22

Eastern Tribes Return to Their Lands

¹Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, ²and said to them: “You have kept ⚓all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, ⚓and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you. ³You have not left your brethren these many days, up to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God. ⁴And now the Lord your God has given ⚓rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, ⚓which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. ⁵But ⚓take careful 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.” ⁶So Joshua ⚓blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
⁷Now to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, ⚓but to the other half of it Joshua gave a possession among their brethren on this side of the Jordan, westward. And indeed, when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, ⁸and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. ⚓Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.”
⁹So the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to ⚓the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

An Altar by the Jordan

¹⁰And when they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan—a great, impressive altar. ¹¹Now the children of Israel ⚓heard someone say, “Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan—on the children of Israel’s side.” ¹²And when the children of Israel heard of it,⚓the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them.
¹³Then the children of Israel ⚓sent ⚓Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, ¹⁴and with him ten rulers, one ruler each from the chief house of every tribe of Israel; and ⚓each one was the head of the house of his father among the divisions of Israel. ¹⁵Then they came to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, ¹⁶“Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord: ‘What ⚓treachery is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that you have built for yourselves an altar, ⚓that you might rebel this day against the Lord? ¹⁷Is the iniquity ⚓of Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed till this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord, ¹⁸but that you must turn away this day from following the Lord? And it shall be, if you rebel today against the Lord, that tomorrow ⚓He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. ¹⁹Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then cross over to the land of the possession of the Lord, ⚓where the Lord’s tabernacle stands, and take possession among us; but do not rebel against the Lord, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an altar besides the altar of the Lord our God. ²⁰⚓Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’ ”
²¹Then the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel: ²²“The Lord⚓God of gods, the Lord God of gods, He ⚓knows, and let Israel itself know—if it is in rebellion, or if in treachery against the Lord, do not save us this day. ²³If we have built ourselves an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer on it burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings on it, let the Lord Himself ⚓require an account. ²⁴But in fact we have done it for fear, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your descendants may speak to our descendants, saying, “What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel? ²⁵For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between you and us, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no part in the Lord.” So your descendants would make our descendants cease fearing the Lord.’ ²⁶Therefore we said, ‘Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice, ²⁷but that it may be⚓a witness between you and us and 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 descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, “You have no part in the Lord.” ’ ²⁸Therefore we said that it will be, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, ‘Here is the replica of the altar of the Lord which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between you and us.’ ²⁹Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn from following the Lord this day, ⚓to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the Lord our God which is before His tabernacle.”
³⁰Now when Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregation, the heads of the divisions of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. ³¹Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh, “This day we perceive that the Lordis⚓among us, because you have not committed this treachery against the Lord. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.”
³²And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought back word to them. ³³So the thing pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israel ⚓blessed God; they spoke no more of going against them in battle, to destroy the land where the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.
³⁴The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar, Witness, “For it is a witness between us that the Lordis God.”

22

Cov Xeem uas Nyob Sab Hnubtuaj Rov Mus Tsev

¹Yausuas hu tagnrho xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj los cuag nws. ²Yausuas hais rau lawv hais tias, “Nej tau ua txhua yam uas tus TSWV tus tubtxib Mauxes hais rau nej ua, thiab nej twb ua raws li kuv hais lawm. ³Txij thaum pib los txog nimno, nej tsis tso nej cov kwvtij Yixalayees tseg li. Nej ua tib zoo mloog thiab ua raws li tus TSWV uas yog nej tus Vajtswv tej lus samhwm. ⁴Nimno nej cov kwvtij Yixalayees twb nyob thajyeeb lug raws li tus TSWV uas yog nej tus Vajtswv tau coglus tseg lawm. Nej cia li rov mus tsev, mus rau nej lub tebchaws ntawm tus Dej Yauladees sab hnubtuaj uas tus TSWV tus tubtxib Mauxes twb muab rau nej lawm. ⁵Nej yuav tsum nco ntsoov ua raws li tej kevcai uas Mauxes twb qhia rau nej lawm hais tias, hlub tus TSWV uas yog nej tus Vajtswv, ua raws li nws siab nyiam, mloog nws lus, muab siab npuab nws thiab ua nws tes haujlwm kawg nej lub siab lub ntsws.” ^6-8Yausuas foom koob hmoov rau lawv, tso lawv mus tsev thiab hais tias: “Nej rov mus tsev, thov Vajtswv pub nej muaj txiag npluanuj, muaj tsiaj txhu coob, muaj nyiaj muaj kub, muaj tooj muaj hlau thiab muaj tsoos tsho hnav. Muab tej uas nej mus txeeb tau ntawm yeebncuab los faib rau nej tej kwvtij.” Ces lawv txawm rov mus tsev lawm.
Mauxes twb muab lub tebchaws ntawm tus Dej Yauladees sab hnubtuaj faib rau ib nrab xeem Manaxes lawm, tiamsis Yausuas muab lub tebchaws ntawm tus Dej Yauladees sab hnubpoob faib rau ib nrab xeem Manaxes thiab lwm xeem.
⁹Yog li ntawd, xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj thiaj rov mus tsev, lawv tso lawv cov kwvtij Yixalayees rau ntawm lub nroog Silaus hauv tebchaws Kana-as, thiab lawv rov mus rau tebchaws Nkile-as uas lawv txeeb tau los raws li tus TSWV tau hais rau Mauxes kom hais rau lawv lawm.

