Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to give unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

Doubtless you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I swore to give unto your fathers,

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD swore that he would not show them the land, which the LORD swore unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that flows with milk and honey.

Unto whom I swore in my anger that they should not enter into my rest.

Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;


Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter into it, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:


Doubtless you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho. But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

And the LORD heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and swore, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I swore to give unto your fathers, Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he has trodden upon, and to his children, because he has wholly followed the LORD.

Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said unto him, You know the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and you in Kadeshbarnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. read more.
And Moses swore on that day, saying, Surely the land on which your feet have trodden shall be your inheritance, and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God. And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spoke this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. Even yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite unto this day, because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. And the name of Hebron before was Kiriatharba; this Arba was a great man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.


Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I swore to give unto your fathers, Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he has trodden upon, and to his children, because he has wholly followed the LORD.

But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.


And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will it be before they believe me, with all the signs which I have shown among them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a greater nation and mightier than they.

Because all those men who have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put me to the test now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to give unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him will I bring into the land in which he went; and his descendants shall possess it.

Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, read more.
Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

But it shall come to pass, if you will not hearken unto the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day; that all these curses shall come upon you, and overtake you: Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. read more.
Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your land, the increase of your cattle, and the offspring of your sheep. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. The LORD shall send upon you cursing, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you set your hand unto to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly; because of the wickedness of your doings, by which you have forsaken me. The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto you, until he has consumed you from off the land, which you go to possess. The LORD shall strike you with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish. And your heaven that is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth that is under you shall be iron. The LORD shall make the rain of your land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon you, until you be destroyed. The LORD shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies: you shall go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shall be a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. And your carcasses shall be food unto all fowls of the air, and unto the animals of the earth, and no man shall frighten them away. The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with tumors, and with the scab, and with the itch, of which you can not be healed. The LORD shall strike you with madness, and blindness, and confusion of mind: And you shall grope at noonday, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways: and you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no man shall save you. You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell therein: you shall plant a vineyard, and shall not gather the grapes thereof. Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat thereof: your donkey shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you: your sheep shall be given unto your enemies, and you shall have none to rescue them. Your sons and your daughters shall be given unto another people, and your eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no strength in your hand. The fruit of your land, and all your labors, shall a nation which you know not eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually: So that you shall be driven mad by the sight of your eyes which you shall see. The LORD shall strike you in the knees, and in the legs, with painful boils that cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot unto the top of your head. The LORD shall bring you, and your king which you shall set over you, unto a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known; and there shall you serve other gods, of wood and stone. And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations where the LORD shall lead you. You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. You shall plant vineyards, and dress them, but shall neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off. You shall beget sons and daughters, but you shall not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. All your trees and fruit of your land shall the locust consume. The stranger that is among you shall rise up above you higher and higher; and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him: he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. Moreover all these curses shall come upon you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, till you are destroyed; because you hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you: And they shall be upon you for a sign and for a wonder, and upon your descendants forever. Because you served not the LORD your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shall you serve your enemies which the LORD shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon your neck, until he has destroyed you. The LORD shall bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies; a nation whose tongue you shall not understand; A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young: And he shall eat the fruit of your cattle, and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed: who also shall not leave you either grain, wine, or oil, or the increase of your cattle, or offspring of your sheep, until he has destroyed you. And he shall besiege you in all your gates, until your high and fortified walls come down, in which you trusted, throughout all your land: and he shall besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land, which the LORD your God has given you. And you shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, which the LORD your God has given you, in the siege, and in the distress, with which your enemies shall distress you: So that the man that is gentle among you, and very refined, his eye shall show no compassion toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave behind: So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he has nothing left him in the siege, and in the distress with which your enemies shall distress you in all your gates. The gentle and refined woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot upon the ground because of her gentleness and refinement, her eye shall show no compassion toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, And toward her afterbirth that comes out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for lack of all things secretly in the siege and distress, with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates. If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD YOUR GOD; Then the LORD will make your plagues abundant, and the plagues of your descendants, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and severe sicknesses, of long continuance. Moreover he will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall cleave unto you. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon you, until you are destroyed. And you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God. And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land where you go to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter you among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shall you find no ease, neither shall the sole of your foot have rest: but the LORD shall give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you shall fear day and night, and shall have no assurance of your life: In the morning you shall say, Would God it were evening! and at evening you shall say, Would God it were morning! because of the fear of your heart by which you shall fear, and because of the sight of your eyes which you shall see. And the LORD shall bring you into Egypt again in ships, by the way of which I spoke unto you, You shall see it no more again: and there you shall be sold unto your enemies as male and female slaves, and no man shall buy you.

