Joshua 22:34, commentary and pictures

The altar belonged to Reuben and Gad with half of Manasseh, whose inheritance east of the Jordan lay in the wide upland plains and rich forests of Gilead and Bashan, chosen because as a pastoral people they wanted extensive grazing land for flocks and herds. They had pledged a proportion of armed men to cross the Jordan and share their brethren's battles, which they faithfully fulfilled when forty thousand crossed over to the plains of Jericho and fought for years alongside their brethren. They then returned to their own possession with great riches in cattle, silver, gold, brass, iron and clothing to share with those who had stayed with the families and flocks, to live at a distance from the sanctuary where isolated life brought strong temptation to fall into the customs of the bordering heathen tribes.

The verse belongs to a crisis in which misunderstanding about worship threatened division and even fatal conflict within Israel. The rest of Israel's zeal to guard against sin had been sharpened by God's rebuke over Achan's hidden sin, yet they went too far by moving toward censure before learning the facts. The builders called the altar Ed, meaning witness, to declare that the Lord is God and to testify that though separated by the Jordan they worshiped the Lord and remained part of Israel.

The name inscribed on it clarified the altar's purpose so future generations would not misunderstand their faith and their connection with Israel. The inscription was also intended to remove a possible stumbling block for their fellow Israelites. The episode teaches that concern about sin should be joined with careful inquiry rather than groundless suspicion. It also shows the value of explaining one's intentions and of answering unjust suspicion with meekness and forbearance.