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Chapter 22: The Return of the Transjordan Tribes
Joshua 22:1-8 ~ Joshua sends the eastern tribes home
In verses 2-4 Joshua praises the obedience of the eastern tribes and announces that Yahweh now fulfills the promise He made in granting the Transjordan tribes the "rest" (verse 4) He promised them in Deuteronomy 12:10 "a reminder of which Joshua made in 1:13, 15 and repeated to all the tribes in 21:44.
Question: Joshua warns the eastern tribes to keep the commandments of the Law. What does he list as the ways in which they must remain obedient to the Law?
Answer:
- To love God
- To follow the path God has set for them by keeping the commandments
- To be loyal to God and to serve Him with all your heart and soul
Question: What is Joshua's final warning?
Answer: Joshua's final warning is that they must be generous in sharing their spoils of conquest, which God has given them, with their brothers.
Joshua 22:9-12 ~ The eastern tribes build an altar
The eastern tribes cross over into to Gilead, a mountainous area in the Transjordan, southeast of the Sea of Galilee. They erect "a large, imposing altar" on what is probably the eastern side of the river that may have been a replica of Yahweh's altar in the Sanctuary at Shiloh. The altar that the warriors of the eastern tribes erected was at a pagan memorial stone circle probably similar to the one mentioned in Joshua 15:7 and 18:17 that was on the border of the lands allotted to Judah and Benjamin on the western side of the Jordan River.
Question: When the news of the altar built by the eastern warriors reached the other tribes, why were the Israelites of the western tribes ready to go to war against the eastern tribes?
Answer: The altar built by the eastern tribes is condemned as a serious violation of the covenant. In the covenant with Israel, Yahweh established only one Sanctuary and one altar of sacrifice. Sacrifice offered on any other altar is a sacrilege that is to be punished by expulsion from the covenant community. The western tribes want to prevent a political and religious schism that could put the entire covenant treaty in jeopardy, and they are determined to go to war to prevent it.
Joshua 22:13-20 ~ The Israelites send a delegation to the eastern tribes
The confrontation between the tribal leaders took place in Gilead, on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Phinehas, a chief priest and son of the High Priest Eleazar, is the leader of the delegation of the western tribes and is probably the spokesman for the group.
Question: What point is made concerning the altar the eastern tribal warriors have built on the eastern side? Why is building the altar interpreted as an act of rebellion and as infidelity to Yahweh?
Answer: The point concerning the altar is that if they intend to offer sacrifice on it "even if the sacrifice is intended for Yahweh "they would be in violation of the law and in rebellion against Yahweh by offering unsanctioned sacrifice which can only be offered in Yahweh's Sanctuary and by Yahweh's ordained priests. Phinehas accuses them of "infidelity," which in the language of covenant means they are guilty of idolatry "the unsanctioned altar being the idol.
It was Phinehas who deflected God's anger and brought an end to the plague that was Israel's punishment for the sin of idol worship and sexual immorality at Peor (Num 25:6-13). The recalling of Achan's sin is another reminder of the corporate nature of the covenant where the sin of one can bring judgment on the entire community.
Question: What comparison can be made to safeguarding our souls from the contamination of sinful practices in the world by abiding in close proximity to the "dwelling place" of God?
Answer: When one is surrounded by sin one cannot help but become susceptible to sinful practices. The more one is exposes, the less sinful those practices seem: i.e., unmarried couples openly living together (the sin of fornication), abortion defined as "a woman's right to choose," viewing movies or TV programs that promote/glorify sinful practices, etc. It is by living infused by the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of the Living Christ in the Eucharist that we become the "dwelling place" of God and are both protected against sin in the world and are spiritually nourished on our journey to salvation.
Joshua 22:21-29 ~ The Transjordan tribes justify their action in building an altar
The meeting between the tribal representatives may have been near the site where Jacob, the ancestor of the Israelites, and his father-in-law Laban made a covenant in Genesis 31 on the eastern side of the river.
