Commentary - Joshua 22:1-9

Bird's-eye view

This passage marks a significant transition in the book of Joshua. The long years of warfare are over, the land has been largely subdued, and the inheritance has been distributed among the tribes. Now, the time has come for the two and a half tribes, who had settled on the east side of the Jordan, to return home. Their story is a powerful illustration of covenant faithfulness. They made a promise, and they kept it. Joshua, acting as God's representative, commends them for their obedience, blesses them, and sends them on their way with a solemn charge to continue in that same faithfulness.

The central theme here is the blessing that flows from keeping your word. These men of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh put the needs of their brethren before their own comfort. They left their families and possessions behind to fight for the corporate good of Israel. Because they honored their commitment to God and to their brothers, they are now sent home with honor, with great riches, and with the blessing of God's appointed leader. This is a picture of how God's economy works. Faithfulness is not a grim duty performed for a stingy master; it is the pathway to immense blessing. The passage serves as both a commendation for past obedience and an exhortation for future fidelity, grounding both in the character of God and the nature of His covenant.

Outline

Context In Joshua

We are at the end of the main military campaigns. The book of Joshua is structured in two large movements: conquering the land (chapters 1-12) and dividing the land (chapters 13-21). We have now concluded the second movement. The allotments have been made, the cities of refuge established, and the Levitical cities designated. The nation is transitioning from a state of war to a state of settlement and rest. This chapter, along with the subsequent events concerning the altar of witness, serves as a bridge, concluding the period of united conquest and setting the stage for the tribes to live out their covenantal life in their designated inheritances.

The promise to these Transjordan tribes was made all the way back in Numbers 32. Moses granted their request to settle east of the Jordan on the condition that their fighting men would cross over and help their brothers conquer Canaan. This was a long-term commitment, spanning many years. Now, Joshua, Moses' successor, formally releases them from this vow. Their story provides a crucial bookend, demonstrating that God's people are a people who keep their promises, not just to God, but to one another. This is foundational for the peace and unity of the covenant community.

Key Issues

Commentary

1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,

The action begins with Joshua taking the initiative. As the leader of Israel, the new Moses, he is the one who oversees the fulfillment of this covenantal obligation. The summons is formal. This is not a casual dismissal, but an official act of state. The three groups are named specifically, reminding us of the promise made long ago. This is a moment of accountability and reckoning, but in the best sense. It is a public acknowledgment that a promise was made and a promise has been kept.

2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you.

Joshua's commendation is sweeping and absolute. He begins by connecting their obedience back to its source: the command of Moses, the servant of Yahweh. This is crucial. Their faithfulness was not just about helping their buddies in a fight; it was an act of obedience to God's ordained authority. They honored the word of Moses, even after he was dead. Then, Joshua adds that they have also obeyed him. This establishes a continuity of authority. By obeying Joshua, they were obeying the God who appointed him. This is how covenantal authority works. It is not based on personal charisma but on divine appointment. Their obedience was comprehensive: "all that Moses...commanded" and "all that I commanded." There was no picking and choosing.

3 You have not forsaken your brothers these many days to this day, but have kept the responsibility of the commandment of Yahweh your God.

Here, the horizontal dimension of their obedience is highlighted. They did not forsake their brothers. This was a long haul, "these many days." The war was not a weekend affair. It required years of perseverance, fighting for land they themselves would not inhabit. This is the opposite of selfish individualism. They understood that the well-being of the whole nation was their responsibility. Joshua then reframes their action in the highest possible terms: they "kept the responsibility of the commandment of Yahweh your God." Fighting for their brothers was not just a nice thing to do; it was keeping a charge from God Himself. Our duties to one another within the covenant community are not optional extras; they are part of our primary duty to God.

4 And now Yahweh your God has given rest to your brothers, as He spoke to them; so now turn and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan.

The condition for their release has been met. Yahweh has given "rest" to their brothers. This is a key theological concept. The ultimate goal of the conquest was not just land, but rest in the land. It's a foretaste of the Sabbath rest that God's people find in Christ (Hebrews 4:8-9). Because the mission is accomplished, they are now free to enjoy their own rest. Notice the language: "turn and go to your tents." This is a military command to stand down and return to domestic life. Their inheritance, "the land of your possession," is once again traced back to the authority of Moses, acting on God's behalf. Their title deed is secure because it was given by God through His servant.

