Joshua 22:2-3

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 22:2

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 22:1-4

Service and reward. I. THE SERVICE . This is characterised by the following points of merit: 1 . Obedience to discipline. The two tribes and the half tribe are commended for obedience to their supreme commanders. Soldiers, servants, employes, all persons under authority, should recognise the duty of loyal obedience from the heart, and perform it (a) conscientiously—"not with eye service as men pleasers;" (b) diligently—working as laboriously as if for their own pleasure;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 22:1-9

We have seen the Reubenites and Gadites generously taking their part in the war for the conquest of Canaan, though they had already come into possession themselves of their assigned share on the other side of Jordan. In this way the solidarity of the nation was vindicated. Joshua now sends back these soldiers of their country to their own inheritance, and we see in the verses before us the reward of their fidelity to duty. I. THEIR FIRST RECOMPENSE IS A MATERIAL ONE . They... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 22:1-34

Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh at home. Three points are especially noticeable in this chapter. First, the reward of those who have laboured on behalf of their brethren; next, the duty of claiming our privileges as Christians when severed from our brethren; and lastly, the necessity of zeal for the purity of religion. I. SELF DENIAL SHALL HAVE ITS REWARD . Our Lord tells us that he who gives a cup of cold water to his brother shall not lose his reward. We... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 22:3

Many days (see note on Joshua 22:1 ). The expression in the original implies more, a great many days, the usual expression for a period of considerable length. Thus the military service of these tribes must under any circumstances have been a prolonged and arduous one, and they well deserved the encomiums which Joshua here lavishes upon them. It is a remarkable and almost inexplicable fact, that while the sojourn in the wilderness is represented as one long catalogue of murmurings, not... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 22:2-3

Joshua 22:2-3. Ye have kept all that Moses commanded, &c. Thus he dismisses them with a very honourable character. When Moses was gone, they remembered and observed the charge he had given them; and all the orders which Joshua, as general of the forces, had issued out, they had carefully obeyed. Ye have not left your brethren these many days He does not say how many, nor can it be collected with certainty from any other place; but it was as long as the war lasted, and therefore must... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:1-34

Settlement of the eastern tribes (22:1-34)Now that the territory west of Jordan had been conquered and divided among the nine and a half tribes, the other two and a half tribes were free to return to their inheritance east of Jordan. Joshua commended them for being faithful to their word in helping their brothers conquer Canaan (22:1-4; cf. Deuteronomy 32:16-32), and warned them to remain true to God in their new homeland (5). He then sent them back to their families with his blessing (6-9).The... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Joshua 22:2

Moses the servant of the LORD. See note on Deuteronomy 34:5 . the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 . read more

Group of Brands