Joshua chapter 22

After reading chapter 22:

*So, now that the conquest of Canaan is over, kind of, Joshua told the Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassehites, who had land on the east side of the Jordan, that they could go home. These were all the men of fighting age. One wonders who had been maintaining the land for the approximately 5 years of their absence, women and children? They were sent back with Joshua's blessing and a load of plunder: livestock, silver, gold, bronze, iron, and clothing (from the bodies of the slain?). Funny thing about the plunder....after Achan's plunder blunder and his execution, the prohibition  against plunder was mysteriously ignored or rescinded without any ill effects.

*The three tribes travelled back east with all their stuff. When they got to the Jordan River, they built a large altar. When the rest of the Israelites heard about this altar they were infuriated and gathered at Shiloh to go to war with the three tribes. The priest Phineas and ten tribal leaders went to the three tribes and accused them of breaking faith with Yahweh and attempting some other kind of worship. They informed the three tribes that if this was the case, they would incur the wrath of the entire community of Israelites. There was to be only one altar to Yahweh and that location had already been determined.  It was at Shiloh. Then they were reminded of what had happened to Achan. How ironic.

*The three tribes did some awesome back peddling. Oh, no, we weren't planing on actually using this altar. It's just a witness, a reminder to the west side of the river that we on the east side have a share in Yahweh. This is so that in the future the west side cannot try to tell the east that they don't also belong to Yahweh. We wouldn't rebel. No siree, not us. So, Phineas announced Yahweh must be with them and they had escaped his wrath. The priest and the elders returned to Canaan to report to the Israelites, who rejoiced at the news. The altar was named "A Witness that Yahweh is God."

*Some thoughts that always come to mind when I read these stories:

1. The action happens in a few paragraphs that take minutes to read. In actuality events like these would have taken weeks if not months. That is taking into account the distances individuals had to have travelled on foot or slow footed animals. There is no indication the Israelites were horsemen. In fact they hamstrung the enemies' horses.

2. Plus, supposedly the Israelites had taken over the land. How can they be spread over the land and yet gathered in one place at Shiloh? Do you realize how long it would take to muster all the Israelite troops if they were spread out the length and breadth of Canaan?

3. When they conquered one area, how did they keep it free and clear of "enemies" when they had to go fight elsewhere?

4. How quickly this became an "us and them" situation once the three tribes separated from the rest of the Israelites.