Entonces Josué llamó a los rubenitas, a los gaditas y a la media tribu de Manasés, 2 y les dijo: Habéis guardado todo lo que Moisés, siervo del SEÑOR, os mandó, y habéis escuchado mi voz en todo lo que os mandé^a. 3 Hasta el día de hoy no habéis abandonado a vuestros hermanos durante este largo tiempo¹, sino que habéis cuidado de guardar el mandamiento del SEÑOR vuestro Dios. 4 Y ahora, el SEÑOR vuestro Dios ha dado descanso a vuestros hermanos, como Él les había dicho; volved, pues, e id a vuestras tiendas, a la tierra de vuestra posesión que Moisés, siervo del SEÑOR, os dio al otro lado del Jordán^a. 5 Solamente guardad cuidadosamente el mandamiento y la ley que Moisés, siervo del SEÑOR, os mandó, de amar al SEÑOR vuestro Dios, andar en todos sus caminos, guardar sus mandamientos^a y de allegarse¹ a Él y servirle con todo vuestro corazón y con toda vuestra alma^b. 6 Y Josué los bendijo^a y los despidió, y se fueron a sus tiendas.

7 Moisés había dado a la media tribu de Manasés una posesión en Basán^a, pero a la otra media tribu Josué dio una posesión entre sus hermanos hacia el occidente, al otro lado del Jordán^b. Y cuando Josué los mandó a sus tiendas, los bendijo, 8 y les dijo¹: Volved a vuestras tiendas con grandes riquezas, con mucho ganado, con plata, oro, bronce, hierro y con muchos vestidos; repartid con vuestros hermanos el botín de vuestros enemigos^a. 9 Y los hijos de Rubén, los hijos de Gad y la media tribu de Manasés, volvieron y se separaron de los hijos de Israel en Silo, que está en la tierra de Canaán, para ir a la tierra de Galaad, a la tierra de su posesión^a la cual ellos habían poseído, conforme al mandato¹ del SEÑOR por medio² de Moisés.

10 Y cuando llegaron a la región del Jordán que está en la tierra de Canaán, los hijos de Rubén, los hijos de Gad y la media tribu de Manasés, edificaron allí un altar junto al Jordán, un altar de aspecto grande. 11 Y los hijos de Israel oyeron decir¹: He aquí, los hijos de Rubén, los hijos de Gad y la media tribu de Manasés han edificado un altar^a en el límite² de la tierra de Canaán, en la región del Jordán, en el lado que pertenece a los hijos de Israel. 12 Al oír esto los hijos de Israel, toda la congregación de los hijos de Israel se reunió en Silo^a para subir a pelear contra ellos.

13 Entonces los hijos de Israel enviaron a los hijos de Rubén, a los hijos de Gad y a la media tribu de Manasés, en la tierra de Galaad, a Finees, hijo del sacerdote Eleazar^a, 14 y con él a diez jefes, un jefe por cada casa paterna de cada tribu de Israel; cada uno de ellos era cabeza de la casa de sus padres^a entre los millares¹ de Israel. 15 Y vinieron a los hijos de Rubén, a los hijos de Gad y a la media tribu de Manasés, a la tierra de Galaad, y les hablaron, diciendo: 16 Así dice toda la congregación del SEÑOR: «¿Qué infidelidad esesta que habéis cometido contra el Dios de Israel, apartándoos hoy de seguir al SEÑOR, edificándoos un altar^a, y rebelándoos hoy contra el SEÑOR? 17 ¿No nos es suficiente¹ la iniquidad de Peor, de la cual no nos hemos limpiado hasta hoy, a pesar de que vino una plaga sobre la congregación del SEÑOR^a, 18 para que también vosotros os apartéis hoy de seguir al SEÑOR? Y sucederá que si hoy os rebeláis contra el SEÑOR, mañana Él se enojará con toda la congregación de Israel^a. 19 Mas si la tierra de vuestra posesión es inmunda, entonces pasad¹ a la tierra de la posesión del SEÑOR, donde está² el tabernáculo del SEÑOR, y tomad posesión entre nosotros. Pero no os rebeléis contra el SEÑOR, ni os rebeléis contra nosotros edificándoos un altar aparte del altar del SEÑOR nuestro Dios^a. 20 ¿No fue infiel Acán, hijo de Zera, en cuanto al anatema, y vino la ira sobre toda la congregación de Israel? Y aquel hombre no pereció solo en su iniquidad^a».

