King James Version

What Does Joshua 22:15 Mean?

Joshua 22:15 in the King James Version says “And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land ... — study this verse from Joshua chapter 22 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,

Joshua 22:15 · KJV


Context

13

And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

14

And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. chief: Heb. house of the father

15

And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,

16

Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD?

17

Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
They came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead—The geography is critical: Gilead lies east of the Jordan River, separating these tribes from the tabernacle at Shiloh. The delegation physically crossed the Jordan to address the crisis face-to-face rather than making accusations from a distance.

They spake with them, saying—The verb דָּבַר (dabar) means to speak formally or declare, suggesting this was an official inquiry rather than casual conversation. The delegation came prepared to hear the defense, modeling biblical conflict resolution that assumes innocent intent until proven otherwise (Proverbs 18:17).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Gilead, the Transjordan territory allocated to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh (Joshua 13), was prime grazing land but geographically isolated from the main worship center. This separation created legitimate concerns about future generations maintaining covenant loyalty.

Reflection Questions

  1. Why is face-to-face confrontation essential in resolving potential church divisions (rather than rumors or third-party reports)?
  2. How does their willingness to travel to Gilead demonstrate the principle of pursuing peace and unity?
  3. What modern church conflicts might be resolved if we followed this pattern of personal, direct engagement?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 17 words
וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ1 of 17

And they came

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֶל2 of 17
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

בְּנֵי3 of 17

and to the children

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

רְאוּבֵ֧ן4 of 17

of Reuben

H7205

reuben, a son of jacob

וְאֶל5 of 17
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

בְּנֵי6 of 17

and to the children

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

גָ֛ד7 of 17

of Gad

H1410

gad, a son of jacob, including his tribe and its territory; also a prophet

וְאֶל8 of 17
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

חֲצִ֥י9 of 17

and to the half

H2677

the half or middle

שֵֽׁבֶט10 of 17

tribe

H7626

a scion, i.e., (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan

מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה11 of 17

of Manasseh

H4519

menashsheh, a grandson of jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory

אֶל12 of 17
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אֶ֣רֶץ13 of 17

unto the land

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

הַגִּלְעָ֑ד14 of 17

of Gilead

H1568

gilad, a region east of the jordan; also the name of three israelites

וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ15 of 17

and they spake

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אִתָּ֖ם16 of 17
H854

properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc

לֵאמֹֽר׃17 of 17

with them saying

H559

to say (used with great latitude)


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 22:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Joshua 22:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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