Iosue 22

1 Eodem tempore vocavit Iosue Rubenitas, et Gaditas, et dimidiam tribum Manasse,

Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh

2 dixitque ad eos: Fecistis omnia quae praecepit vobis Moyses famulus Domini: mihi quoque in omnibus obedistis,

and told them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and you have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.

3 nec reliquistis fratres vestros longo tempore, usque in praesentem diem, custodientes imperium Domini Dei vestri.

All this time you have not deserted your brothers, up to this very day, but have kept the charge given you by the LORD your God.

4 Quia igitur dedit Dominus Deus vester fratribus vestris quietem et pacem, sicut pollicitus est: revertimini, et ite in tabernacula vestra, et in terram possessionis, quam tradidit vobis Moyses famulus Domini trans Iordanem:

And now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as He promised them, you may return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you across the Jordan.

5 ita dumtaxat, ut custodiatis attente, et opere compleatis mandatum et legem quam praecepit vobis Moyses famulus Domini, ut diligatis Dominum Deum vestrum, et ambuletis in omnibus viis eius, et observetis mandata illius, adhaereatisque ei, ac serviatis in omni corde, et in omni anima vestra.

But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

6 Benedixitque eis Iosue, et dimisit eos. Qui reversi sunt in tabernacula sua.

So Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.

7 Dimidiae autem tribui Manasse possessionem Moyses dederat in Basan: et idcirco mediae, quae superfuit, dedit Iosue sortem inter ceteros fratres suos trans Iordanem ad Occidentalem plagam. Cumque dimitteret eos in tabernacula sua, et benedixisset eis,

(To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan among their brothers.) When Joshua sent them to their homes he blessed them,

8 dixit ad eos: In multa substantia atque divitiis revertimini ad sedes vestras, cum argento et auro, aere ac ferro, et veste multiplici: dividite praedam hostium cum fratribus vestris.

saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies.”

9 Reversique sunt, et abierunt filii Ruben, et filii Gad, et dimidia tribus Manasse, a filiis Israel de Silo, quae sita est in Chanaan, ut intrarent Galaad Terram possessionis suae, quam obtinuerant iuxta imperium Domini in manu Moysi.

So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to return to their own land of Gilead, which they had acquired according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

10 Cumque venissent ad tumulos Iordanis in Terram Chanaan, aedificaverunt iuxta Iordanem altare infinitae magnitudinis.

And when they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.

11 Quod cum audissent filii Israel, et ad eos certi nuncii detulissent aedificasse filios Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiae tribus Manasse, altare in Terra Chanaan, super Iordanis tumulos, contra filios Israel:

Then the Israelites received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.”

12 convenerunt omnes in Silo, ut ascenderent, et dimicarent contra eos.

And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 Et interim miserunt ad illos in Terram Galaad Phinees filium Eleazari sacerdotem,

The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the land of Gilead, to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

14 et decem principes cum eo, singulos de singulis tribubus.

With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel, each the head of a family among the clans of Israel.

15 Qui venerunt ad filios Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiae tribus Manasse in Terram Galaad, dixeruntque ad eos:

They went to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead and said to them,

16 Haec mandat omnis populus Domini: Quae est ista transgressio? Cur reliquistis Dominum Deum Israel, aedificantes altare sacrilegum, et a cultu illius recedentes?

“This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day?

17 An parum vobis est quod peccastis in Beelphegor, et usque in praesentem diem macula huius sceleris in nobis permanet? multi enim de populo corruerunt.

Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.

18 Et vos hodie reliquistis Dominum, et cras in universum Israel ira eius desaeviet.

And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Quod si putatis immundam esse terram possessionis vestrae, transite ad Terram, in qua tabernaculum Domini est, et habitate inter nos: tantum ut a Domino, et a nostro consortio non recedatis, aedificato altari praeter altare Domini Dei nostri.

If indeed the land of your inheritance is unclean, then cross over to the land of the LORD’s possession, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession of it among us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.

20 Nonne Achan filius Zare praeteriit mandatum Domini, et super omnem populum Israel ira eius incubuit? Et ille erat unus homo, atque utinam solum periisset in scelere suo.

Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”

21 Responderuntque filii Ruben et Gad, et dimidia tribus Manasse principibus legationis Israel:

Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the clans of Israel:

22 Fortissimus Deus Dominus, ipse novit, et Israel simul intelliget: si praevaricationis animo, hoc altare construximus, non custodiat nos, sed puniat nos in praesenti:

“The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today.

23 et si ea mente fecimus ut holocausta, et sacrificium, et pacificas victimas super eo imponeremus, ipse quaerat et iudicet:

If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.

24 et non ea magis cogitatione atque tractatu, ut diceremus: Cras dicent filii vestri filiis nostris: Quid vobis et Domino Deo Israel?

But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

25 terminum posuit Dominus inter nos et vos, o filii Ruben, et filii Gad, Iordanem fluvium: et idcirco partem non habetis in Domino. Et per hanc occasionem avertent filii vestri filios nostros a timore Domini. Putavimus itaque melius,

For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the LORD!’ So your descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.

26 et diximus: Extruamus nobis altare, non in holocausta, neque ad victimas offerendas,

That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.

27 sed in testimonium inter nos et vos, et sobolem nostram vestramque progeniem, ut serviamus Domino, et iuris nostri sit offerre et holocausta, et victimas, et pacificas hostias: et nequaquam dicant cras filii vestri filiis nostris: Non est vobis pars in Domino.

Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’

28 Quod si voluerint dicere, respondebunt eis: Ecce altare Domini, quod fecerunt patres nostri, non in holocausta, neque in sacrificium, sed in testimonium nostrum ac vestrum.

Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

29 Absit a nobis hoc scelus ut recedamus a Domino, et eius vestigia relinquamus, extructo altari ad holocausta, et sacrificia, et victimas offerendas, praeter altare Domini Dei nostri, quod extructum est ante tabernaculum eius.

Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”

30 Quibus auditis, Phinees sacerdos, et principes legationis Israel, qui erant cum eo, placati sunt: et verba filiorum Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiae tribus Manasse, libentissime susceperunt.

When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied.

31 Dixtque Phinees filius Eleazari sacerdos ad eos: Nunc scimus quod nobiscum sit Dominus, quoniam alieni estis a praevaricatione hac, et liberastis filios Israel de manu Domini.

Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you have delivered the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.”

32 Reversusque est cum principibus a filiis Ruben et Gad de Terra Galaad, finium Chanaan ad filios Israel, et retulit eis.

Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead.

33 Placuitque sermo cunctis audientibus. Et laudaverunt Deum filii Israel, et nequaquam ultra dixerunt, ut ascenderent contra eos, atque pugnarent, et delerent Terram possessionis eorum.

The Israelites were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived.

34 Vocaveruntque filii Ruben, et filii Gad altare, quod extruxerant, Testimonium nostrum, quod Dominus ipse sit Deus.

So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”