Lub Thaj Ntawm Ntug Dej Yauladees

¹⁰Thaum xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj rov los txog hauv Nkelilaus uas nyob ntawm ntug Dej Yauladees sab hnubpoob, lawv teeb tau ib lub thaj loj thiab zoo heev rau ntawm ntug dej. ¹¹Muaj neeg mus qhia rau cov kwvtij Yixalayees hais tias, “Nej mloog kuv hais! Xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj teeb tau ib lub thaj rau ntawm Nkelilaus uas nyob ntawm ntug Dej Yauladees uas yog peb sab!” ¹²Thaum cov kwvtij Yixalayees hnov zaj no, lawv txawm tuaj sib sau rau hauv Silaus thiab npaj mus tua cov xeem uas nyob sab hnubtuaj.
¹³Cov kwvtij Yixalayees thiaj tso tus povthawj Finehas uas yog Ele-axas tus tub mus cuag xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj uas nyob hauv tebchaws Nkile-as. ¹⁴Muaj kaum leej thawjcoj, ib xeem ib leeg ntawm cov xeem uas nyob sab hnubpoob nrog Finehas mus, lawv puavleej yog tus thawj ntawm tej tsevneeg thiab tej cuab. ¹⁵Lawv mus cuag xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj hauv tebchaws Nkile-as, ¹⁶thiab hais rau tus TSWV haivneeg hais tias, “Vim li cas nej ua tej kev phem no tawmtsam cov Yixalayees tus Vajtswv? Qhov uas nej teeb lub thaj no rau nej, yog nej ntxeev siab rau tus TSWV! Tsis yog nej ua los pehawm nws! ¹⁷Nej puas tseem nco tau tej kev txhaum uas peb ua nyob ntawm Pe-aus uas tus TSWV tso sub tawg sub ntsha rau txim rau peb? Nimno peb raug txomnyem twb vim tej ntawd ntag. Peb ua txhaum loj li ntawd tseem tsis tau txaus thiab los? ¹⁸Nej yuav tso tus TSWV tseg los? Yog hnub no nej ntxeev siab rau tus TSWV, tagkis nws yuav chim rau peb cov Yixalayees txhua tus. ¹⁹Yog nej lub tebchaws no tsis huv, nej cia li tuaj rau tim tus TSWV lub tebchaws uas teeb tus TSWV lub Tsevntaub. Tuaj thov peb muab av rau nej. Tiamsis nej tsis txhob ntxeev siab rau tus TSWV lossis ntxeev siab rau peb thiab mus teeb dua lwm lub thaj ntxiv rau tus TSWV uas yog peb tus Vajtswv lub. ²⁰Nej nco ntsoov hais tias, Zelas tus tub Akhas tsis ua raws li tus TSWV tej lus, nws tsis muab tej khoom hlawv kom tas huv tibsi; cov Yixalayees thiaj raug txim vim tej ntawd. Muaj ntau leej tuag nrog Akhas vim nws tej kev txhaum.”
²¹Xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj teb rau cov thawjcoj ntawm tej tsevneeg ntawm cov xeem uas nyob sab hnubpoob hais tias, ²²“Tus muaj Hwjchim Loj yog Vajtswv! Nws yog tus TSWV! Tus muaj Hwjchim Loj yog Vajtswv! Nws yog tus TSWV! Nws paub tej uas peb ua no, thiab peb xav kom nej paub! Yog hais tias peb ntxeev siab thiab tsis muab siab npuab tus TSWV, thov tsis txhob pub kom peb muaj sia nyob! ²³Yog hais tias peb tsis mloog tus TSWV lus, peb teeb lub thaj no hlawv peb tej khoom theej txhoj, tej nplej lossis