Question: According to Genesis 31:47-48, what does the name Gilead mean?
Answer: Laban named it "witness" or "mound of witness," referring to the mound of stone he set up as a memorial of the covenant he made with Jacob-Israel.
Question: What explanation do the eastern tribal representatives give for building the altar?
Answer: They say that the altar was not intended for sacrifice but only as a memorial that stands as a "witness" to their part united with Israel in covenant with Yahweh.
Their defense appears to be sincere. They even offer a self-curse in verse 22 if their words are false. Whether what they profess is the truth is impossible to determine.
Joshua 22:30-34 ~ Peace is restored between the western and eastern tribes
A much relieved delegation of the representatives of the western tribes graciously accepted the testimony of the eastern tribal representatives that the altar was only intended to be a memorial and a witness to their commitment to their union with the western tribes and to the covenant with Yahweh. The name they gave the altar in verse 34 has been lost or purposely struck out from the text, but the word "witness" must have been part of the name.
Chapters 23-24 are one unit in three parts:
- The National Assembly and Joshua's farewell address to the people (Josh 23:1-16)
- Joshua's addressed continued at the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem (Josh 24:1-28)
- Conclusion: the three graves of Israel's heroes in the Promised Land (Josh 24:29-33)
Joshua is now the oldest man in the nation of Israel. He has faithfully followed Yahweh all his life, first as a boy who served Moses (Num 11:28) and later as Moses' trusted adjutant (mesharet in Hebrew) and military commander (Ex 17:8-10; 24:13; 33:11; Josh 1:1), and then as the man selected by God to succeed Moses (Num 27:15-20). It was not that Joshua walked in the shadow of Moses but that he made the free will choice to willingly followed Moses' example of complete obedience to Yahweh. It was for this reason that God put His spirit upon Joshua and made him God's Divine instrument in fulfilling the promise to the Patriarchs to give the Israelites victory over the enemies of God in the land of Canaan (Gen 15:7, 16, 18-21; Num 27:18-20; Dt 31:7-8; 34:9).
In these last two chapters, the inspired writer continues to make comparisons between Moses and Joshua. The comparisons that are made between Joshua and Moses in the Book of Joshua include:
- Joshua is called God's servant in the same way Moses was called God's servant (i.e., Josh 1:1; 24:29).
- God spoke directly to Joshua in the same way He spoke directly to Moses (Josh 1:1, 3:7; 4:1, 8, 15; 5:2, 9; 6:2; 7:10; 8:1, 18; 10:8; 11:6; 20:1).
- Both men, in cooperation with God, were instrumental in a water miracle in which the Israelites crossed a parted body of water on dry ground to the opposite side (Ex 14:15-16; Josh 3:7-17).
- Both men experienced a Divine visitation in which they were told to remove their shoes because they were standing on "holy" ground (Ex 3:2-5; Josh 5:13-15).
- Both men held out an implement at God's direction at a critical time during a battle (Ex 17:8-16; Josh 8:26).
- Both men built an altar to the Lord for a covenant ceremony (Ex 24:4; Josh 8:30).
- Both men erected 12 standing stones at God's command to commemorate a significant event in Israel's history (Ex 24:4; Josh 4:3-9).
- Both men gave a farewell address at the end of their lives (Dt 31-32; Josh 23-24).
Joshua Speaks at Shechem
Chapter 23: The Last Discourse of Joshua
Joshua's farewell address to the Israelites in chapter 23, calling for Israel's continuing obedience to Yahweh, is divided into three main sections:
- Introduction and a review of Yahweh's promises (23:1-8)
- The treatment of pagan neighbors (23:9-13)
- A call for acknowledgment of God's faithfulness and conclusion (23:14-16)
In his address, Joshua speaks of God as the Divine Warrior (verses 3, 9-10) who kept His promises (verses 4-5), and Joshua urges the Israelites to do the same (verses 6-8). God's promises have been realized in the covenant treaty blessings in which Israel now possesses the land. These covenant blessings are seen as having been operative in associating with Israel's loyalty under Joshua's leadership (verse 15), and after Joshua urges the people to be grateful in acknowledging God's faithfulness he also warns them to continue being loyal to Yahweh and obedient to His Law or the covenant blessings will become covenant curses (verses 15-16).
