1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you: 3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan. 5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love 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. 6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.
7 ¶ Now 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, 8 And 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.
9 ¶ And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of 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 the LORD by the hand of Moses.
10 ¶ 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 Jordan, a great altar to see to.
11 ¶ And the children of 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 Israel. 12 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. 13 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, 14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.
15 ¶ 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 spake with them, saying, 16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD? 17 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, 18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD’s tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God. 20 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.
21 ¶ 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, 22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) 23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it; 24 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 ye to do with the LORD God of Israel? 25 For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. 26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 27 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, Ye have no part in the LORD. 28 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. 29 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 meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
30 ¶ And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of 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. 31 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 ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.
32 ¶ And 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 Israel, and brought them word again. 33 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 wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. 34 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.
Austrumkrasta ciltis atgriežas savos īpašumos
1 Tad Jozua sasauca rūbeniešus, gādiešus un pusi Manases cilts 2 un teica tiem: “Jūs esat pildījuši visu, ko jums pavēlēja Kunga kalps Mozus, un jūs esat klausījuši visu, ko es jums pavēlēju. 3 Jūs neatstājāt savus brāļus visu šo ilgo laiku līdz pat šai dienai un stingri ievērojāt visu Kunga, sava Dieva, bauslību. 4 Tagad Kungs, jūsu Dievs, ļauj jūsu brāļiem baudīt mieru, kā viņš tiem solījis, – tad nu dodieties atpakaļ uz savām teltīm, uz zemi, kur jūsu īpašums, – Kunga kalps Mozus to devis jums viņpus Jardānas. 5 Tikai sargieties, ka pildāt baušļus un ievērojat bauslību, ko Kunga kalps Mozus jums devis, – mīliet Kungu, savu Dievu, staigājiet visos viņa ceļos, turiet viņa baušļus, pieķerieties viņam un kalpojiet viņam no visas sirds un dvēseles!” 6 Jozua tos svētīja un atlaida, un tie devās uz savām teltīm.
7 Pusei Manases cilts Mozus bija devis īpašumu Bāšānā, bet otrai pusei Jozua deva īpašumu blakus viņu brāļiem viņpus Jardānas. Tad Jozua tos atlaida uz viņu teltīm, svētīja tos 8 un teica tiem: “Jūs atgriežaties savās teltīs ar lieliem krājumiem, ar daudziem lopiem, ar sudrabu, zeltu, varu, dzelzi un varen daudz drānām – dalieties ar saviem brāļiem visā, ko esat laupījuši ienaidniekiem!”
Liecības altāris Jardānas austrumkrastā
9 Tā viņi atgriezās – Rūbena dēli, Gāda dēli un puse Manases cilts devās projām no Israēla dēliem, no Šīlo, kas Kanaāna zemē, – tie devās uz Gileāda zemi, uz sava īpašuma zemi, ko tie pēc Kunga pavēles bija iemantojuši caur Mozu. 10 Kad tie nonāca pie akmeņu kaudzēm, kas bija pie Jardānas Kanaāna zemē, tad Rūbena dēli, Gāda dēli un puse Manases cilts uzbūvēja pie Jardānas altāri – no skata tas bija liels altāris! 11 Tad Israēla dēli padzirdēja runas: “Redzi, Rūbena dēli, Gāda dēli un puse Manases cilts uzcēluši altāri Kanaāna zemes robežās, pie Jardānas akmeņu kaudzēm Israēla dēlu pusē.” 12 Kad Israēla dēli to izdzirdēja, viņi, visa Israēla dēlu sapulce, sapulcējās Šīlo, lai dotos pret tiem karā.
