22:1 Then Yehoshua called the Reuvenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Menasheh,
22:2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Mosheh eved YHWH (יהוה) commanded you, and have obeyed My voice in all that I commanded you:
22:3 Ye have not left your achim these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the mitzvah of YHWH (יהוה) Eloheichem.
22:4 And now YHWH (יהוה) Eloheichem hath given rest unto your achim, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your ohalim, [and] unto the Eretz Achuzzatechem (possession), which Mosheh eved YHWH (יהוה) gave you on the other side Yarden.
22:5 But take diligent heed to do the mitzvah and the Torah, which Mosheh eved YHWH (יהוה) charged you, to love YHWH (יהוה) Eloheichem, and to halak in all His darkhei (ways), and to shomer His mitzvot, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with kol levavchem(heart) uvkhol nafshechem (with all your soul).
22:6 So Yehoshua gave them a berakhah, and sent them away: and they went unto their ohalim(tents).
22:7 Now to the [one] half of the tribe of Menasheh Mosheh had given [possession] in Bashan: but unto the [other] half thereof gave Yehoshua among their achim on this side Yarden westward. And when Yehoshua sent them away also unto their ohalim, then he gave them a berakhah,
22:8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your ohalim (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 achim.
22:9 And Benai Reuven and Benai Gad and the half tribe of Menasheh returned, and departed from Benai Yisrael out of Shiloh, which [is] in the Eretz Kena'an, to go unto the country of Gil`ad, to the Eretz their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of YHWH (יהוה) by the hand of Mosheh.
22:10 And when they came unto the borders of Yarden, that [are] in the Eretz Kena'an, Benai Reuven and Benai Gad and the half tribe of Menasheh built there an altar by Yarden, a great altar to see to.
22:11 And Benai Yisrael heard say, Behold, Benai Reuven and Benai Gad and the half tribe of Menasheh have built an altar over against the Eretz Kena'an, in the borders of Yarden, at the passage of Benai Yisrael.
22:12 And when Benai Yisrael heard [of it], the whole adat Benai Yisrael gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.
22:13 And Benai Yisrael sent unto Benai Reuven, and to Benai Gad, and to the half tribe of Menasheh, into the Eretz Gil`ad, Pinchas Ben Eleazar ha kohen,
22:14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout kol Shivtei Yisrael; and each one [was] an head of the house of their avot among the thousands of Yisrael.
22:15 And they came unto Benai Reuven, and to Benai Gad, and to the half tribe of Menasheh, unto the Eretz Gil`ad, and they spake with them, saying,
22:16 Thus saith the kol (whole) adat YHWH (יהוה), What ma'al (trespass) [is] this that ye have committed against Elohim (אלהים) Yisrael, to turn away this day from following YHWH (יהוה), in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against YHWH (יהוה)?
22:17 [Is] the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not tahor until this day, although there was a plague in ha adat YHWH (יהוה),
22:18 But that ye must turn away this day from following YHWH (יהוה)? and it will be, [seeing] ye rebel to day against YHWH (יהוה), that to morrow he will be wroth with the kol adat Yisrael.
22:19 Notwithstanding, if the Eretz Achuzzatechem (possession) [be] unclean, [then] pass ye over unto the Eretz the possession of YHWH (יהוה), wherein YHWH (יהוה) mishkan dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against YHWH (יהוה), nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the mitzbe'ach YHWH (יהוה) Eloheinu.
22:20 Did not Achan Ben Zerah commit a ma'al (trespass) in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all ha Edah of Yisrael? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
22:21 Then Benai Reuven and Benai Gad and the half tribe of Menasheh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Yisrael,
22:22 YHWH (יהוה) EL of elohim (gods), YHWH (יהוה) EL of elohim (gods), he knoweth, and Yisrael he shall know; if [it be] in rebellion, or if in transgression against YHWH (יהוה), (save us not this day,)
22:23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following YHWH (יהוה), or if to offer thereon Olah or Minchah, or if to offer zivkhei shelamim thereon, let YHWH (יהוה) himself require [it];
22:24 And if we have not [rather] done it for fear of [this] thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with YHWH (יהוה) Elohim (אלהים) Yisrael?
22:25 For YHWH (יהוה) hath made Yarden a border between us and you, ye Benai Reuven and Benai Gad; ye have no part in YHWH (יהוה): so shall your children make our children cease from fearing YHWH (יהוה).
22:26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for Olah, nor for zevach (sacrifice):
22:27 But [that] it [may be] a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of YHWH (יהוה) before him with our Olot, and with zevakheinu, and with our shelamim; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in YHWH (יהוה).
22:28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should [so] say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say [again], Behold the pattern of the mitzbe'ach YHWH (יהוה), which avoteinu made, not for Olot, nor for zevach; but it [is] a witness between us and you.
22:29 Chalilah (Far be it) lanu (from us) that we should rebel against YHWH (יהוה), and turn this day from following YHWH (יהוה), to build an altar for Olot, for Minchah, or for zevach, beside the mitzbe'ach YHWH (יהוה) Eloheinu that [is] before His mishkan.
22:30 And when Pinchas ha kohen, and the princes of ha Edah and heads of the thousands of Yisrael which [were] with him, heard the words that Benai Reuven and Benai Gad and Benai Menasheh spake, it pleased them.
22:31 And Pinchas Ben Eleazar ha kohen said unto Benai Reuven, and to Benai Gad, and to Benai Menasheh, This day we perceive that YHWH (יהוה) [is] among us, because ye have not committed this ma'al (trespass) against YHWH (יהוה): now ye have delivered Benai Yisrael out of the hand of YHWH (יהוה).
22:32 And Pinchas Ben Eleazar ha kohen, and the princes, returned from Benai Reuven, and from Benai Gad, out of the Eretz Gil`ad, unto the Eretz Kena'an, to Benai Yisrael, and brought them word again.
22:33 And the thing pleased Benai Yisrael; and Benai Yisrael blessed Elohim (אלהים), and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein Benai Reuven and Gad dwelt.
22:34 And Benai Reuven and Benai Gad called the altar [Ed]: for it [shall be] a witness between us that YHWH (יהוה) [is] Elohim (אלהים).