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APRIL 16
the region of the Jordan—on the children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no part
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Israel’s side.” And when the children of Israel in the LORD.” So your descendants would
heard of it, the whole congregation of the chil- make our descendants cease fearing the
dren of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to LORD.’ Therefore we said, ‘Let us now pre-
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go to war against them. pare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt
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13 Then the children of Israel sent Phinehas offering nor for sacrifice, but that it may be a
the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of witness between you and us and our genera-
Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tions after us, that we may perform the ser-
tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, vice of the LORD before Him with our burnt
14 and with him ten rulers, one ruler each from offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our
the chief house of every tribe of Israel; and peace offerings; that your descendants may
each one was the head of the house of his not say to our descendants in time to come,
father among the divisions of Israel. Then “You have no part in the LORD.” ’ Therefore
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they came to the children of Reuben, to the we said that it will be, when they say this to us
children of Gad, and to half the tribe of or to our generations in time to come, that we
Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they may say, ‘Here is the replica of the altar of the
spoke with them, saying, “Thus says the LORD which our fathers made, though not for
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whole congregation of the LORD: ‘What treach- burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a
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ery is this that you have committed against witness between you and us.’ Far be it from
the God of Israel, to turn away this day from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and
following the LORD, in that you have built for turn from following the LORD this day, to build
yourselves an altar, that you might rebel this an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings,
day against the LORD? Is the iniquity of Peor or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD
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not enough for us, from which we are not our God which is before His tabernacle.”
cleansed till this day, although there was a 30 Now when Phinehas the priest and the rulers
plague in the congregation of the LORD, but of the congregation, the heads of the divisions of
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that you must turn away this day from follow- Israel who were with him, heard the words that
ing the LORD? And it shall be, if you rebel the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and
today against the LORD, that tomorrow He will the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them.
be angry with the whole congregation of 31 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest
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Israel. Nevertheless, if the land of your pos- said to the children of Reuben, the children of
session is unclean, then cross over to the land Gad, and the children of Manasseh, “This day
of the possession of the LORD, where the we perceive that the LORD is among us, because
LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession you have not committed this treachery against
among us; but do not rebel against the LORD, the LORD. Now you have delivered the children
nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.”
altar besides the altar of the LORD our God. 32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,
20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a and the rulers, returned from the children of
trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell Reuben and the children of Gad, from the land
on all the congregation of Israel? And that of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the children
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man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’ ” of Israel, and brought back word to them. So
21 Then the children of Reuben, the children the thing pleased the children of Israel, and
of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh the children of Israel blessed God; they spoke
answered and said to the heads of the divi- no more of going against them in battle, to
sions of Israel: “The LORD God of gods, the destroy the land where the children of Reuben
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LORD God of gods, He knows, and let Israel and Gad dwelt.
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itself know—if it is in rebellion, or if in treach- The children of Reuben and the children of
ery against the LORD, do not save us this day. Gad called the altar, Witness, “For it is a wit-
23 If we have built ourselves an altar to turn from ness between us that the LORD is God.”
following the LORD, or if to offer on it burnt offer- Psalm 46:7–11
ings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offer- 7
ings on it, let the LORD Himself require an The LORD of hosts is with us;
account. But in fact we have done it for fear, for The God of Jacob is our refuge.
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a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your descen- Selah
dants may speak to our descendants, saying, 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
“What have you to do with the LORD God of Who has made desolations in the earth.
Israel? For the LORD has made the Jordan a 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the
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border between you and us, you children of earth;
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