Joshua 1:10-18

While the majority of the Israelites were preparing to pass over the Jordan river, there were some that did not need to do so. The tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were all given land inheritances on the east side of the Jordan river, as outlined in Deuteronomy 3:12-22. (If you’ll recall, the Jordan river ran north-south with the mouth at the Sea of Galilee and the end at the Dead Sea). While these tribes had no need to continue their conquest, Joshua commanded them to aid their brothers before they settled in their land.

While it would certainly have been tempting to refuse (or to help but grumble the entire time), the tribes readily agree to help their brothers conquer the land west of the Jordan River. Although they had already been given their inheritance and had nothing preventing their settlement, they were willing to help the others gain their inheritance.

This pericope, although it directly follows the one in which God commands Joshua to meditate on His law, contains events that likely happened after the return of the spies in Joshua 2. (John Calvin would agree with me on this- see his commentary on Joshua for more information). Regardless of whether Joshua’s command for the Israelites to prepare for conquest happened before or after the spies’ report, it certainly happened after the commissioning of Joshua. I believe it is reasonable to assume that Joshua would have related God’s command to meditate on His law to the rest of the Israelites, and it seems here that the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had done just that.

In this instance, the two-and-a-half tribes were specifically obeying the fifth commandment and more broadly obeying the second table of the law. We shall examine each in turn. First, in regards to the fifth commandment, while the tribes weren’t obeying their parents (who were long dead by this time), they were presenting due honor to their superior. Although the letter of the fifth commandment is “Honor your father and your mother,” the spirit of the law is far broader. A negative command implies a positive exhortation, and thus, we can glean a broader application out of all ten of the commandments than is noticed by just a brief glance.

The Westminster divines, in their larger catechism, wrote this about the fifth commandment:

“The general scope of the fifth commandment is, the performance of those duties which we mutually owe in our several relations, as inferiors, superiors, or equals. (Eph. 5:21, 1 Pet. 2:17, Rom. 12:10)” “The honour which inferiors owe to their superiors is, all due reverence in heart, (Mal. 1:6, Lev. 19:3) word, (Prov. 31:28, 1 Pet. 3:6) and behaviour; (Lev. 19:32, 1 Kings 2:19) prayer and thanksgiving for them; (1 Tim. 2:1–2) imitation of their virtues and graces; (Heb. 13:7, Phil. 3:17) willing obedience to their lawful commands and counsels; (Eph. 6:1–2,6–7, 1 Pet. 2:13–14, Rom. 13:1–5, Heb. 13:17, Prov. 4:3–4, Prov. 23:22, Exod. 18:19,24) due submission to their corrections; (Heb. 12:9, 1 Pet. 2:18–20) fidelity to, (Tit. 2:9–10) defence, (1 Sam. 26:15–16, 2 Sam. 18:3, Esther 6:2) and maintenance of their persons and authority, according to their several ranks, and the nature of their places; (Matt. 22:21, Rom. 13:6–7, 1 Tim. 5:17–18, Gal. 6:6, Gen. 45:11, Gen. 47:12) bearing with their infirmities, and covering them in love, (1 Pet. 2:18, Prov. 23:22, Gen. 9:23) that so they may be an honour to them and to their government. (Ps. 127:3–5, Prov. 31:23)”

The Westminster larger catechism: with scripture proofs. (1996). Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Thus, the Israelites, by willingly obeying Joshua’s lawful command and counsel, were obeying the fifth commandment. If they had been meditating on law as Joshua was, this would come as no surprise- when one’s delight is the law of God, one is not quick to fall into sin (Psalm 1).

Additionally, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, by their cheerful willingness to aid their brothers, were obeying the second table of the law as a whole. The ten commandments can be split into two parts, or tables. The first, which is comprised of commandments one through four, outlines man’s duties to God. The second table (commandments five through ten) outline man’s duties to fellow men. Don’t believe me? Here’s what Christ said in Matthew 22:36-40: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Christ distinguishes the two focuses of the Law: how to act towards God and towards men. In being willing to serve those who needed help, the tribes on the east of the Jordan loved their neighbor as themselves.

Today, we should think upon how to honor the authorities in our life and how to serve those around us.

All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Crossway Bibles.