knows the heart. Secondly, When we fall under the censures of men, it is very comfortable to be able with a humble confidence to appeal to God concerning our sincerity. See 1 Cor. 4. 3, 4.
2. A sober apology presented to their brethren. Israel, he shall know. Though the record on high, and the witness in our bosoms, are principally to be made sure for us, yet there is a satisfaction besides, which we owe to our brethren, who doubt concerning our integrity, and which we should be ready to give with meekness and fear. If our sincerity be known to God, we should study likewise to let others know it by its fruits, especially those, who, though they mistake us, yet show a zeal for the glory of God, as the ten tribes here did.
3. A serious abjuration or renunciation of the design which they were suspected to be guilty of. With this they conclude their defence, v. 29. "God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord; as we own we should, if we had set up this altar for burnt-offerings; no, we abhor the thought of it. We have as great a value and veneration for the altar of the Lord at Shiloh, as any of the tribes of Israel have, and are as firmly resolved to adhere to it, and constantly to attend it; we have the same concern that you have for the purity of God's worship, and the unity of his church; far be it, far be it from us, to think of turning away from following God."
II. They fully explain their true intent and meaning in building this altar; and we have all the reason m the world to believe that it is a true representation of their design, and not advanced now to palliate it afterward; as we have reason to think that these same persons meant very honestly, when they petitioned to have their lot on that side Jordan, though then also it was their unhappiness to be misunderstood even by Moses himself.
In their vindication they make it out, that the building of this altar was so far from being a step toward a separation from their brethren, and from the altar of the Lord at Shiloh, that, on the contrary, it was really designed for a pledge and preservative of their communion with their brethren, and with the altar of God, and a token of their resolution to do the service of the Lord before him, v. 27. and to continue to do so.
1. They gave an account of the fears they had, lest in process of time, their posterity, being seated at such a distance from the tabernacle, should be looked upon and treated as strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, v. 24. it was for fear of this thing, and the word signifies a great perplexity and solicitude of mind which they were in, until they eased themselves by this expedient. As they were returning home, (and we may suppose it was not thought of before, else they would have made Joshua acquainted with their purpose,) some of them in dicourse started this matter, and the rest took the hint, and represented to themselves and one another, a very melancholy prospect of what might, probably, happen in after-ages, that their children would be looked upon by the other tribes as having no interest in the altar of God, and the sacrifices there offered. "Now indeed they were owned as brethren, and were as welcome at the tabernacle as any other of the tribes; but what if their children after them should be disowned? They by reason of their distance, and the interposition of Jordan, which it was not easy at all times to pass and repass, could not be so numerous and constant in their attendance on the three yearly feasts as the other tribes to make a continual claim to the privileges of Israelites, and would therefore be looked upon as inconsiderable members of their church, and by degrees would be rejected as not members of it at all, so shall your children, (who in their pride will be apt to monopolize the privileges of the altar,) make our children (who perhaps will not be so careful as they ought to be to keep hold of those privileges) cease from fearing the Lord. Note, (1.) They that are cut off from public ordinances, are likely to lose all religion, and will by degrees cease from fearing the Lord. Though the form and profession of godliness are kept up by many without the life and power of it, yet the life and power of it will not long be kept up without the form and profession of it. You take away grace, if you take away the means of grace. (2.) They who have themselves found the comfort and benefit of God's ordinances, cannot but desire to preserve and perpetuate the entail of them upon their seed, and use all possible precautions that their children after them may not be made to cease from following the Lord, or be looked upon as having no part in him.
2. The project they had to prevent this, v. 26..28. "Therefore to secure an interest in the altar of God to those who shall come after us, and to prove their title to it, we said, Let us build an altar, to be a witness between us and you." That having this copy of the altar in their custody, it might be produced as an evidence of their right to the privileges of the original. Every one that saw this altar, and observed it was never used for sacrifice and offering, would inquire what was the meaning of it, and this answer would be given to that inquiry, that it was built by those separate tribes, in token of their communion with their brethren, and their joint-interest with them in the altar of the Lord. Christ is the great Altar that sanctifies every gift; the best evidence of our interest in him will be the pattern of his Spirit in our hearts, and our conformity to him: if we can produce that, it will be testimony for us, that we have a part in the Lord, and an earnest for our perseverance in following him.
30. And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh, spake, it pleased them. 31. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord. 32. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 33. 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. 34. And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God.
We have here the good issue of this controversy, which, if there had not been on both sides a disposition to peace, as there was on both sides a zeal for
