Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

For fear of this thing - The motive that actuated us was directly the reverse of that of which we have been suspected.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing,.... So far they suggest were they from doing this, in order to turn from the pure worship of God, and introduce idolatrous worship, that it was to guard against everything of that kind for the future; and through fear of it, and anxiety and distress of mind, lest some time or another there should be any temptation to it in their posterity, had they built this altar:

saying, in time to come your children might speak unto our children; or "tomorrow"^F13מחר "cras", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. , in a short time after your heads, and ours, are laid in the grave, your posterity will accost us:

saying, what have you to do with the Lord God of Israel? you are aliens and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, live in a foreign land, and not in the land, of Canaan; are separated from us by the river Jordan, are a different people from us, and have nothing to do with the tabernacle of the Lord, and the service of it, or with the altar of the Lord, to offer sacrifice on it. Now as they returned to their own country, or when got there, such anxious thoughts and fears rose up in their minds, which they communicated to one another, and thought of this expedient to prevent what would be so fatal to their posterity. The Targum is,"you have no part in the Word of the Lord God of Israel;'see John 13:8.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?

With the Lord — You have no relation to him, nor interest in him, or his worship.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Joshua 22:24 And if we have not [rather] done it for fear of [this] thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?

Ver. 24. And if we have not rather done it.] In communionis symbolum: to a quite contrary purpose. The ten tribes therefore were to blame for misconstruing them. Quid minus est non dico Oratoris sed hominis, quam id obiecere adversario quod si ille verbo negarit, ulterius progredi non possis? (a) Say the best of things.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

You have no relation to him, nor interest in him, or his worship.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

24.For fear — The Hebrew word indicates great and distressing solicitude. The motive of their action was just the opposite of that ascribed to them. It was their intense desire to preserve themselves and their children in the worship of Jehovah that had induced the erection of the memorial altar.

Our children — The truly pious man will seek to place the safeguards of piety about the path of his offspring. These eastern tribes had received by far the best portion of the Holy Land, yet they are not satisfied with worldly good. Their broad acres and vast herds are worthless without a portion in the God of Israel.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

To-morrow. At any future period. (Haydock) --- Israel. The same idea is expressed, ver. 27. You have no part in the Lord. You are not his peculiar people. Of this title the Israelites were always very jealous, even when they neglected the worship and covenant of the Lord. (Calmet) --- Hence these tribes take these precautions, that they may not be excluded from the society and privileges of their brethren on the other side of the Jordan. They profess openly that they do not esteem it lawful to offer sacrifice in any other place, besides that which God had chosen. (Haydock)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

What have ye. ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-8.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

for fear

Genesis 18:19

In time to come

Heb. To-morrow.

4:6; Genesis 30:33; Exodus 13:14; Deuteronomy 6:20; *margins