Chapter 22 The Transjordan Contingents Return Home - The Memorial Altar.
The initial war with the Canaanites being over, Joshua called to him the warriors from the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, who had came over Jordan with him to assist in the warfare, and commended them for their obedience to Moses, to himself, and to God. Then he bade them return home with his blessing on them, giving them careful instructions about keeping to the right ways and to the rightful worship of God.
At this they returned to their country, and when they came to the border they set up a memorial altar by the River Jordan. When the rest of the children of Israel heard of this, it gave them great offence, for they feared that they were going to turn from the pure worship of God at the central sanctuary. So they sent a deputation of princes to them, along with Phinehas, the son of Eliezer, the high priest, to enquire into what was happening, and rebuke them about it. But when they received a satisfactory answer, they returned and reported back to the children of Israel to the satisfaction of all.
‘ Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you. You have not left your brothers these many days to this day but have kept the charge of the commandment of YHWH your God.” '
Joshua commended the Transjordan contingent. They had been faithful in their duty, fully obeyed their commander and had not sought to desert or to avoid battle. They had been true soldiers of God even though it had involved hardship and separation from their families and loved ones for well over five years. But now the groundwork had been done it was time for them to return home.
“All that Moses commanded you.” See Deuteronomy 3:18-20. It was the commandment of Moses, of Joshua (Joshua 1:12-18) and of God. ‘You have kept' is strictly ‘you shall keep'. Joshua is thinking of the command he had given them. For ‘keep the charge of' see Leviticus 8:35; Leviticus 18:30; Deuteronomy 11:1. ‘The commandment' is a characteristic expression of Moses (Deuteronomy 17:20 compare Deuteronomy 5:29) which Joshua takes up here and Joshua 22:5.