Joshua 22:28 - “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 Yahweh’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’
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What does "Joshua 22:28" mean?
This verse, Joshua 22:28, is part of a larger narrative about a misunderstanding between the tribes of Israel. To understand it, you need some context:
Background:
The Tribes and the Jordan: After the conquest of Canaan, some tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) chose to settle east of the Jordan River. These tribes were given their land with the understanding that they would still help their brothers conquer the land west of the Jordan.
Building an Altar: After fulfilling their promise and helping conquer the land, these eastern tribes returned home. As they approached the Jordan, they built a large altar "by" the Jordan, on the side belonging to the children of Israel.
Misunderstanding and Fear: The tribes west of the Jordan saw this altar and wrongly assumed it was an act of rebellion and idolatry. They feared the eastern tribes were abandoning Yahweh and establishing a rival worship center. This caused great anger and almost led to a civil war.
The Verse Explained (Joshua 22:28):
This verse is part of the explanation given by the eastern tribes to the western tribes regarding the altar they built. It essentially means:
"Therefore we said...": The eastern tribes are explaining their reasoning behind building the altar.
"...‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come...": The eastern tribes foresaw a future when their descendants might be questioned about the purpose of this prominent altar. They anticipated being asked why it was there.
"...that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of Yahweh’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’": This is the key part. They built the altar, not as a place of sacrifice (competing with the Tabernacle/future Temple), but as a witness or a memorial. They planned to tell future generations that the altar was:
A copy of (or similar in appearance to) Yahweh's altar at the Tabernacle: This demonstrates their continued allegiance to the God of Israel.
Not for sacrifice: They made it clear that it was not a place for offering burnt offerings or other sacrifices, emphasizing that they weren't establishing a rival sanctuary.
A witness/reminder of their unity and covenant: It was meant to serve as a tangible reminder to both the eastern and western tribes that they were all part of the same covenant community with Yahweh. It would remind them that even though they lived on different sides of the Jordan, they shared the same faith and God.
In summary, the verse highlights the eastern tribes' intention to build the altar as a symbolic gesture of unity and continued loyalty to Yahweh, designed to prevent future generations from forgetting their shared heritage and covenant. They wanted to avoid being seen as separate from their brothers west of the Jordan. The altar was a visual reminder of their common faith and kinship. This verse demonstrates the eastern tribes' concern for maintaining unity within the nation of Israel and their desire to be remembered as faithful to Yahweh, even when separated geographically.
Joshua 22:28 - “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 Yahweh’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’
What does "Joshua 22:28" mean?
This verse, Joshua 22:28, is part of a larger narrative about a misunderstanding between the tribes of Israel. To understand it, you need some context:
Background:
The Tribes and the Jordan: After the conquest of Canaan, some tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) chose to settle east of the Jordan River. These tribes were given their land with the understanding that they would still help their brothers conquer the land west of the Jordan.
Building an Altar: After fulfilling their promise and helping conquer the land, these eastern tribes returned home. As they approached the Jordan, they built a large altar "by" the Jordan, on the side belonging to the children of Israel.
Misunderstanding and Fear: The tribes west of the Jordan saw this altar and wrongly assumed it was an act of rebellion and idolatry. They feared the eastern tribes were abandoning Yahweh and establishing a rival worship center. This caused great anger and almost led to a civil war.
The Verse Explained (Joshua 22:28):
This verse is part of the explanation given by the eastern tribes to the western tribes regarding the altar they built. It essentially means:
"Therefore we said...": The eastern tribes are explaining their reasoning behind building the altar.
"...‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come...": The eastern tribes foresaw a future when their descendants might be questioned about the purpose of this prominent altar. They anticipated being asked why it was there.
"...that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of Yahweh’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’": This is the key part. They built the altar, not as a place of sacrifice (competing with the Tabernacle/future Temple), but as a witness or a memorial. They planned to tell future generations that the altar was:
A copy of (or similar in appearance to) Yahweh's altar at the Tabernacle: This demonstrates their continued allegiance to the God of Israel.
Not for sacrifice: They made it clear that it was not a place for offering burnt offerings or other sacrifices, emphasizing that they weren't establishing a rival sanctuary.
A witness/reminder of their unity and covenant: It was meant to serve as a tangible reminder to both the eastern and western tribes that they were all part of the same covenant community with Yahweh. It would remind them that even though they lived on different sides of the Jordan, they shared the same faith and God.
In summary, the verse highlights the eastern tribes' intention to build the altar as a symbolic gesture of unity and continued loyalty to Yahweh, designed to prevent future generations from forgetting their shared heritage and covenant. They wanted to avoid being seen as separate from their brothers west of the Jordan. The altar was a visual reminder of their common faith and kinship. This verse demonstrates the eastern tribes' concern for maintaining unity within the nation of Israel and their desire to be remembered as faithful to Yahweh, even when separated geographically.