And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?
We actually did this because we were worried about something. We thought that in the future, your children might say to our children, 'What right do you have to worship the LORD, the God of Israel?'
The eastern tribes built an altar because they feared future generations would question their right to worship God alongside the other Israelites.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Joshua, after the Israelites had conquered the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh returned to their territories east of the Jordan River. They built a large altar as a memorial to affirm their shared worship with the other tribes, fearing that future generations might accuse them of abandoning the God of Israel. This act was initially seen as rebellion, prompting a potential confrontation among the tribes.
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