The Meaning of Joshua 22:31 Explained

Joshua 22:31

KJV: And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.

YLT: And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest saith unto the sons of Reuben, and unto the sons of Gad, and unto the sons of Manasseh, 'To-day we have known that Jehovah is in our midst, because ye have not committed against Jehovah this trespass -- then ye have delivered the sons of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.'

Darby: And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that Jehovah is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah: now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.

ASV: And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we know that Jehovah is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah: now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Phinehas  the son  of Eleazar  the priest  said  unto the children  of Reuben,  and to the children  of Gad,  and to the children  of Manasseh,  This day  we perceive  that the LORD  [is] among  us, because ye have not committed  this trespass  against the LORD:  now  ye have delivered  the children  of Israel  out of the hand  of the LORD. 

What does Joshua 22:31 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 22:31 mean?

And said Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the sons of Reuben and of Gad the sons of Manasseh this day we perceive that among us Yahweh [is] because not you have committed against Yahweh treachery this Consequently you have delivered - of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פִּֽינְחָ֣ס בֶּן־ אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֡ן אֶל־ בְּנֵי־ רְאוּבֵ֨ן וְאֶל־ גָ֜ד בְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה הַיּ֤וֹם ׀ יָדַ֙עְנוּ֙ כִּֽי־ בְתוֹכֵ֣נוּ יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־ מְעַלְתֶּ֥ם בַּֽיהוָ֖ה הַמַּ֣עַל הַזֶּ֑ה אָ֗ז הִצַּלְתֶּ֛ם אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֥ד יְהוָֽה

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
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.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֶלְעָזָ֣ר  of  Eleazar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
הַכֹּהֵ֡ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
בְּנֵי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
רְאוּבֵ֨ן  of  Reuben 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.
גָ֜ד  of  Gad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּד  
Sense: seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and full brother of Asher.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה  of  Manasseh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
הַיּ֤וֹם ׀  this  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
יָדַ֙עְנוּ֙  we  perceive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בְתוֹכֵ֣נוּ  among  us 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֲשֶׁ֛ר  because 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מְעַלְתֶּ֥ם  you  have  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מָעַל  
Sense: to act unfaithfully, act treacherously, transgress, commit a trespass.
בַּֽיהוָ֖ה  against  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַמַּ֣עַל  treachery 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעַל  
Sense: unfaithful or treacherous act, trespass.
הַזֶּ֑ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
אָ֗ז  Consequently 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָז  
Sense: then, at that time.
הִצַּלְתֶּ֛ם  you  have  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
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.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  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.
מִיַּ֥ד  out  of  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.