The Meaning of Joshua 22:25 Explained

Joshua 22:25

KJV: For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.

YLT: for a border hath Jehovah put between us and you, O sons of Reuben, and sons of Gad -- Jordan; ye have no portion in Jehovah -- and your sons have caused our sons to cease, not to fear Jehovah.

Darby: Jehovah hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad, ye have no portion in Jehovah! And so shall your children make our children cease from fearing Jehovah.

ASV: for Jehovah hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no portion in Jehovah: so might your children make our children cease from fearing Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  hath made  Jordan  a border  between us and you, ye children  of Reuben  and children  of Gad;  ye have no part  in the LORD:  so shall your children  make  our children  cease  from  fearing  the LORD. 

What does Joshua 22:25 Mean?

Study Notes

fearing
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Joshua 22:21-34 - The Altar Of Witness
Phinehas and the ten princes did their work well. It was politic as well as true to remind the departing warriors that they could not rebel against God without involving the whole nation. So deeply did the spirit of love work in their hearts that Phinehas and his men even proposed to share the land of western Canaan with them, rather than that they should drift away from the Law of God. There was a gentleness, a desire to conciliate, a yearning over their brethren, which were quite after the mind of Christ, and which had the desired effect in a frank disavowal of any of those unworthy motives that their brethren had imputed.
So is it always. Let us lay aside the sword for the olive-branch. Before proceeding to severer measures, whether as individuals or as nations, let us ever try to restore our brethren "in the spirit of meekness." Let us count it a greater gain to win a brother than to conquer him. As we grow older, may we become more mellow! Matthew 18:15; Galatians 6:1-5. [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 22:25 mean?

for a border made Yahweh between us and you [you] children of Reuben and children of Gad has the Jordan no You have part in Yahweh So would make cease your descendants - our descendants from fearing Yahweh
וּגְב֣וּל נָֽתַן־ יְ֠הוָה בֵּינֵ֨נוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶ֜ם בְּנֵי־ רְאוּבֵ֤ן וּבְנֵי־ גָד֙ אֶת־ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן אֵין־ לָכֶ֥ם חֵ֖לֶק בַּֽיהוָ֑ה וְהִשְׁבִּ֤יתוּ בְנֵיכֶם֙ אֶת־ בָּנֵ֔ינוּ לְבִלְתִּ֖י יְרֹ֥א יְהוָֽה

וּגְב֣וּל  for  a  border 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
נָֽתַן־  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְ֠הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בֵּינֵ֨נוּ  between  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵינֵיכֶ֜ם  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
בְּנֵי־  [you]  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
רְאוּבֵ֤ן  of  Reuben 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.
וּבְנֵי־  and  children 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
גָד֙  of  Gad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּד  
Sense: seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and full brother of Asher.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן  the  Jordan 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַרְדֵּן  
Sense: the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km).
אֵין־  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
חֵ֖לֶק  have  part 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
בַּֽיהוָ֑ה  in  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְהִשְׁבִּ֤יתוּ  So  would  make  cease 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁבַת 
Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
בְנֵיכֶם֙  your  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בָּנֵ֔ינוּ  our  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְרֹ֥א  fearing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.