The Meaning of Joshua 22:30 Explained

Joshua 22:30

KJV: And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.

YLT: And Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the company, and the heads of the thousands of Israel, who are with him, hear the words which the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the sons of Manasseh have spoken, and it is good in their eyes.

Darby: And when Phinehas the priest and the princes of the assembly and the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their sight.

ASV: And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them well.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when Phinehas  the priest,  and the princes  of the congregation  and heads  of the thousands  of Israel  which [were] with him, heard  the words  that the children  of Reuben  and the children  of Gad  and the children  of Manasseh  spake,  it pleased  them. 

What does Joshua 22:30 Mean?

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 22:30 mean?

And when heard Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregation and the heads of the divisions of Israel who [were] with him - the words that spoke the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh and it pleased them
וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע פִּֽינְחָ֣ס הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וּנְשִׂיאֵ֨י הָעֵדָ֜ה וְרָאשֵׁ֨י אַלְפֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ אֶת־ הַ֨דְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר דִּבְּר֛וּ בְּנֵי־ רְאוּבֵ֥ן וּבְנֵי־ גָ֖ד וּבְנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינֵיהֶֽם

וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע  And  when  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
פִּֽינְחָ֣ס  Phinehas 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פִּינְחָס  
Sense: son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron; his zealousness for the Lord averted a plague on Israel and gained him the promise of the Lord of an everlasting priesthood in his family.
הַכֹּהֵ֗ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וּנְשִׂיאֵ֨י  and  the  rulers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
הָעֵדָ֜ה  of  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
וְרָאשֵׁ֨י  and  the  heads 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
אַלְפֵ֤י  of  the  divisions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
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.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  who  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אִתּ֔וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
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.
הַ֨דְּבָרִ֔ים  the  words 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲשֶׁ֧ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
דִּבְּר֛וּ  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
בְּנֵי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
רְאוּבֵ֥ן  of  Reuben 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.
וּבְנֵי־  and  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
גָ֖ד  of  Gad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּד  
Sense: seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and full brother of Asher.
וּבְנֵ֣י  and  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה  of  Manasseh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
וַיִּיטַ֖ב  and  it  pleased 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.