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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 22:1-9

The war being ended, and ended gloriously, Joshua, as a prudent general, disbands his army, who never designed to make war their trade, and sends them home, to enjoy what they had conquered, and to beat their swords into plough-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks; and particularly the forces of these separate tribes, who had received their inheritance on the other side Jordan from Moses upon this condition, that their men of war should assist the other tribes in the conquest of Canaan,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:1

Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. The promise of God to Israel being fulfilled, the land of Canaan being for the most part subdued, the war at an end, and rest had on all sides from their enemies, and the land divided among the nine tribes and an half, and they settled in the quiet possession of their lots; Joshua sent for the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, who had, at their own request, their portion allotted... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:2

And said unto them, ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you ,.... Which was, that they should leave their wives and children, and flocks, and herds, behind them in the land of Gilead, and pass over Jordan, with their brethren the children of Israel armed, and fight with them, and for them, until the Canaanites were subdued, and not return until their brethren were peaceably settled in the possession of their inheritances; all which they had punctually observed, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:3

Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day ,.... For the space of fourteen years, which is the commonly received notion of the Jews F6 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 32. ; seven years according to them the land was subduing, and seven more spent in dividing it, and then these tribes were sent for and dismissed; all this time they stayed close by their brethren, and assisted them in their wars, and never offered to return to their wives and children, until they had an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:4

And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren , as he promised them ,.... As in Joshua 21:44 ; see Deuteronomy 12:9 , therefore now return ye, and get ye unto your tents ; not their military tents in the army, from which they now came to Joshua, but their houses, as the Greek version, and their cities, as the Targum; they having been so long used to tents in the wilderness, and during the wars in Canaan, this was a familiar word for their dwellings: and unto... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:5

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law ,.... The ten commandments, and all other laws, both ceremonial and civil: which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you ; in the name of the Lord, to keep and observe: to love the Lord your God ; of which keeping the commands of God is an evidence, and which is the true principle and motive of hearty, sincere, and cheerful obedience to them: and to walk in all his ways ; which he has prescribed, all his ways of worship,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:6

So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away ,.... Dismissed them from his presence with a blessing, in order to go to their own country; this he did by wishing them well, praying to God for a blessing on them, their persons, and families, who had been so useful in assisting their brethren to get possession of the land of Canaan. Some think this blessing includes gifts and presents he bestowed on them: and they went unto their tents ; here the word means their military tents in the camp of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:7

Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan ,.... The kingdom of Og, see Deuteronomy 3:13 , but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward : of which an account is given, and the border of their lot described, Joshua 17:1 , and when Joshua sent them also unto their tents, then he blessed them ; it seems as if this half tribe was separately dismissed and blessed, they being more nearly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:8

And he spake unto them ,.... To the half tribe of Manasseh only, though some think also to the other ten tribes: saying, return with much riches unto your tents ; that is, return to their own land, and habitations there, with whatsoever riches they had got from the spoil of the enemy: and with very much cattle ; they had taken from them, and fell to their share, and for which they had good pasturage in Gilead and Bashan, and therefore very proper to take with them: with silver and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:9

And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, returned ,.... First to the camp to take their substance, and then set forward to their own land: and departed from the children of Israel ; from the rest of them, for otherwise they were children of Israel also: out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan ; for here the camp of Israel was, as well as the tabernacle: to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession , ... read more

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