13 Tad Israēla dēli sūtīja pie Rūbena dēliem, Gāda dēliem un puses Manases cilts uz Gileāda zemi priestera Elāzāra dēlu Pinhāsu 14 un kopā ar viņu arī desmit vadoņus – pa vienam vadonim no katra Israēla cilšu tēvu nama – katrs bija galvenais sava tēva namā, tie bija vadītāji arī pār Israēla tūkstošiem. 15 Tie gāja pie Rūbena dēliem, Gāda dēliem un puses Manases cilts uz Gileāda zemi un runāja ar tiem: 16 “Tā saka visa Kunga sapulce: cik tālu gan jūs esat atkrituši no Israēla Dieva, ka šodien novēršaties no sekošanas Kungam un esat uzcēluši sev šo altāri, tā dumpodami pret Kungu?! 17 Vai mums vēl nav gana ar Peora grēku – no tā mēs neesam šķīstījušies vēl līdz šai dienai –, par to Kunga sapulci ķēra sērga! 18 Un tomēr jūs šodien novēršaties no sekošanas Kungam – šodien jūs atkal dumpojat pret Kungu, bet rīt viņš noskaitīsies pret visu Israēla sapulci! 19 Ja jūsu īpašuma zeme jums ir nešķīsta, tad dodieties uz Kunga īpašuma zemi, kur stāv Kunga Mājoklis, un iegūstiet īpašumu tur kopā ar mums. Tikai nedumpojiet pret Kungu un nepadariet par dumpiniekiem arī mūs, celdami sev citu altāri, kas nav Kunga, mūsu Dieva, altāris! 20 Vai tad Āhāns, Zeraha dēls, jau pagalam neatkrita iznīcībai lemto mantu dēļ, kad dusmas nāca pār visu Israēla sapulci; viņš bija viens pats, bet vai tad viens pats gāja bojā par savu vainu?”
21 Tad Rūbena dēli, Gāda dēli un puse Manases cilts atbildēja Israēla virsniekiem pār tūkstošiem: 22 “Dievu Dievs Kungs, dievu Dievs Kungs – viņš zina, un lai arī Israēls zina, ja tas noticis tādēļ, lai dumpotos vai atkristu no Kunga, tad nesaudzē mūs šodien! 23 Ja mēs būtu uzcēluši altāri, lai novērstos no sekošanas Kungam vai upurētu tur sadedzināmos upurus, labības dāvanas vai pienestu miera upurus, tad Kungs lai piemeklē pats! 24 Taču nē! To mēs darījām, bažīdamies, ka kādreiz jūsu dēli varētu sacīt mūsu dēliem: kas jums daļas gar Kungu, Israēla Dievu? 25 Kungs nolicis robežu starp mums un jums, Rūbena dēli un Gāda dēli, jums nav daļas gar Kungu! – tad jūsu dēli novērstu no Kunga bijības mūsu dēlus. 26 Tādēļ mēs nospriedām: taisīsimies jel un uzcelsim altāri – ne sadedzināmajiem upuriem vai kaujamiem upuriem, 27 bet par liecību, kas būtu starp mums un jums, un nākamajām paaudzēm pēc mums – lai mēs pildītu Kunga kalpošanu viņa priekšā ar mūsu sadedzināmajiem upuriem, kaujamiem upuriem un miera upuriem, lai kādreiz jūsu dēli neteiktu mūsu dēliem: jums nav daļas gar Kungu! 28 Un vēl mēs domājām – ja mums vai mūsu pēcnācējiem reiz kāds ko tādu teiks, tad mēs sacīsim: redzi, tur ir Kunga altāra līdziniece, to mūsu tēvi uzcēla ne sadedzināmajiem upuriem, ne kaujamiem upuriem, bet par liecību starp mums un jums! 29 Pasargi, Dievs, ka mēs dumpotu pret Kungu vai šodien novērstos no sekošanas Kungam, celdami citu altāri sadedzināmajiem upuriem, labības dāvanām vai kaujamiem upuriem līdzās Kunga, mūsu Dieva, altārim, kas viņa Mājokļa priekšā!”
30 Kad priesteris Pinhāss, sapulces vadoņi un Israēla virsnieki pār tūkstošiem, kas bija ar viņu, dzirdēja vārdus, ko sacīja Rūbena dēli, Gāda dēli un Manases dēli, tie viņiem patika. 31 Un priesteris Pinhāss, Elāzāra dēls, teica Rūbena dēliem, Gāda dēliem un Manases dēliem: “Tagad mēs zinām, ka Kungs ir ar mums, jo jūs neesat atkrituši no Kunga, tā jūs esat izglābuši Israēla dēlus no Kunga rokas!” 32 Tad priesteris Pinhāss, Elāzāra dēls, kopā ar vadoņiem devās projām no Rūbena dēliem, Gāda dēliem, no Gileāda zemes uz Kanaāna zemi pie Israēla dēliem, un visu tiem pastāstīja. 33 Tas Israēla dēliem patika, un Israēla dēli slavēja Dievu un vairs negrasījās doties karot pret tiem un iznīdēt zemi, kur bija apmetušies Rūbena dēli un Gāda dēli. 34 Rūbena dēli un Gāda dēli mēdz par šo altāri teikt: “Tā mums ir liecība, ka Kungs ir Dievs.”