21 Entonces los hijos de Rubén, los hijos de Gad y la media tribu de Manasés respondieron, y dijeron a las cabezas de las familias¹ de Israel: 22 ¡El Poderoso Dios¹, el SEÑOR, el Poderoso Dios², el SEÑOR^a! Él lo sabe; que Israel mismo lo sepa^b. Si fue rebelión, o una infidelidad contra el SEÑOR, que no nos salve³ hoy. 23 Si nos hemos edificado un altar para apartarnos de seguir al SEÑOR, o para ofrecer holocausto^a u ofrenda de cereal sobre él, o para ofrecer en él sacrificios de ofrendas de paz, que el SEÑOR mismo nos lo demande. 24 En verdad, hemos hecho esto más bien¹ por temor, diciendo: «El día de mañana vuestros hijos pudieran decir a nuestros hijos²: “¿Qué tenéis que ver vosotros con el SEÑOR, Dios de Israel? 25 Porque el SEÑOR ha puesto el Jordán por límite entre nosotros y vosotros, hijos de Rubén e hijos de Gad; vosotros no tenéis parte con el SEÑOR”. Así vuestros hijos podrían hacer que nuestros hijos dejaran de temer al SEÑOR».

26 Por tanto, dijimos: «Construyamos¹ ahora un altar, no para holocaustos ni para sacrificios, 27 sino para que sea testigo entre nosotros y vosotros^a, y entre nuestras generaciones después de nosotros, que hemos de cumplir el servicio del SEÑOR delante de Él con nuestros holocaustos, con nuestros sacrificios y con nuestras ofrendas de paz^b, para que en el día de mañana vuestros hijos no digan a nuestros hijos: “No tenéis porción en el SEÑOR”». 28 Nosotros, pues, dijimos: «Sucederá el día de mañana, que si nos dicen esto a nosotros o a nuestras generaciones, entonces diremos: “Ved la réplica del altar del SEÑOR que nuestros padres edificaron, no para holocaustos ni para sacrificios, sino más bien como testigo entre nosotros y vosotros”». 29 Lejos esté de nosotros que nos rebelemos contra el SEÑOR y nos apartemos de seguir hoy al SEÑOR, construyendo un altar para holocaustos, para ofrenda de cereal o para sacrificios, aparte del altar del SEÑOR nuestro Dios que está frente a su tabernáculo^1a.

30 Y cuando el sacerdote Finees y los principales de la congregación, es decir, las cabezas de las familias¹ de Israel que estaban con él, oyeron las palabras que dijeron los hijos de Rubén, los hijos de Gad y los hijos de Manasés, les pareció bien. 31 Y Finees, hijo del sacerdote Eleazar, dijo a los hijos de Rubén, a los hijos de Gad y a los hijos de Manasés: Hoy sabemos que el SEÑOR está en medio de nosotros^a, porque no habéis cometido esta infidelidad contra el SEÑOR; ahora habéis librado a los hijos de Israel de la mano del SEÑOR^b. 32 Entonces Finees, hijo del sacerdote Eleazar, y los jefes, dejaron a los hijos de Rubén y a los hijos de Gad, y regresaron de la tierra de Galaad a la tierra de Canaán, a los hijos de Israel, y les dieron respuesta¹. 33 Y la respuesta¹ agradó a los hijos de Israel; y los hijos de Israel bendijeron a Dios^a, y no hablaron más de subir a pelear contra ellos para destruir la tierra en que habitaban los hijos de Rubén y los hijos de Gad. 34 Y los hijos de Rubén y los hijos de Gad llamaron al altar Testigo; pues dijeron: Es testigo entre nosotros de que el SEÑOR es Dios^a.

^aThen Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, ^aand have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. 3 You have not abandoned your brothers these many days to this day, but have fulfilled the obligation of the commandment of the LORD your God. 4 And now ^athe LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as He spoke to them; therefore turn now and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan. 5 Only be very careful to ¹follow the commandment and the Law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to ^alove the LORD your God and walk in all His ways, and keep His commandments and cling to Him, and serve Him ^bwith all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua ^ablessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

7 Now ^ato the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but ^bto the other half Joshua gave a possession among their brothers westward beyond the Jordan. So when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he also blessed them, 8 and said to ¹them, “Return to your tents with great riches and with very many livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and with very many clothes; ^adivide the spoils of your enemies with your brothers.” 9 So the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, ¹leaving the sons of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the ^aland of Gilead, to the land of their possession in which they had settled, in accordance with the ²command of the LORD ³through Moses.

10 When they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, ¹a large altar in appearance. 11 But the sons of Israel ¹heard a report: “Behold, the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have ^abuilt an altar at the ²frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan, on the side belonging to the sons of Israel.” 12 And when the sons of Israel heard about it, the entire congregation of the sons of Israel assembled at ^aShiloh to go up against them in battle.

