1Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
2And said unto them, You have kept all that Moses the servant of Yahuah (LORD) commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:
3You have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of Yahuah Elohaychem (the LORD your God).
4And now Yahuah Elohaychem (the LORD your God) has given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return you, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahuah (LORD) gave you on the other side Jordan.
5But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of Yahuah (LORD) charged you, to love Yahuah Elohaychem (the LORD your God), and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto 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 unto their tents.
7Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,
8And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your 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 brethren.
9And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Yashar'el (Israel) out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of Yahuah (LORD) by the hand of Moses.
10And 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 Jordan, a great altar to see to.
11And the children of Yashar'el (Israel) heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Yashar'el (Israel).
12And when the children of Yashar'el (Israel) heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Yashar'el (Israel) gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.
13And the children of Yashar'el (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,
14And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Yashar'el (Israel); and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Yashar'el (Israel).
15And 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 spake with them, saying,
16Thus says the whole congregation of Yahuah (LORD), What trespass is this that you have committed against the Elohim (God) of Yashar'el (Israel), to turn away this day from following Yahuah (LORD), in that you have builded you an altar, that you might rebel this day against Yahuah (LORD)?
17Is 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 Yahuah (LORD),
18But that you must turn away this day from following Yahuah (LORD)? and it will be, seeing you rebel to day against Yahuah (LORD), that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Yashar'el (Israel).
19Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass you over unto the land of the possession of Yahuah (LORD), wherein the LORD’S tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us: but rebel not against Yahuah (LORD), nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of Yahuah Eloheinu (the LORD our God).
20Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Yashar'el (Israel)? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
21Then 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 Yashar'el (Israel),
22Yahuah Elohim (The LORD God) of gods, Yahuah Elohim (the LORD God) of gods, he knows, and Yashar'el (Israel) he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against Yahuah (LORD), (save us not this day,)
23That we have built us an altar to turn from following Yahuah (LORD), or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let Yahuah (LORD) himself require it;
24And 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 Yahuah Elohim (the LORD God) of Yashar'el (Israel)?
25For Yahuah (LORD) has made Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad; you have no part in Yahuah (LORD): so shall your children make our children cease from fearing Yahuah (LORD).
26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
27But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of Yahuah (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 Yahuah (LORD).
28Therefore 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 Yahuah (LORD), which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
29Elohim (God) forbid that we should rebel against Yahuah (LORD), and turn this day from following Yahuah (LORD), to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of Yahuah Eloheinu (the LORD our God) that is before his tabernacle.
30And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Yashar'el (Israel) which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.
31And 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 Yahuah (LORD) is among us, because you have not committed this trespass against Yahuah (LORD): now you have delivered the children of Yashar'el (Israel) out of the hand of Yahuah (LORD).
32And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, 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 Yashar'el (Israel), and brought them word again.
33And the thing pleased the children of Yashar'el (Israel); and the children of Yashar'el (Israel) blessed Elohim (God), and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.
34And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that Yahuah (LORD) is Elohim (God).