of their possession in a body, v. 9. ferry-boats being, it is likely, provided for their repassing Jordan. Though masters of families may have occasion to be absent, long absent, from their families sometimes, yet, when their business abroad is finished, they must remember home is their place, from which they ought not to wander as a bird from her nest.
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 a 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, 1 8. 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, besides 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.
Here is,
I. The pious care of the separated tribes to keep their hold of Canaan's religion, then when they were leaving Canaan's land, that they might not be as the sons of the stranger, utterly separated from God's people, Isa. 56. 3. In order to this, they built a great altar on the borders of Jordan, to be a witness for them that they were Israelites, and as such partakers of the altar of the Lord, 1 Cor. 10. 18. When they came to Jordan, v. 10. they did not consult how to preserve the remembrance of their own exploits in the wars of Canaan, and the services they had done their brethren, by erecting a monument to the immortal honour of the two tribes and a half. But their relation to the church of God, together with their interest in the communion of saints, is that which they are solicitous to preserve and perpetuate the proofs and evidences of; and therefore, without delay, when the thing was first proposed by some among them, who, though glad to think that they were going toward home, were sorry to think that they were going from the altar of God, immediately they erected this altar, which served as a bridge to keep up their fellowship with the other tribes in the things of God. Some think they built this altar on the Canaan-side of Jordan, in the lot of Benjamin, that looking over the river, they might see the figure of the altar at Shiloh, when they could not conveniently go to it; but it is more likely that they built it on their own side of the water, for what had they to do to build upon another man's land without his consent? And it is said to be over-against the land of Canaan, nor would there have been any cause of suspecting it designed for sacrifice, if they had not built it among themselves. This altar was very innocently and honestly designed, but it had been well, if, since it had in it an appearance of evil, and might be an occasion of offence to their brethren, they had consulted the oracle of God about it before they did it; or at least acquainted their brethren with their purpose, and given them the same explication of their altar before, to prevent their jealousy, which they did after, to remove it. Their zeal was commendable, but it ought to have been guided with discretion; there was no need to hasten the building of an altar for the purpose they intended this, but they might have taken time to consider and take advice; yet, when their sincerity was made to appear, we do not find that they were blamed for their rashness; God does, and men should, overlook the weakness of an honest zeal.
II. The holy jealousy of the other tribes for the honour of God, and his altar at Shiloh. Notice was immediately brought to the princes of Israel of the setting up this altar, v. 11. And they, knowing how strict and severe that law was, which required them to offer all their sacrifices in the place which God should choose, and not elsewhere, Deut. 12. 5, 7. were soon apprehensive, that the getting up of another altar, was an affront to the choice which God had lately made of a place to put his name in, and had a direct tendency to the worship of some other God.
Now, 1. Their suspicion was very excusable, for it must be confessed, the thing prima facie—at first sight, looked ill, and seemed to shadow forth a design to set up and maintain a competitor with the altar at Shiloh. It was no strained inuendo, from the building an altar, to infer an intention to offer sacrifice upon it, and that might introduce idolatry, and end in a total apostasy from the faith and worship of the God of Israel. So great a matter might this fire kindle. God is jealous for his own institutions, and therefore we should be so too, and afraid of every thing that looks like, or leads to, idolatry.
Vol. ii.—M
