Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 22:13
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,
13. And the children of Israel sent ] The holy jealousy which inspired them did not induce them to proceed hastily, or without proper enquiry. They resolved to send a deputation to ascertain the meaning of what had been done.
Phinehas ] In Hebrew Pinchas, in the Apocryphal Books Phinees, was the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron (Exo 6:25). While yet a youth he had been memorable for his zeal and energy at the critical moment of the sin of Peor at Shittim, and appeased the Divine wrath and put a stop to the plague which was destroying the nation (Num 25:7). For this he received the special approbation of Jehovah, and the promise that the priesthood should remain in his family for ever (Num 25:10-13). This seems to have raised him to a very high position in the nation, and he figures rather than his father as the leading member of the hierarchy; ( a) In the conflict with Midian (Num 31:6), ( b) in this dispute with the Reubenites, ( c) in the war with the Benjamites (Jdg 20:28) he is the chief oracle and adviser. The memory of the zealous priest was very dear to the Jews. He is specially commemorated in one of the Psalms (Psa 106:30-31), and the priests who returned from the captivity are enrolled in the official lists as the sons of Phinehas (Ezr 8:2; 1Es 5:5). In his Egyptian name he bore the last trace of the sojourn of the nation in “the land of Ham.” His tomb, a place of great resort to Jews and Samaritans, is shewn at Awertah, 4 miles south-east of Nablus.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the children of Israel,…. In the land of Canaan:
sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead; they were possessed of, and had now returned unto and dwelt in; hither they sent an embassy to them, to inquire into the truth of what they had heard, and the reason of it, before they went to war with them, or proclaimed it, or took any further steps towards it; and which they were obliged to do by the above law, when there was any suspicion of idolatry, and any good ground and reason for it, De 13:14; and at the head of this deputation was
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest; a man zealous for the Lord of hosts, and his glory, of which there is an instance in Nu 25:7; and so a fit person to be employed in this affair, who would be faithful, bold, and zealous, as well as capable of giving advice and counsel to both parties, if needful.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The congregation therefore sent Phinehas, the son of the high priest and his presumptive successor in this office, with ten princes, one from each tribe (not the tribe-princes, but a head of the fathers’ houses of the families of Israel), to Gilead, to the two tribes and a half, to call them to account for building the altar.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(13) Phinehas . . . and (14) ten princes.According to the constitution established by Moses, a government by priests and judges. Phinehas in particular was well suited to the office of defender of the faith (see Numbers 25).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Phinehas Probably his father, Eleazar, was too aged for this service. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, had signalized himself while quite a youth by his zeal and energy against licentiousness at Shittim.
Num 25:7. Subsequently he was chaplain of the expedition which destroyed the Midianites. Num 31:6. After his father’s death he became the third high priest.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the children of Israel, sent to 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, and with him ten princes, one prince of a father’s house for each of the tribes of Israel, and they were every one of them head of their father’s houses among the families (thousands) of Israel.’
The deputation sent into the land of Gilead to confront the supposed rebels was a powerful one. Eleazar’s own son, Phinehas, who had already proved himself in dealing firmly with idolatry at Peor (Num 25:7; Psa 106:28-31), was a very suitable choice, and was there to represent his father. He could be depended on to act firmly. With him was one prince from each of the tribes settling in the land of Canaan. ‘Prince of a father’s house’ may well have been a title depicting a certain status. They were important men. Indeed this is then made clear in the description of what they were, rulers over a sub-clan of their tribe.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Who could be so proper to be the leader on this occasion as Phinehas, whose zeal for God’s glory and honour, had manifested itself so strikingly upon another event before? Num 25:7 . And, Reader, do observe with what prudence the embassy is conducted. They do not strike the blow of resentment first, and then attempt to justify what they had done after. But they expostulate on the supposed ill conduct of their brethren, by way of manifesting their wish to reclaim, rather than punish. Oh! that in the jealousies and controversies among brethren, and especially concerning divine things, all that profess the pure and lovely gospel of Jesus, by the same Spirit, had been, and ever would be, actuated! – Think, Reader, what a beautiful example is here held forth to all those who alike profess to seek salvation, in the name and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ! And let not the Reader close his view of this expostulation of Israel to his brethren, before that he hath particularly noticed the generosity of Israel as a people. They were ready to give up part of their portions in Canaan, if their brethren thought the other side of Jordan polluted and unclean; and would have come over to them again, to dwell with them where the Lord’s tabernacle was. Oh! how very sweet and precious it is, when a true zeal for the Lord outruns all other considerations. Let Jesus be but honoured, and let what will come of temporal conveniences. Paul, if I mistake not, felt somewhat of the same spirit 2Co 6:11-13 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 22:13 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,
Ver. 13. And the children of Israel sent. ] As they had good reason, considering the mischief of civil war, which ever is utrinque triste: and if victory be gotten, yet no triumph, because it is like a golden fish hook, which lost or broken cannot be paid for with that it taketh. Plutarch observeth that the state of the Roman empire flourished so long as Romulus’s spear kept green and sappy; but decayed when it dried, which was about the beginning of the civil wars.