tej khoom fij ua kev sib raug zoo, ces cia tus TSWV rau txim rau peb. ²⁴Tsis yog peb ntxeev siab! Qhov uas peb teeb lub thaj no yog peb ntshai nyob tsam yav tom ntej nej cov xeebntxwv yuav hais rau peb cov xeebntxwv hais tias, ‘Nej tau ua dabtsi rau tus TSWV uas yog cov Yixalayees tus Vajtswv? ²⁵Tus TSWV muab tus Dej Yauladees ua tus ciamteb quas nruab nrab ntawm peb thiab nej, nej cov uas yog xeem Lunpees thiab xeem Khas, tsis tau ua dabtsi rau tus TSWV li.’ Ces nej cov xeebntxwv yuav ua rau peb cov xeebntxwv tso txojkev pehawm tus TSWV tseg. ²⁶Peb teeb lub thaj no, tsis yog teeb los hlawv tsiaj fij lossis hlawv khoom fij, ²⁷tiamsis yog peb teeb los ua lub cim qhia rau peb thiab rau nej thiab rau peb tej xeebntxwv ntau tiam tom qab paub hais tias, peb yeej pehawm tus TSWV, hlawv khoom theej txhoj thiab fij khoom ua kev sib raug zoo tabmeeg tus TSWV lub Tsevntaub. Tej no yog peb ua tseg kom nej cov xeebntxwv tsis txhob hais tias, ‘Nej tsis tau ua dabtsi rau tus TSWV li.’ ²⁸Tej no yog tej uas peb txhawj txog. Yog muaj tseeb li peb xav ntawd tiag, peb cov xeebntxwv thiaj muaj lus hais tias, ‘Nej sim saib saib! Peb cov yawgkoob muaj lub thaj zoo ib yam li tus TSWV lub thiab. Tsis yog peb teeb los hlawv tsiaj lossis hlawv khoom fij, tiamsis yog teeb los ua lub cim tseg rau nej thiab rau peb xwb.’ ²⁹Tsis yog peb ntxeev siab lossis tso tus TSWV tseg, peb yuav cia li teeb dua ib lub thaj hlawv tsiaj, hlawv nplej lossis lwm yam khoom fij. Peb yeej tsis teeb dua lwm lub thaj kom zoo li tus TSWV uas yog peb tus Vajtswv lub uas nyob ntawm tus TSWV lub Tsevntaub hauv ntej.”
³⁰Tus povthawj Finehas thiab kaum leej thawjcoj uas sawvcev tsoom pejxeem uas yog cov thawj ntawm tej tsevneeg ntawm cov xeem nyob sab hnubpoob uas nrog Finehas mus ntawd hnov tej lus uas xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj hais, lawv thiaj txaus siab. ³¹Tus povthawj Finehas uas yog Ele-axas tus tub hais rau lawv peb xeem ntawd hais tias, “Nimno peb paub hais tias tus TSWV nrog peb nyob. Tsis yog nej ntxeev siab rau tus TSWV, tiamsis yog nej ua kom cov Yixalayees dim tus TSWV txoj kev rau txim xwb.”
³²Finehas thiab cov thawjcoj uas nrog nws mus tso xeem Lunpees, xeem Khas thiab xeem Manaxes sab Hnubtuaj rau hauv tebchaws Nkile-as thiab rov los cuag cov Yixalayees rau hauv tebchaws Kana-as, thiab piav txhua yam rau lawv. ³³Cov kwvtij Yixalayees txaus siab thiab ua Vajtswv tsaug. Lawv tsis hais txog qhov uas yuav tua thiab rhuav lub tebchaws uas xeem Lunpees thiab xeem Khas nyob lawm.
³⁴Xeem Lunpees thiab xeem Khas hais tias, “Lub thaj no ua timkhawv rau peb sawvdaws hais tias tus TSWV yog Vajtswv!” Yog li ntawd, lawv thiaj tis npe rau lub thaj ntawd hu ua “Timkhawv.”