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.
For the LORD has made the Jordan River a boundary between us and you, people of Reuben and Gad. You have no share in the LORD. So your children will cause our children to stop worshiping the LORD.
The western tribes are worried that the Jordan River will become a barrier that separates their children from God, making future generations think the eastern tribes don't belong to God's people.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Joshua, after the Israelites had conquered much of the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, along with half of Manasseh, settled on the east side of the Jordan River as part of their inheritance. The other tribes became alarmed when these eastern tribes built a large altar, fearing it might symbolize division or lead to idolatry, as they worried the river would create a permanent barrier to their shared worship of God. This verse captures the western tribes' concern that such separation could cause future generations to drift from fearing the Lord.
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