Phinehas the son of Eleazar.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 22:13-20
13Then the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14and with him ten chiefs, one chief for each father’s household from each of the tribes of Israel; and each one of them was the head of his father’s household among the thousands of Israel. 15They came to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them saying, 16 Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, ‘What is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the LORD this day, by building yourselves an altar, to rebel against the LORD this day? 17Is not the iniquity of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although a plague came on the congregation of the LORD, 18that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? If you rebel against the LORD today, He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow. 19If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then cross into the land of the possession of the LORD, where the LORD’S tabernacle stands, and take possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD, or rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves, besides the altar of the LORD our God. 20Did not Achan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and wrath fall on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’
Jos 22:13 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest The person in charge of the delegation which was to visit the eastern tribes was none other than the son of the High Priest. This was a very distinguished delegation. We hear about Phinehas earlier in Num 25:7; Num 25:11; Num 31:6, where his zeal for the Lord is clearly seen. Later, this same priest will deal with another problem of impurity in Jdg 20:28.
Jos 22:14 chiefs One of the major leaders (BDB 672, cf. Jos 22:30; Jos 22:32; Jos 9:15; Jos 9:18-19; Jos 9:21; Jos 17:4; Exo 16:22) of each tribe accompanied Phinehas. This was a very illustrious group which was sent to the eastern tribes.
head of his father’s household among the thousands of Israel One reason why we are not sure about the number of people who came out of Egypt is because the Hebrew word for thousands can be used literally, or it can mean a family unit (cf. Jdg 6:15; 1Sa 23:23; Zec 9:7), or military unit (cf. Exo 18:21; Exo 18:25; Deu 1:15). See Special Topic at Jos 3:17.
Jos 22:16 The eastern tribes’ actions are described in three ways.
1. an unfaithful act, BDB 591, KB 612, Qal PERFECT. This term is often used in connection with an act specifically toward YHWH, cf. Jos 2:20; Jos 7:1; Jos 22:16; Jos 22:20; Jos 22:31; Lev 6:2; Lev 26:40; Num 5:6; Num 5:12; Num 5:27. This term can have a sexual connotation.
2. turning away from following the LORD, BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT, which implies they had purposefully violated the Mosaic covenant (i.e., by building an altar to rebel against the Lord). There is a play on the VERB in this chapter.
a. return to your tents, Jos 22:8-9
b. turn away, Jos 22:16; Jos 22:18; Jos 22:23; Jos 22:29; Jos 22:32
3. to rebel against the LORD, BDB 597, KB 632, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT, cf. Jos 22:18-19(twice), 29; Num 14:9
Jos 22:17 Is not the iniquity of Peor enough for us This is a reference to the Israelites worshiping the Canaanite fertility gods. This occurred on the plains of Moab and is recorded in Num 25:1-13. It was apparently instigated by Baalam’s advice to Balak, which is also recorded in Numbers 22-24. Israel was severely punished for this by God and the implication here is that they still carried the scars of that punishment.
Jos 22:18 that He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow Notice the sense of corporeality is not only seen in the closing verse of chapter 17, but is reaffirmed in the account of Achan’s sin (cf. Joshua 7), mentioned in Jos 22:20. It seems that this delegation mentioned one account of sin which had occurred on the eastern side of the Jordan, i.e., the Baal of Peor, and another account which happened on the western side of the Jordan, i.e., Achan and the defeat at Ai (cf. Joshua 7). When one person (or a few) sins, all are negatively affected!
Jos 22:19 If, however, the land of your possession is unclean There are two ways to understand this phrase:
1. the eastern lands were considered outside the Promised Land
2. the sin of Peor permanently polluted the whole area.
Phinehas and the delegation confronted the eastern tribes to take decisive action.
1. cross into the land, BDB 716, KB 778, Qal IMPERATIVE
2. take possession among us, BDB 28, KB 31, Niphal IMPERATIVE
3. only do not rebel against the LORD, BDB 597, KB 632, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense
4. or rebel against us, same VERB as above
The rebellion is characterized as building (BDB 124, KB 139, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) the altar. There was to be only one Hebrew altar of sacrifice, which was to be located at the tabernacle (cf. Deu 12:11).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
sent: Deu 13:14, Jdg 20:12, Pro 20:18, Mat 18:15
Phinehas: Exo 6:25, Num 25:7, Num 25:11-13, Jdg 20:28, Psa 106:30, Psa 106:31, Pro 25:9-13
Reciprocal: 1Ch 6:4 – Phinehas Ezr 7:5 – Phinehas
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
To their credit the main body of Israelites did not attack and then ask questions later. Instead these Israelites sent a delegation of their leading men to persuade their brethren to take a different course of action.
"A noble example of moderation, forbearance, and charity, shines forth in this conduct. How many an unhappy strife might be prevented by similar precaution, by simply staying to inquire calmly into that which constitutes the avowed matter of offence! How often would a few words of candid explanation smother in embryo the most angry controversies, violent quarrels, and embittered persecutions! By barely adopting the prudent conduct of Israel on this occasion, individuals, families, churches, and communities, might, in a thousand instances, be saved a world of jealousy, enmity, discord, war and bloodshed." [Note: Bush, p. 194.]
Phinehas accompanied this group (Jos 22:13). His presence would have impressed the two and one-half tribes with the importance of the delegation. It also would have reminded them of the war with the Midianites in which Phinehas figured as a prominent person (Numbers 25; Numbers 31). The Israelites referred to that war here (Jos 22:17). They also mentioned Achan’s transgression (Jos 22:20) to warn the Gileadite (transjordanian) tribes that God would punish disobedience to the law. The western Israelites believed that the whole nation would experience God’s discipline if this act of rebellion went unpunished.