The Offensive Altar

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.’ ”