Joshua 23:1-5 ~ Introduction and review of God's promises
Not long after the land had been settled Israel had "rest" from all her enemies. This is the 5th and last repeat in Joshua of the theologically significant word "rest" in relation to God's promise to in Deuteronomy 12:10 to give the Israelites "rest" in the Promised Land (see Josh 1:13, 15; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1). Peace in the land of promise is God's gracious gift to an obedient people, and prefigures the promise of eternal rest in the heavenly kingdom for the obedient faithful who claim Jesus Christ as Savior and Divine King.
Question: How does Joshua characterize the Canaanites and Amorites that God and the Israelites have driven from the land?
Answer: He calls them "enemies."
Joshua reminds the Israelites that God has kept His promise to fight for Israel. That God will fight/fought for Israel is repeated seven times (Ex 14:14; Dt 1:30; 3:22; 20:4; Josh 10:14, 42; 23:3).
Question: What is the promise that God will continue driving out their enemies dependent upon?
Answer: The Israelites must continue to be God's partners in the conquest by maintaining faith in God and obedience to the Law.
Joshua 23:6-13 ~ The treatment of pagan neighbors
In verse 6 Joshua urges the people to be "very firm" or literally "to be strong" in their obedience to the Torah (instruction) of Moses.
In verse 7 Joshua gives instruction on how to treat the pagan peoples who are their neighbors.
Question: What kinds of interaction are forbidden?
- Do not marry or have social interaction with them.
- Do not invoke the names of their gods or swear an oath using their names.
- Do not offer worship to their gods (bowing down and serving them).
Question: If the Israelites violate actions 2 and 3 what sins have they committed?
Answer: They have violated the first three commandments and have been unfaithful/disloyal to Yahweh their God and Divine King.
Verses 9-13 contain Joshua's second call to obedience:
God's promise to drive out their enemies (see Dt 7:1; 11:23, 25 and Josh 1:5) has been fulfilled. Joshua emphasizes the strength of their enemies, which makes God's deliverance even more impressive and should encourage the loyalty of the Israelites.
Joshua 23:11 Be very careful, as you value your life, to love Yahweh your God.
The message is clear "loving Yahweh and being loyal to His covenant is the way of life. Any other path is the way of death (see Moses' warning in Dt 30:15-20).
Joshua 23:14-16 ~ A call for acknowledgment of God's faithfulness and conclusion
The expression Joshua uses of his impending death is the same wording that will be used by King David (1 Kng 2:2).
Question: What is Joshua's warning in verse 14b?
Answer: If God kept all His promises concerning the Israelites taking possession of the land of Canaan, then the Israelites must expect that He will be just as vigilant in imposing the judgments He has promised for covenant failure.
Chapter 24: The Covenant Renewal Ceremony at Shechem and the Graves of the Heroes
Chapter 24 is a continuation of chapter 23 and is divided into parts II and III:
- Joshua's addressed continued at the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem (24:1-28)
- Conclusion: the graves of Israel's heroes in the Promised Land (24:29-33)
Chapter 24 has many of the elements of a formal covenant treaty but with some variation (Fr. Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel, page 148). The five parts of the document of a biblical covenant treaty include:
- The preamble (identification of the Great King)
- Historical prologue (recounting what the Great King has done)
- Ethical stipulations (necessary obligations of the vassal people)
- Sanctions (blessings for loyalty and curses/judgments for disloyalty)
- Succession Arrangements
(Secular Near Eastern covenant treaties had a 6th section where the two party's pagan gods were named as witnesses to the covenant treaty).
