Bible Strands
Joshua 22:14
With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel, each the head of a family among the clans of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Israelite assembly dispatches an embassy led by Phinehas to confront the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead regarding their recent altar construction.
The words — The Hebrew נְשִׂאִים (ne.si.'Im) translates literally as "leaders" or "chiefs," designating the officials selected to represent their respective tribal households.
The thread — This formal representation mirrors the tribal headcount protocol in Numbers 1:4 and the administrative hierarchy first organized in Exodus 18:25.
Why it lands — The text records that ten chiefs, one from each tribe, were sent with Phinehas, establishing that communal accountability requires structured, representative communication rather than unilateral action.
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 with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.
Cross-references
- Numbers 1:4 And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you.
- Exodus 18:25 So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.