Bible Strands
Joshua 22:11
Then the Israelites received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Israelite assembly receives a report about the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh after the eastern tribes have crossed back to their inheritance and erected a structure by the Jordan. This intelligence arrives immediately before the full congregation mobilizes at Shiloh to confront them.
The words — הִנֵּה (hi.Neh) translates to “behold” or “there!”, marking a visible action demanding immediate attention. בָּנוּ (va.Nu) means “they have built,” confirming the completed construction of the altar.
The thread — The report follows the pattern of Deuteronomy 13:12, where hearing about a potential covenant violation triggers a formal investigation. It also intersects with Leviticus 17:8 and Deuteronomy 12:5, which strictly regulate where Israel may offer sacrifices and mandate seeking only the place God chooses.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to verify a physical structure against established worship boundaries before acting. It demands disciplined discernment between actual rebellion and misunderstood obedience.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 13:12 If, regarding one of the cities the LORD your God is giving you to inhabit, you hear it said
- Leviticus 17:8 Tell them that if anyone from the house of Israel or any foreigner living among them offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice
- Deuteronomy 12:5 Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
- Joshua 2:7 So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut.
- John 1:28 All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
- Joshua 3:14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.
- Judges 12:5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”
- John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
- John 20:12 and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.