Chapter 24 a number of covenant treaty elements:
- A preamble identifying Yahweh (24:2a)
- A historical prologue recounting what Yahweh has done for the people (24:2b-13)
- A list of ethical stipulations that demonstrate Israel's obedience to Yahweh (24:14, 19, 23)
- Sanctions: judgments for covenant disloyalty (24:20)
- The people in one voice swear obedience to Yahweh 3 times (24:16-18, 21 and 24) and declare themselves witnesses to the covenant with Yahweh (24:22).
Joshua 24:1-13 ~ Joshua calls an assembly of Israel at Shechem and a gives a review of Israel's history
The National Assembly Joshua called was at Shechem, near to where he held the first National Assembly in the Promised Land (8:30-35). In this momentous national event, the people are called as one body into the presence of Yahweh, their king. It may be that this is a continuation of the Assembly called in chapter 23. No location was given in chapter 23. Now we are told the Assembly is at Shechem and the Sanctuary has been moved there from Shiloh, since the Assembly is in Yahweh' Divine Presence (verse 1). The Septuagint (LXX) has Shiloh instead of Shechem.
Question: What is the difference between a National Assembly and a Sacred Assembly?
Answer: National Assemblies included everyone living in Israel: native born Israelites from the 12 tribes and the foreign aliens living among them who are subject to God's Law and who acknowledged Yahweh as the sovereign Lord of the state.
Sacred Assemblies, on the other hand, were religious assemblies to which only Israelites and any Gentiles who had converted to the faith of Israel by ritually submitting his/her life to Yahweh (males through circumcision) had the right to attend and take part in the religious services associated with the Sanctuary. No non-Israelites were admitted to the Sanctuary or to Yahweh's sacred meals associated with His Sacred Assemblies/religious festivals.
Question: What is significant about Joshua's historical survey?
Answer: These are not Joshua's words but Yahweh's words spoken by Joshua.
The announcement "Yahweh, God of Israel," identifies the Great King who is renewing the treaty with his vassal people. The following speech is typical of the historical prologue section of a Hittite covenant treaty document in which the Great Kings actions on behalf of his covenant people are recounted in detail. "The River" refers to the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. In verse 2 we learn that the descendants of Shem (righteous son of Noah) had so fallen away from God that they worshiped false gods.
In Moses' homily to the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan River before his death, he told them God would fight their battles for them "And what is more, Yahweh your God will send hornets to destroy those who are left and who hide from you (Dt 7:20; also see the same promise by God in Ex 23:28). But this is the first time we have heard that God intervened in Israel's battle against the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan River with hornets. Next Joshua, still speaking Yahweh's words, repeats what Moses said in Deuteronomy 6:10-13 concerning the land on the east side of the Jordan River that the Israelites possess and for which they did not work to create.
Joshua 24:14-18 ~ Joshua's 1st call to obedience and Israel's 1st oath of allegiance
In his first call to obedience, Joshua makes the declaration: As regards my family and me, we shall serve Yahweh.' A righteous parent cannot secure his children's salvation "that is a personal decision each individual must make. However, parents can nurture their children by providing a climate of righteousness and establishing a pattern of godly obedience within their household that will set their children on the narrow path to salvation. This is the pledge that Joshua has made for his family.
Joshua 24:19-21 ~ Joshua's 2nd call to obedience and Israel's 2nd oath of allegiance
That God is jealous for Israel's love and obedience and is not willing to share His people with false gods has been repeated 5 times in the Pentateuch (Ex 20:5; 34:14; Dt 4:24; 5:9 and 6:15). Joshua's warning is probably meant to be an echo of Moses' warning in Deuteronomy 6:14-15: Do not follow other gods, gods of the peoples round you, for Yahweh your God among you is a jealous God; the wrath of Yahweh your God would blaze out against you, and he would wipe you off the face of the earth.
Joshua then speaks of God's temporal judgments if they apostatize from their allegiance to Yahweh as their One True God and sovereign Divine King. All God's temporal judgments are meant to be redemptive. Temporal judgments are the way God lets us experience the destructive consequences of sin so that we will reject sin and turn back to fellowship with Him.
