SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:10
¶ Y llegando a los términos del Jordán, que está en la tierra de Canaán, los hijos de Rubén y los hijos de Gad, y la media tribu de Manasés, edificaron allí un altar junto al Jordán, un altar de grande apariencia.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 22:10
Verse 10. The borders of Jordan, that are in-Canaan] This verse can never mean that they built the altar on the west side of Jordan, for this was not in their territories; nor could it be a place for the purpose of public worship to their own people, if built on the opposite side of Jordan; besides, the next verse says it was built over against the land of Canaan. It appears that when they came to the river they formed the purpose of building the altar; and when they had crossed it they executed their purpose. A great altar to see to.] A vast mass of earth, stones, &c., elevated to a great height, to serve as a memorial of the transactions that had already taken place. Probably it was intended also to serve as a kind of watchtower, being of a stupendous height, altare infinitae magnitudinis, an altar of an immense size, as the Vulgate terms it.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 10. And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that [are] in the land of Canaan , etc.] To the banks of it, or the sand heaps, some take the word to signify, which were thrown up to restrain the waters from overflowing; some by Geliloth understand a place so called; and Jerom f512 says it was near Jordan in the tribe of Benjamin: but rather the word signifies the meanders, windings, and turnings, of the river f513 ; and such circuits and compasses it fetched near Jericho, as the same writer f514 observes, where we may suppose these tribes went over, and at a place where the river jetted out into the land of Canaan: the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, built there an altar by Jordan ; or “then”; that is, when they had passed over the river into their own country, for which Josephus is express f515 ; and certain it is, that the altar was built not on the Canaan side of Jordan, but on the opposite side, as is clear from ( Joshua 22:11): and indeed they had no right to build on any other ground than their own; and they pitched upon a spot where the river jetted out into the land of Canaan, as most proper to erect it on, to be a witness, that though separated from the rest of the Israelites by the river Jordan, yet were a part of them, and had a right to join them in the service of God, and bring their sacrifices to the altar of God in the tabernacle, as more fully appears in some after verses: a great altar to see to ; built up very high, so that it might be seen at a great distance.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-20 - Here is the care of the separated tribes to keep their hold of Canaan' religion. At first sight it seemed a design to set up an altar agains the altar at Shiloh. God is jealous for his own institutions; we shoul be so too, and afraid of every thing that looks like, or leads to idolatry. Corruptions in religion are best dealt with at first. But their prudence in following up this zealous resolution is no les commendable. Many an unhappy strife would be prevented, or soon mad up, by inquiries into the matter of the offence. The remembrance of great sins committed formerly, should engage us to stand on our guar against the beginnings of sin; for the way of sin is down-hill. We ar all concerned to reprove our neighbour when he does amiss, lest we suffer sin upon him, Le 19:17. The offer made that they should be welcome to come to the land where the Lord's tabernacle was, and settl there, was in the spirit of true Israelites.
Original Hebrew
ויבאו 935 אל 413 גלילות 1552 הירדן 3383 אשׁר 834 בארץ 776 כנען 3667 ויבנו 1129 בני 1121 ראובן 7205 ובני 1121 גד 1410 וחצי 2677 שׁבט 7626 המנשׁה 4519 שׁם 8033 מזבח 4196 על 5921 הירדן 3383 מזבח 4196 גדול 1419 למראה׃ 4758
