Wednesday Night Bible Study….(Announcements): www.ebcnc.com (calendar & information) Cities of the 21:1 Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites came near to the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel. :2 And they spoke to them at in the land of , saying, “The Lord commanded through to give us cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for our livestock.” :3 So the children of Israel gave to the Levites from their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord, these cities and their common-lands:

The descendants of were not given a specifc inheritance, but were scattered throughout Israel (see Gen 49:7) so they may teach the law to the tribes and exert spiritual infuence on them.

When the heads of the Levites appeared before Eleazar and Joshua at Shiloh, they reminded them that the Lord had commanded Moses (Num 35) to give them cities to dwell in and suburbs (Heb migrash, lit., “pasture lands”).

Summary of Joshua 21:4-12 Again, the lot was used to apporton the cites. This referred the mater entrely to God.

“The method followed by Israel in selectng the Levitcal cites appears to have been something like this. First, the court, afer duly considering the size of its inheritance, appointed how many cites should be taken out of each tribe. Then the ‘fathers of the tribes’ agreed among themselves which cites were most suitable. Afer that had been setled, the forty-eight cites were divided into four groups, for the four branches of the Levitcal tribe. Lots were cast to determine the distributon of them.

The ‘children of ’ (Josh 21:4) were not only Levites, but priests too, whose more immediate work was to serve at the altar. It should be duly noted that though this was the least numerous of the four branches, yet, in keeping with the prominence of the priesthood throughout the , ‘the frst lot’ (vs. 10) was for the children of Aaron, and thus was honor placed again upon this Divine insttuton. It is further to be observed that more cites were assigned unto them than to any other branch of Levi” (Pink, p. 394).

Summary of Joshua 21:13-42 From Benjamin they received , Geba, Anathoth (the birthplace of , Jer 1:1), and Almon. These were the cites of the priests of Aaron who were the descendants of Kohath.

Joshua 21:43 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it.

This verse must be read in the light of other Scripture. It does not mean that Israel occupied all the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates; instead, it means that the land which Joshua divided was in fulfllment of God’s promise that He would give them every place that the sole of their feet walked upon (Josh. 1:3). Joshua 21:44 The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand

Likewise, verse 44 must be interpreted carefully. There were stll enemies within the land; not all the Canaanites had been destroyed. But that was not God’s fault; He fulflled His promise by defeatng every foe against which the fought. If there were stll undefeated foes and pockets of resistance, it was because Israel did not claim God’s promise. What can we learn from this?

Joshua 21:45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.

The Lord had fulflled every promise. Not one word failed. What a tribute to God’s faithfulness!

But Israel did not appropriate every promise.

Eastern Tribes Return to Their Lands Joshua 22:1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of ,

Afer the inital conquest of the land, the allotment of the territories, and the establishment of the refuge and Levitcal cites, Joshua summoned the tribes of Reuben, , and the half to Shiloh. His purpose in doing so is clearly stated in verse 6, So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away. 1 Digital Copies can be found at: http://bit.ly/19k0HFJ Joshua’s blessing consisted of three aspects: (1) to commend them on their faithful and valiant service to the other tribes (vss 2–3); (2) to commission them to return to the land of their inheritance (vs. 4); and (3) to charge them concerning their contnued responsibilites to the Lord God (vs. 5). What can we learn from this?

Joshua 22:2 and said to them: “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you. :3 You have not lef your brethren these many days, up to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.

Moses originally promised these two and one-half tribes permission to setle east of the , provided they assisted their brethren in the conquest of Canaan (Num 32:1–42). This they had done.

Not only so, but they also obeyed the commands of Joshua subsequent to Moses’ death. They deserved commendaton, having stayed in the thick of the bathe these many days (lit., “great many days,” indicatng a prolonged and difcult period of tme).

They had fought a good fght, fnished the course, and kept the faith (2 Tim 4:7).

Joshua 22:4 And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan.

Having publicly thanked these tribes, Joshua now commissions them to return to the land of your possession.

Since the Lord God had given rest unto their brethren, these tribes were released from further military commitments. Their possession was on the other side of the Jordan. They are now free to possess their possession.

Joshua 22:5 But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Although their military commitments were ended, their spiritual commitments would never end.

The writer employs six infnitves to emphasize the seriousness of Joshua’s charge. The passage is a series of quotatons from the book of Deuteronomy (6:5; 10:12; 11:13–22; 30:6, 16, 20; etc.).