Question: If the Israelites repeat the same sinful practices of the Canaanites and do not respond to His temporal judgments, why will He dispossess them from the land?
Answer: Having dispossessed the inhabitants of Canaan because of their sins, the God of justice cannot let His own people fall into the same sins without suffering the same punishment.
Question: What is the people's response?
Answer: They swear a second time to serve only Yahweh.
Joshua 24:22 ~ Joshua's 3rd call to obedience and Israel's response
The people are the witnesses "the living stones of the covenant treaty.
Joshua 24:23-24 ~ Joshua's final warning and Israel's 3rd oath of allegiance
The National Assembly's 3 oaths of allegiance:
- "...We to shall serve Yahweh, for he is our God." (24:16-18)
- "No! Yahweh is the one we mean to serve." (24:21)
- "Yahweh our God is the one whom we shall serve; his voice we shall obey!" (24:24)
Joshua 24:25-28 ~ Covenant renewal and documentation
"That day" refers to the same day the Israelites swore their oath of allegiance to Yahweh. The covenant referred to in verse 25 is not a new covenant "it is a new commitment to the covenant God made with Israel at Mt. Sinai. Many years have passed since the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim (see Josh 8:30-35). A new generation is coming to adulthood and it is time to renew the covenant vows made at Mt. Sinai and to record the events in the Book of the Law of God, also called the Book of the Law of Moses. The renewal ceremony is similar to the covenant ratification at Mt. Sinai in which Moses read from the same book (see Ex 24:3-7). The Sanctuary has been moved from Shiloh to Shechem for the event, since sacrifices will be offered for the community (24:26b). The large stone that is erected will stand as a public memorial to the oath the Israelites swore in the covenant renewal ceremony. It will be a reminder to those who had themselves become witnesses (verse 22).
Question: It what two ways will the stone be a witness?
Answer: It will be a positive witness to their oath of allegiance if they are faithful and a negative witness if the fail in their loyalty of God.
Joshua 24:29-35 ~ Conclusion: the graves of Israel's heroes in the Promised Land
Joshua is buried on his ancestral land within the lands allotted to his tribe of Ephraim. It is significant that it is noted that the conquest generation remained faithful to the covenant with Yahweh. It is a testament to the leadership of Joshua, Eleazar, Phinehas and chieftains like Caleb. Joshua lived to be 110 years old; it was the same age as his ancestor Joseph (Gen 50:22).
CHALLENGE: “Abortion is justified in some cases. It may not be a good time for a mother to have a baby. She may be young, still in school, poor, or unmarried. She may have as many children as she can care for, or the child could be a product of rape or incest.”
DEFENSE: These represent good reasons not to have a baby, but they are not good reasons to kill a baby.
Suppose the child were already born. Would any of these reasons be a legitimate reason for the mother to kill her child?
A mother cannot kill her newborn because she is young, in school, or unmarried. Neither can she do so because she is poor or has other children. If these are not adequate reasons for a mother to kill her child after birth, then they are not adequate reasons for her to kill her child before birth. They are just rationalizations.
Instead, mothers in difficult situations must be helped. They must receive the care and assistance they need as they carry the child to term, as well as after the birth, whether they choose to raise the child or pursue adoption.
Similarly, the fact that a person was conceived by an act of rape or incest would not justify killing him after birth, and so it does not justify killing him before birth, either.
Rape and incest are horrible crimes. Those who commit them must be brought to justice, and their victims must receive compassion and care. But adding a new victim through a new act of violence does not make things better. It makes them worse.
Even when conceived by an act of rape or incest, unborn children are innocent human beings. It is immoral to kill them because of crimes committed by one or both of their parents. Killing people because of what their ancestors did, even their most immediate ancestors, is barbaric. The circumstances in which these children were conceived make their situations very sensitive, but killing them does not help either them or their mothers, who need compassionate care and support.
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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