Ver. 19. Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean— This fully justifies the piety, disinterestedness, and benevolent intentions of Phinehas: he even himself seeks out some plausible pretence for the step against which he inveighs. He supposes, that the Israelites beyond the river may have thought their land would be defiled; that it would not be a holy land, consecrated to God, and under his protection, unless they beheld there some token of his presence, some sacred edifice, which might publicly signify that the Lord was their God. And on this charitable supposition, he addresses them thus: "Did not you rear this altar, as thinking that the country in which you dwell would be an impure and profane land, unless this monument supplied the presence of the tabernacle and altar of the Lord at Shiloh, from which the Jordan divides you? If this be the case, come back, repass the river, and partake with us of our possessions. We would rather put ourselves to straits, by receiving you among us, than see you deviate into schism and revolt against God."
Note; (1.) Many a heavy charge is sometimes brought, where there is the purest innocence; and this even by those who have zeal for God. (2.) They who have smarted for sin, dread the thoughts of renewing their provocations. (3.) They who desire to recover their brethren from schism, must show their charity towards them, and readiness to yield every thing that they lawfully may to a tender conscience, lest by unchristian violence the rent be made worse.