5 Only keep yourselves very carefully to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and cling to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

This is the central charge, the pivot from past commendation to future exhortation. Being dismissed from military duty is not a dismissal from spiritual duty. In fact, the challenges of peace can be greater than the challenges of war. Joshua's charge is a beautiful summary of what covenant faithfulness looks like, echoing the language of Deuteronomy. It is not about mere external compliance. The command is to "keep yourselves very carefully." This requires diligence and vigilance. And what is the core of this law? It is fivefold: to love Yahweh, to walk in His ways, to keep His commandments, to cling to Him, and to serve Him. Notice the progression. It starts with the heart: love. From that love flows a life of obedience ("walk in all His ways"). This is then specified as keeping His commandments. The relationship is one of intimate dependence ("cling to Him"). And the whole life is to be an act of worship ("serve Him"). This service must be total, with "all your heart and with all your soul." This is the essence of the Shema. It is a call to a holistic, all-encompassing devotion to God, which is the only proper response to His grace.

6 Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

Having delivered the charge, Joshua now pronounces a blessing. This is a priestly act. As the leader of God's people, he mediates God's favor to them. Their obedience has positioned them to receive this blessing. It is the capstone of their faithful service. The blessing is not just a hearty "good luck," but an effectual pronouncement of God's goodness upon them. And with that, they are formally sent away. Their response is simple and immediate obedience: "they went to their tents."

7 Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua gave a possession among their brothers westward beyond the Jordan. So when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,

The narrator pauses here to clarify a point about the tribe of Manasseh, which was split between the east and west banks of the Jordan. This detail emphasizes the unity of the tribe despite their geographical separation. It also highlights the continuity between Moses and Joshua. Moses settled one half, and Joshua settled the other. The work of God's kingdom moves forward seamlessly from one leader to the next. The repetition that Joshua blessed them underscores the importance of this act. It wasn't an afterthought.

8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return to your tents with great riches and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and with very many clothes; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.”

The blessing takes a very tangible form. They are not going home empty-handed. Their years of service have resulted in "great riches." A list of valuables is given, emphasizing the sheer quantity of the spoil. This is a direct fulfillment of the Deuteronomic principle that obedience brings blessing, often in material ways. God is not stingy. But with this blessing comes another responsibility: "divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers." The "brothers" here are the ones who stayed behind to guard the families and the land on the east side of the Jordan. This is a principle of equity. Those who fight and those who support the fighters share in the victory. The victory belongs to all of them, and so the fruits of victory must be shared. This prevents greed and fosters unity. It is a practical outworking of loving your neighbor as yourself.

9 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home and departed from the sons of Israel at Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession which they had possessed, according to the command of Yahweh by the hand of Moses.

The final verse records their departure. They leave from Shiloh, which was the religious center of Israel at the time, where the tabernacle was located. They are departing from the central place of worship to go to their own land. This sets up the conflict that will arise in the next section. The journey is described in detail, from Canaan back to Gilead. The verse concludes by once again grounding their entire situation in the sovereign will of God. They possessed their land "according to the command of Yahweh by the hand of Moses." From beginning to end, their story is framed by God's command and their obedience to it. They are a living testament to the fact that God's promises are sure and that faithfulness to His word is the only path to true rest and blessing.

Application

The first and most obvious application is that we must be a people who keep our word. The men of these tribes made a promise, and they stuck with it for years. In a culture where promises are treated like disposable napkins, Christians must be known as people whose 'yes' is 'yes.' This applies to our marriage vows, our business dealings, and our commitments within the church. Faithfulness is not glamorous, but it is the backbone of a stable and godly society.

Second, we see that true obedience is comprehensive and comes from a heart of love. Joshua's charge in verse 5 is a timeless summary of the Christian life. We are not called to a checklist religion, but to a wholehearted devotion to God that expresses itself in every area of life. We are to love Him, walk with Him, obey Him, cling to Him, and serve Him. This is not a burden, but a delight, because it is the path to life and peace.

Finally, this passage reminds us that faithfulness is rewarded. These soldiers went home with great riches and the blessing of God. While we do not obey God in order to get stuff, the Scriptures are clear that God delights in blessing His obedient children. Our ultimate reward and rest is in Christ, but God's goodness often overflows into our temporal lives as well. We should not be afraid of the Deuteronomic principle that obedience leads to blessing and disobedience leads to cursing. This is how God has structured His world. Therefore, let us walk in faithfulness, keep our promises, and love our God with all our heart, knowing that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.