Read Joshua 22 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
22:1-6 {p} Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh released to return to their possession
22:7-8 {p} The blessing of Joshua on Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh
22:9-12 {p} 2-1/2 tribes built an altar at the Jordan, and Israel heard of it
22:13-20 {s} Phinehas asked them: What are you doing, rebelling against YHVH?
22:21-29 {p} 2-1/2 tribes answered: It is a witness between you and us
22:30-34 {p} It pleased the children of Israel/ the Altar of Witness that YHVH is God
Joshua 21:43-22:34 Chiastic Structure:
1A) 21:43-45, YHVH gave Israel all the land He promised their fathers; not one word failed;
1B) 22:1-8, Reuben, Gad, half Manasseh receive Joshua’s commendation and blessing;
1C) 22:9-12, Reuben, Gad, half Manasseh built an altar at the Jordan;
CENTRAL AXIS) 22:13-20, Phinehas asked them, What are you doing, rebelling against YHVH?
2C) 22:21-29, Reuben, Gad, half Manesseh explain the altar at the Jordan;
2B) 22:30-33, Reuben, Gad, half Manasseh receive Phinehas’ commendation and blessing;
2A) 22:34, The Altar of Witness: For it is a witness between us that YHVH is God.
A witness is from the Hebrew Strong’s H5749 עוד uwd, a primitive verb meaning, “to repeat, to bear witness.” The 3-letter root is ayin + vav + dalet.
ayin ע = the eye, thus watch, know, shade
vav ו = the tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
dalet ד = the door, thus enter, move, hang
All judgments and binding contractual business in the patriarchal era was conducted either at the door of the tribal authority, who was the patriarch of the tribe, where he sat in the shade to decide family matters:
Then YHVH appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground. Gen 18:1-2
Or at the gate of the city, where the elders congregated:
Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.” Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying, … Gen 23:7-10
The parable the Hebrew Root Word is telling, is of what one has seen or witnessed (ayin) verified or sworn (vav, with the idea of securing the veracity of the claim by oath) at the patriarch’s door (dalet, or at the city gate, which is the door to the city).
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