What previous events in Joshua highlight the importance of unity among Israel's tribes? A Quick Reminder of the Crisis in 22 : 13 The western tribes send Phinehas and ten chiefs east of the Jordan because the altar built by Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh looks like a breach of covenant. Their immediate move to investigate shows how strongly earlier experiences had drilled the lesson that the nation must stand or fall together. Snapshots of Unity Already Etched into Israel’s Memory • Promise of Mutual Support (Joshua 1 : 12-18) – The Transjordan tribes pledge to cross the Jordan armed “ahead of your brothers” (v 14). – Unity begins with a vow: no inheritance enjoyed until every tribe has rest. • The Jordan Crossing (Joshua 3 – 4) – “All Israel crossed on dry ground” (3 : 17). – Twelve stones—one for each tribe—are set up as a perpetual reminder that they entered the land as one people (4 : 8-9). • Jericho’s Fall (Joshua 6) – Marching, shouting, and victory happen only when “the people shouted” together (v 20). – No tribal agenda; the firstfruits city is devoted wholly to the Lord for the good of all. • Achan’s Sin at Ai (Joshua 7) – One man’s disobedience brings national defeat: “the LORD’s anger burned against the Israelites” (v 1). – Israel learns that covenant unfaithfulness by one tribe—or one person—endangers everyone. • Covenant Renewal at Ebal and Gerizim (Joshua 8 : 30-35) – “All Israel—foreigners and citizens alike… stood on either side of the ark” (v 33). – Blessing and curse are recited to the entire assembly; no tribe is exempt from obedience. • United Campaigns in the South and North (Joshua 10 – 11) – Repeated refrain: “Joshua and all Israel with him.” – Collective warfare underscores that victory is a shared gift and responsibility. • Land Distribution—but Still Together (Joshua 13 – 19) – Each tribe receives its lot, yet the process is supervised by national leaders at Shiloh (18 : 1-10). – Personal inheritance is inseparable from corporate identity. • Cities of Refuge and Levitical Towns (Joshua 20 – 21) – Refuge cities are “for all the Israelites and for the foreigner residing among them” (20 : 9). – Levitical towns scattered through every territory weave priestly ministry into the daily life of every tribe. Themes That Flow Into the Concern of 22 : 13 • Unity is covenantal, not merely sentimental—grounded in shared obedience to God’s commands. • Blessing or judgment on one tribe affects the entire nation. • Visible memorials (twelve stones, covenant altars, refuge cities) serve as guardians of collective identity. • Leadership has a duty to act quickly when unity appears threatened, as Phinehas and the chiefs now do. These earlier events make it clear: preserving oneness is not optional but essential for enjoying God’s promises. That heritage drives the passionate, proactive response recorded in Joshua 22 : 13. |
    |