13 Then the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben, to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, ^aPhinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 and with him ten leaders, one leader for each father’s household from each of the tribes of Israel; and ^aeach one of them was the head of his father’s household among the ¹thousands of Israel. 15 They came to the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16 “This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the LORD this day, by ^abuilding yourselves an altar, to rebel against the LORD this day? 17 Is ^athe wrongdoing of Peor ¹not enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although ²a plague came on the congregation of the LORD, 18 that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? If you rebel against the LORD today, ^aHe will be angry with the entire congregation of Israel tomorrow. 19 If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then ¹cross into the land of the possession of the LORD, where the LORD’S ²tabernacle ³stands, and settle among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD, or rebel against us, by ^abuilding an altar for yourselves besides the altar of the LORD our God. 20 Did ^aAchan the son of Zerah not act unfaithfully in the things designated for destruction, and wrath fall on the entire congregation of Israel? So that man did not perish alone in his guilt.’”

21 Then the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and spoke to the heads of the ¹families of Israel. 22 “The ^aMighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD! ^bHe knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the LORD, do not save us this day! 23 If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the LORD, or if to ^aoffer a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself ¹demand it. 24 But truly we have done this out of concern, ¹for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our ²sons, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad; you have no portion in the LORD.” So your sons may make our sons stop fearing the LORD.’

26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let’s ¹build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; 27 rather, it shall be ^aa witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to ^bperform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings, so that your sons will not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no portion in the LORD.”’ 28 Therefore we said, ‘It shall also come about if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather, it is a witness between us and you.”’ 29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away from following the LORD this day, by ^abuilding an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the LORD our God which is before His ¹tabernacle.”

30 So when Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the congregation, that is, the heads of the ¹families of Israel who were with him, heard the words which the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and to the sons of Manasseh, “Today we know that the ^aLORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this unfaithful act against the LORD; now you have saved the sons of Israel from the hand of the LORD.”

32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the sons of Reuben and from the sons of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and brought back word to them. 33 The word pleased the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel ^ablessed God; and they did not speak of going up against them in battle to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad were living. 34 And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad ^acalled the altar Witness; “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

^aThen Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, ^aand have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. 3 You have not forsaken your brothers these many days to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 4 And now ^athe LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as He spoke to them; therefore turn now and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan. 5 Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to ^alove the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him ^bwith all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua ^ablessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

7 Now ^ato the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but ^bto the other half Joshua gave a possession among their brothers westward beyond the Jordan. So when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8 and said to ¹them, “Return to your tents with great riches and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and with very many clothes; ^adivide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.” 9 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home and departed from the sons of Israel at Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the ^aland of Gilead, to the land of their possession which they had possessed, according to the ¹command of the LORD ²through Moses.

10 When they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a large altar in appearance. 11 And the sons of Israel heard it ¹said, “Behold, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have ^abuilt an altar at the ²frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan, on the side belonging to the sons of Israel.” 12 When the sons of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered themselves at ^aShiloh to go up against them in war.

13 Then the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, ^aPhinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 and with him ten chiefs, one chief for each father’s household from each of the tribes of Israel; and ^aeach one of them was the head of his father’s household among the ¹thousands of Israel. 15 They came to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them saying, 16 “Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, ‘What is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the LORD this day, by ^abuilding yourselves an altar, to rebel against the LORD this day? 17 Is not ^athe iniquity of Peor ¹enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although a plague came on the congregation of the LORD, 18 that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? If you rebel against the LORD today, ^aHe will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow. 19 If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then ¹cross into the land of the possession of the LORD, where the LORD’S tabernacle ²stands, and take possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD, or rebel against us by ^abuilding an altar for yourselves, besides the altar of the LORD our God. 20 Did not ^aAchan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and wrath fall on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’”

21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and spoke to the heads of the ¹families of Israel. 22 “The ^aMighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD! ^bHe knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the LORD do not save us this day! 23 If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the LORD, or if to ^aoffer a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself require it. 24 But truly we have done this out of concern, ¹for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our ²sons, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad; you have no portion in the LORD.” So your sons may make our sons stop fearing the LORD.’

26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let us ¹build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; 27 rather it shall be ^aa witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to ^bperform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, so that your sons will not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no portion in the LORD.”’ 28 Therefore we said, ‘It shall also come about if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it is a witness between us and you.”’ 29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away from following the LORD this day, by ^abuilding an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the LORD our God which is before His ¹tabernacle.”

30 So when Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the congregation, even the heads of the ¹families of Israel who were with him, heard the words which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Manasseh, “Today we know that the ^aLORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this unfaithful act against the LORD; now you have delivered the sons of Israel from the hand of the LORD.”

32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the sons of Reuben and from the sons of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and brought back word to them. 33 The word pleased the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel ^ablessed God; and they did not speak of going up against them in war to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad were living. 34 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad ^acalled the altar Witness; “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”