span><span class="v6_22_4"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.4" class="v6_22_4">4</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> promised to give peace to your relatives, and that's what he has done. Now it's time for you to go back to your own homes in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan River.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_5"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.5" class="v6_22_5">5</span>Moses taught you to love the <span class="nd">Lord</span> your God, to be faithful to him, and to worship and obey him with your whole heart and with all your strength. So be very careful to do everything Moses commanded.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_6"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.6-Josh.22.9" class="v6_22_6">6-9</span>You've become rich from what you've taken from your enemies. You have big herds of cattle, lots of silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and plenty of clothes. Take everything home with you and share with the people of your tribe.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_6">I pray that God will be kind to you. You are now free to go home.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_6">The tribes of Reuben and Gad started back to Gilead, their own land. Moses had given the land of Bashan to the East Manasseh tribe, so they started back along with Reuben and Gad. God had told Moses that these two and a half tribes should conquer Gilead and Bashan, and they had done so.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_6">Joshua had given land west of the Jordan River to the other half of the Manasseh tribe, so they stayed at Shiloh in the land of Canaan with the rest of the Israelites.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_10"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.10-Josh.22.11" class="v6_22_10">10-11</span>The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh reached the western side of the Jordan River valley<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.10-Josh.22.11!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and built a huge altar there beside the river.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_10">When the rest of the Israelites heard what these tribes had done,<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.10-Josh.22.11!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v6_22_12"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.12" class="v6_22_12">12</span>the Israelite men met at Shiloh to get ready to attack the two and a half tribes. </span><span class="v6_22_13"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.13" class="v6_22_13">13</span>But first they sent a priest, Phinehas the son of Eleazar, to talk with the two and a half tribes. </span><span class="v6_22_14"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.14" class="v6_22_14">14</span>Each of the ten tribes at Shiloh sent the leader of one of its families along with Phinehas.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_15"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.15" class="v6_22_15">15</span>Phinehas and these leaders went to Gilead and met with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh. They said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_16"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.16" class="v6_22_16">16</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.16!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> All of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s people have gathered together and have sent us to find out why you are unfaithful to our God. You have turned your backs on the <span class="nd">Lord</span> by building that altar. Why are you rebelling against him? </span><span class="v6_22_17"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.17" class="v6_22_17">17</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.17!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Wasn't our people's sin at Peor<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.17!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> terrible enough for you? The <span class="nd">Lord</span> punished us by sending a horrible sickness that killed many of us, and we still suffer because of that sin.<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.17!f.3" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v6_22_18"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.18" class="v6_22_18">18</span>Now you are turning your backs on the <span class="nd">Lord</span> again.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_18">If you don't stop rebelling against the <span class="nd">Lord</span> at once, he will be angry with the whole nation. </span><span class="v6_22_19"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.19" class="v6_22_19">19</span>If you don't think your land is a fit place to serve God, then move across the Jordan and live with us in the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s own land, where his sacred tent is located. But don't rebel against the <span class="nd">Lord</span> our God or against us by building another altar besides the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s own altar.<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.19!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v6_22_20"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.20" class="v6_22_20">20</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.20!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Don't you remember what happened when Achan was unfaithful<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.20!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and took some of the things that belonged to God? This made God angry with the entire nation. Achan died because he sinned, but he also caused the death of many others.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_21"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.21" class="v6_22_21">21</span>The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh answered:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_22"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.22" class="v6_22_22">22</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> is the greatest God! We ask him to be our witness, because he knows whether or not we were rebellious or unfaithful when we built that altar. If we were unfaithful, then we pray that God won't rescue us today. Let us tell you why we built that altar, </span><span class="v6_22_23"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.23" class="v6_22_23">23</span>and we ask the <span class="nd">Lord</span> to punish us if we are lying. We didn't build it so we could turn our backs on the <span class="nd">Lord</span>. We didn't even build it so we could offer animal or grain sacrifices to please the <span class="nd">Lord</span> or ask his blessing.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_24"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.24-Josh.22.25" class="v6_22_24">24-25</span>We built that altar because we were worried. Someday your descendants might tell our descendants, “The <span class="nd">Lord</span> made the Jordan River the boundary between us Israelites and you people of Reuben and Gad. The <span class="nd">Lord</span> is Israel's God, but you're not part of Israel, so you can't take part in worshiping the <span class="nd">Lord</span>.”</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_24">Your descendants might say that and try to make our descendants stop worshiping and obeying the <span class="nd">Lord</span>. </span><span class="v6_22_26"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.26" class="v6_22_26">26</span>That's why we decided to build the altar. It isn't for offering sacrifices, not even sacrifices to please the <span class="nd">Lord</span>.<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.26!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v6_22_27"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.27-Josh.22.29" class="v6_22_27">27-29</span>To build another altar for offering sacrifices would be the same as turning our backs on the <span class="nd">Lord</span> and rebelling against him. We could never do that! No, we built the altar to remind us and you and the generations to come that we will worship the <span class="nd">Lord</span>. And so we will keep bringing our sacrifices to the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s altar, there in front of his sacred tent. Now your descendants will never be able to say to our descendants, “You can't worship the <span class="nd">Lord</span>.”</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v6_22_27">But if they do say this, our descendants can answer back, “Look at this altar our ancestors built! It's like the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s altar, but it isn't for offering sacrifices. It's here to remind us and you that we belong to the <span class="nd">Lord</span>, just as much as you do.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_30"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.30-Josh.22.31" class="v6_22_30">30-31</span>Phinehas and the clan leaders were pleased when they heard the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh explain why they had built the altar. Then Phinehas told them, “Today we know that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> is helping us. You have not been unfaithful to him, and this means that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will not be angry with us.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_32"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.32" class="v6_22_32">32</span>Phinehas and the clan leaders left Gilead and went back to Canaan to tell the Israelites about their meeting with the Reuben and Gad tribes. </span><span class="v6_22_33"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.33" class="v6_22_33">33</span>The Israelites were happy and praised God. There was no more talk about going to war and wiping out the tribes of Reuben and Gad.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v6_22_34"><span class="reftext" id="Josh.22.34" class="v6_22_34">34</span>The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar “A Reminder to Us All That the <span class="nd">Lord</span> Is Our God.”<a href="#fn" id="link_Josh.22.34!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.10,11 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">western … valley: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “the town of Geliloth, which is in the land of Canaan near the Jordan River.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.10,11 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">built a huge altar … tribes had done: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">According to Deuteronomy 12.5-14, the <char style="nd">Lord</char> wanted the Israelites to have only one altar for offering sacrifices. To build another altar would be to disobey the <char style="nd">Lord</char>.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.17 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">our people's sin at Peor: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See Numbers 25.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.17 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">we still … sin: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “There are still people in Israel who want to worship other gods.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.19 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">or against … altar: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “by building another altar besides the <char style="nd">Lord</char>'s own altar. That would even make us into rebels along with you.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.20 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Achan was unfaithful: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See 7.1,26.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.26 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">sacrifices to please the <char style="nd">Lord</char>: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 8.30-32.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">22.34 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">named … God: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “gave a name to the altar. They explained, ‘This altar is here to remind us all that the <char style="nd">Lord</char> is our God’ ”; most Hebrew manuscripts. A few Hebrew manuscripts and one ancient translation “named the altar ‘Reminder.’ They explained, ‘This altar is here to remind us all that the <char style="nd">Lord</char> is our God.’ ”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Bible text from the Contemporary English Version 2nd Edition (CEV®) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (<a href="http://www.americanbible.org">www.americanbible.org</a>). Learn more at <a href="http://www.cev.bible">www.cev.bible</a>. 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