1. Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh
2. and told them, “You have done everything Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you and have obeyed me in everything I commanded you.
3. You have not deserted your brothers even once this whole time but have carried out the requirement of the command of the Lord your God.
4. Now that He has given your brothers rest, just as He promised them, return to your homes in your own land that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you across the Jordan.
5. Only carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you: to love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commands, remain faithful to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.”
6. Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.
7. Moses had given territory to half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, but Joshua had given territory to the other half, with their brothers, on the west side of the Jordan. When Joshua sent them to their homes and blessed them,
8. he said, “Return to your homes with great wealth: a huge number of cattle, and silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a large quantity of clothing. Share the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.”
9. The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to return to their own land of Gilead, which they took possession of according to the Lord’s command through Moses.
10. When they came to the region of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh built a large, impressive altar there by the Jordan.
11. Then the Israelites heard it said, “Look, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan at the region of the Jordan, on the Israelite side.”
12. When the Israelites heard this, the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.
13. The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead.
14. They sent 10 leaders with him — one family leader for each tribe of Israel. All of them were heads of their families among the clans of Israel.
15. They went to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and told them,
16. “This is what the Lord’s entire community says: ‘What is this treachery you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the Lord and building an altar for yourselves, so that you are in rebellion against the Lord today?