约书亚记 22:21

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

釋疑於是流本人、迦得人和瑪拿西半個支派的人回答以色列的統領說：

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
於 是 流 便 人 、 迦 得 人 、 玛 拿 西 半 支 派 的 人 回 答 以 色 列 军 中 的 统 领 说 ：

Contextual Overview

²¹ The people from Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh answered, ²² "The Lord is God of gods! The Lord is God of gods! God knows, and we want you to know also. If we have done something wrong, you may kill us. ²³ If we broke God's law, we ask the Lord himself to punish us. We did not build this altar to offer burnt offerings or grain and fellowship offerings. ²⁴ "We did not build it for that reason. We feared that someday your people would not accept us as part of your nation. Then they might say, ‘You cannot worship the Lord , the God of Israel. ²⁵ The Lord made the Jordan River a border between us and you people of Reuben and Gad. You cannot worship the Lord .' So we feared that your children might make our children stop worshiping the Lord . ²⁶ "That is why we decided to build this altar. But it is not for burnt offerings and sacrifices. ²⁷ This altar is proof to you and us and to all our children who will come after us that we worship the Lord with our whole burnt offerings, grain, and fellowship offerings. This was so your children would not say to our children, ‘You are not the Lord 's.' ²⁸ "In the future if your children say that, our children can say, ‘See the altar made by our ancestors. It is exactly like the Lord 's altar, but we do not use it for sacrifices. It shows that we are part of Israel.' ²⁹ "Truly, we don't want to be against the Lord or to stop following him by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. We know the only true altar to the Lord our God is in front of the Holy Tent."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Then the children: The conduct and answer of these Reubenites and the associates are worthy of admiration and imitation. Though conscious of their innocence, they permitted Phinehas to finish his speech, though composed of little else than accusations, without any interruption; and taking in good part the suspicions, reproofs, and even harshness of their brethren, with the utmost meekness and solemnity they explain their intention, give all the satisfaction in their power, and with great propriety and reverence, appeal to that God against whom they were supposed to have rebelled.

answered: Proverbs 15:1, Proverbs 16:1, Proverbs 18:13, Proverbs 24:26, Acts 11:4, James 1:19, 1 Peter 3:15

heads: Exodus 18:21-25, Micah 5:2

Cross-References

Genesis 22:1
After these things God tested Abraham's faith. God said to him, "Abraham!" And he answered, "Here I am."

Genesis 22:12
The angel said, "Don't kill your son or hurt him in any way. Now I can see that you trust God and that you have not kept your son, your only son, from me."

Genesis 24:10
The servant took ten of Abraham's camels and left, carrying with him many different kinds of beautiful gifts. He went to Northwest Mesopotamia to Nahor's city.

Numbers 23:7
when Balaam gave them this message: "Balak brought me here from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern mountains. Balak said, ‘Come, put a curse on the people of Jacob for me. Come, call down evil on the people of Israel.'

Job 1:1
A man named Job lived in the land of Uz. He was an honest and innocent man; he honored God and stayed away from evil.

Job 32:2
But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job, because Job claimed he was right instead of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, answered,.... By some person whom they appointed to deliver the answer in their name:

and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel; who were over those that were rulers of the thousands of Israel, persons of greater authority than they, being princes of the respective tribes to which they belonged.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 22:21. Then the children of Reuben - answered — Though conscious of their own innocency they permitted Phinehas to finish his discourse, though composed of little else than accusations; there was a decency in this, and such a full proof of good breeding, as does them the highest credit. There are many public assemblies in the present day which lay claim to the highest refinement, who might take a very useful lesson from these Reubenites and their associates.