The Meaning of Joshua 22:12 Explained

Joshua 22:12

KJV: And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

YLT: And the sons of Israel hear, and all the company of the sons of Israel is assembled at Shiloh, to go up against them to war;

Darby: And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.

ASV: And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when the children  of Israel  heard  [of it], the whole congregation  of the children  of Israel  gathered themselves together  at Shiloh,  to go up  to war  against them. 

What does Joshua 22:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 22:1-20 - Averting War Between Brethren
There was generous appreciation of services rendered as Joshua dismissed the warriors. Something like "Well-done, good and faithful servant," rings through His words. But he takes care to remind them that the tenure of their lands depends wholly on their obedience. This will explain the brief and transient existence of the trans-Jordanic tribes.
The altar was probably erected on the east of the Jordan. It was "over against" the land of Canaan, and was perhaps a facsimile of that at Shiloh. The prompting motive was to cement the union between themselves and the other tribes. But that end would have been better served had they obeyed the divine command in assembling annually with them. You can secure unity, not by external symbols, but by spiritual affinity and fellowship. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 22

1  The two tribes and a half with a blessing are sent home,
10  They build the altar of testimony in their journey
11  The Israelites are offended thereat
21  They vindicate their conduct, and give them good satisfaction

What do the individual words in Joshua 22:12 mean?

And when heard [of it] the sons of Israel and gathered together the whole congregation of the sons of Israel at Shiloh to go against them to war -
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּקָּ֨הֲל֜וּ כָּל־ עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ שִׁלֹ֔ה לַעֲל֥וֹת עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לַצָּבָֽא פ

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ  And  when  heard  [of  it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיִּקָּ֨הֲל֜וּ  and  gathered  together 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָהַל  
Sense: to assemble, gather.
כָּל־  the  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֲדַ֤ת  congregation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
בְּנֵֽי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
שִׁלֹ֔ה  at  Shiloh 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׁילֹו 
Sense: a city in Ephraim and temporary home of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle, the place where Samuel grew up.
לַעֲל֥וֹת  to  go 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
לַצָּבָֽא  to  war 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation