Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

And did not intend to go up against them in battle - That is, they now relinquished the intention of going against them in battle, as this explanation proved there was no cause for the measure.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the thing pleased the children of Israel,.... They were quite satisfied with the account of things, and were pleased and delighted with what their brethren, the other two tribes, had done:

and the children of Israel blessed God: returned thanks to him, that there was no trespass committed against him, and no schism like to be made among them, nor any wrath to come upon them:

and did not intend to go up against them in battle; for though upon first hearing of their building an altar, which they supposed was for idolatry, they had intended to make war against them, but now understanding the design of that building, they laid aside all thoughts of that kind:

to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt; which they judged by the law in Deuteronomy 13:12 they were obliged to do. The Greek version here adds also, "and the half tribe of Manasseh", and renders the last clause, and "they dwelt in it"; continued to dwell in it undisturbed by their brethren.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

Destroy the land — As they were by the law of God obliged to do, if they had been guilty and persisted therein; as afterwards they did the tribe of Benjamin for the same reason.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 33. Did not intend to go up— Or, Talked no more of going up.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

As they were by the law of God obliged to do, if they had been guilty and persisted therein; as afterwards they did they tribe of Benjamin for the same reason.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

33.Did not intend to go up — More literally, They did not talk of going up. This is a Hebraism for saying that they abandoned the purpose of civil war, for which they had assembled at Shiloh.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And the thing pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not speak any more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.’

This seems to confirm that the warlike plans had centred on attacking Reuben and Gad, with the western Manassites speaking up on behalf of their brothers and guaranteeing their behaviour and intentions. They gave up their plans for attacking Reuben and Gad.

So they gave thanks and praise to God. ‘They blessed God.’ A rare idea in the Old Testament (but see Psalms 66:20; Psalms 68:26) for usually it is YHWH Who is blessed, or YHWH incorporated with God, and this is also the first use of ‘God’ by itself in this passage. The sudden change to ‘God’ must have some significance. It is clear that the writer felt that the name of YHWH was unsuitable here. It possibly brings out the solemnity of the situation, and the awful dread that they had felt about the seeming situation, a covenant betrayal. The theoretical circumstance that had brought the visit about had not been had not been of YHWH. It had been an idea outside the covenant. Thus the less intimate use of ‘God’.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 22:33. The children of Israel blessed God — As Phinehas had done, that their brethren had not offended the Divine Majesty as they suspected. And did not intend to go up against them — Laid aside the intention which had been in their minds. To destroy the land — As, by the law of God, they would have been obliged to do, if these two tribes and a half had been guilty of the crime of which they had been suspected, and had persisted in their sin; as afterward they nearly destroyed the tribe of Benjamin for a similar reason.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(33) Did not intend—i.e., they decided not (Heb. they did not say to go up against them).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the thing

30; Acts 15:12,31; 2 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Thessalonians 3:6-8

blessed

1 Samuel 25:32,33; 1 Chronicles 29:20; Nehemiah 8:5,6; Daniel 2:19; Luke 2:28; Ephesians 1:3