The tribes are: (1) To do (perform) all the commandments of the law (Deut 6:1);

(2) to love the Lord always (Deut 6:5). But love is an emoton which is not contained but expressed. taught, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).

As a Christan you are not obligated to believe someone who claims to love the Lord Jesus if you don’t see in that person a willingness to obey the Lord’s commands.

These tribes could only truly say they “loved” God when they were willing to express that love in obedience;

(3) to walk in the Lord God’s commandments. Remember how frequently Paul challenged the believer to “… walk worthy of the vocaton wherewith ye are called” (Eph 4:1; see also Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12);

(4) to keep the commandments of the Lord (see Deut 6:2);

(5) to cleave unto Him heartly (the Hebrew is to cleave “into” Him as a branch unto a vine [Jn 15] and as the believer is “rooted and grounded” in the love of Christ, Eph 3:17);

(6) to serve the Lord with all your heart and soul (1 Sam 12:24).

Joshua 22:6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents. :7 Now to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half of it Joshua gave a possession among their brethren on this side of the Jordan, westward. And indeed, when Joshua sent them Page 2 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 121). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. MacArthur, J. F., Jr., MacDonald, Farstad, Believers Bible; Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2195). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. away to their tents, he blessed them, :8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.” :9 So the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Having been commended, commissioned, and charged, the one-half tribe of Manasseh began to return to Bashan.

Especially blessed as this tribe was with riches, they were to divide their spoils among the needier brethren. Thus, Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh departed from the assembly of Shiloh.

An Altar by the Jordan Joshua 22:10 And when they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan—a great, impressive altar. Joshua 22:11 Now the children of Israel heard someone say, “Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the fronter of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan—on the children of Israel’s side.” Joshua 22:12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregaton of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them. Joshua 22:13 Then the children of Israel sent Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Joshua 22:14 and with him ten rulers, one ruler each from the chief house of every tribe of Israel; and each one was the head of the house of his father among the divisions of Israel. Joshua 22:15 Then they came to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, Joshua 22:16 “Thus says the whole congregaton of the Lord: ‘What treachery is this that you have commited against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that you have built for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel this day against the Lord? Joshua 22:17 Is the iniquity of Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed tll this day, although there was a plague in the congregaton of the Lord, Joshua 22:18 but that you must turn away this day from following the Lord? And it shall be, if you rebel today against the Lord, that tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregaton of Israel. Joshua 22:19 Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then cross over to the land of the possession of the Lord, where the Lord’s stands, and take possession among us; but do not rebel against the Lord, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an altar besides the altar of the Lord our God. Joshua 22:20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregaton of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’ ” Joshua 22:21 Then the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel: Joshua 22:22 “The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, He knows, and let Israel itself know—if it is in rebellion, or if in treachery against the Lord, do not save us this day. Joshua 22:23 If we have built ourselves an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to ofer on it burnt oferings or grain oferings, or if to ofer peace oferings on it, let the Lord Himself require an account. Joshua 22:24 But in fact we have done it for fear, for a reason, saying, ‘In tme to come your descendants may speak to our descendants, saying, “What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel? Joshua 22:25 For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between you and us, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no part in the Lord.” So your descendants would make our descendants cease fearing the Lord.’ Joshua 22:26 Therefore we said, ‘Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt ofering nor for sacrifce, Joshua 22:27 but that it may be a witness between you and us and our generatons afer us, that we may perform the service of the Lord before Him with our burnt oferings, with our sacrifces, and with our peace Page 3 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 121). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. MacArthur, J. F., Jr., MacDonald, Farstad, Believers Bible; Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2195). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. oferings; that your descendants may not say to our descendants in tme to come, “You have no part in the Lord.” ’ Joshua 22:28 Therefore we said that it will be, when they say this to us or to our generatons in tme to come, that we may say, ‘Here is the replica of the altar of the Lord which our fathers made, though not for burnt oferings nor for sacrifces; but it is a witness between you and us.’ Joshua 22:29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn from following the Lord this day, to build an altar for burnt oferings, for grain oferings, or for sacrifces, besides the altar of the Lord our God which is before His tabernacle.” Joshua 22:30 Now when Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregaton, the heads of the divisions of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. Joshua 22:31 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh, “This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because you have not commited this treachery against the Lord. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.” Joshua 22:32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought back word to them. Joshua 22:33 So the thing pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God; they spoke no more of going against them in batle, to destroy the land where the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. Joshua 22:34 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar, Witness, “For it is a witness between us that the Lord is God.”

Page 4 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 121). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. MacArthur, J. F., Jr., MacDonald, Farstad, Believers Bible; Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2195). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.