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.
Then Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, said to the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, 'Today we can see that the LORD is with us, because you have not betrayed the LORD. Now you have saved the people of Israel from the LORD's punishment.'
Phinehas is relieved and grateful that the eastern tribes remained faithful to God, preventing divine judgment on all of Israel.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh built an altar near the Jordan River, which other Israelites initially feared was a sign of rebellion against God. When these eastern tribes explained they built it as a witness to their faith rather than for forbidden worship, tensions were resolved and potential civil war was avoided.
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