But if you will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if you shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhors my judgments, so that you will not do all my commandments, but that you break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning fever, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. read more.
And I will set my face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and you shall flee when none pursues you. And if you will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heavens as iron, and your earth as bronze: And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield its increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if you walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also send wild animals among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. And if you will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall bring the vengeance of my covenant: and when you are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. And when I have broken the supply of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and you shall eat, and not be satisfied. And if you will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. And you shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall you eat. And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the aroma of your sweet odors. And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies who dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. Then shall the land enjoy its sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and you be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy its sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when you dwelt upon it. And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursues. And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursues: and you shall have no power to stand before your enemies. And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them. If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left by them, and shall enjoy its sabbaths, while it lies desolate without them: and they shall accept the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes. And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD. These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between himself and the children of Israel on mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.


Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to give unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

Doubtless you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I swore to give unto your fathers,

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD swore that he would not show them the land, which the LORD swore unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that flows with milk and honey.

Unto whom I swore in my anger that they should not enter into my rest.

Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;


Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter into it, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:


Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the leaders of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, read more.
Even the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle: Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here? And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if you turn away from following him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said unto your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours. And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof within the borders, even the cities of the surrounding country.


Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the leaders of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, read more.
Even the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle: Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here? And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if you turn away from following him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward.

And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to see. And the children of Israel were told, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar near the border of the land of Canaan, in the area of the Jordan, on the side of the children of Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. read more.
And the children of Israel sent unto 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, And with him ten leaders, of each chief house a leader throughout all the tribes of Israel; and every one was a head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass 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 you an altar, that you might rebel this day against the LORD? 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 congregation of the LORD, But that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, in which the LORD'S tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God. 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 perished not alone in his iniquity. Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knows, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require an account; 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 you to do with the LORD God of Israel? For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad; you have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD 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 time to come, you have no part in the LORD. 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 altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle. And when Phinehas the priest, and the leaders of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel who 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. 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 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 hand of the LORD. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the leaders, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.


Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the leaders of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, read more.
Even the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle: Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here? And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if you turn away from following him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said unto your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours. And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof within the borders, even the cities of the surrounding country.

And the children of Israel were told, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar near the border of the land of Canaan, in the area of the Jordan, on the side of the children of Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. And the children of Israel sent unto 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, read more.
And with him ten leaders, of each chief house a leader throughout all the tribes of Israel; and every one was a head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass 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 you an altar, that you might rebel this day against the LORD? 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 congregation of the LORD, But that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, in which the LORD'S tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God. 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 perished not alone in his iniquity. Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knows, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require an account; 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 you to do with the LORD God of Israel? For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad; you have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD 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 time to come, you have no part in the LORD. 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 altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle. And when Phinehas the priest, and the leaders of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel who 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. 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 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 hand of the LORD.


Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the leaders of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, read more.
Even the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle: Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here? And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if you turn away from following him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said unto your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours. And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof within the borders, even the cities of the surrounding country.


Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the leaders of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, read more.
Even the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle: Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here? And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if you turn away from following him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said unto your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours. And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof within the borders, even the cities of the surrounding country.

And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it: you shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are fit for war. But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that you have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you; Until the LORD has given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God has given them beyond the Jordan: and then shall you return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.


And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it: you shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are fit for war. But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that you have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you; Until the LORD has given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God has given them beyond the Jordan: and then shall you return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.

And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here? And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. read more.
For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if you turn away from following him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said unto your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours.


Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the leaders of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, read more.
Even the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and your servants have cattle: Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall you sit here? And why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. And, behold, you are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if you turn away from following him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you shall destroy all this people. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of Jordan, and beyond; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying, your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: But your servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said unto your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of Jordan may be ours. And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof within the borders, even the cities of the surrounding country.

And the children of Israel were told, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar near the border of the land of Canaan, in the area of the Jordan, on the side of the children of Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. And the children of Israel sent unto 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, read more.
And with him ten leaders, of each chief house a leader throughout all the tribes of Israel; and every one was a head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass 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 you an altar, that you might rebel this day against the LORD? 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 congregation of the LORD, But that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, in which the LORD'S tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God. 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 perished not alone in his iniquity. Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knows, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require an account; 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 you to do with the LORD God of Israel? For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad; you have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD 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 time to come, you have no part in the LORD. 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 altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle. And when Phinehas the priest, and the leaders of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel who 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. 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 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 hand of the LORD.