Joshua 22 · a question people ask
Why would what some tribes did bring the LORD's anger on all Israel?
The western tribes answer from their own history. At Peor, "Israel joined himself to Baal Peor, and the LORD’s anger burned against Israel" (Numbers 25:3), and "Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand" (Numbers 25:9). At Jericho, "the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan… took some of the devoted things. Therefore the LORD’s anger burned against the children of Israel" (7:1), and the LORD said, "Israel has sinned" (7:11). So they warn, "since you rebel today against the LORD… tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel" (22:18), and of Achan, "That man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity" (22:20). The chapter shows it the other way too. When the eastern tribes' answer was heard, Phinehas said, "Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the LORD’s hand" (22:31). In this chapter, what one part of Israel did before the LORD touched the whole congregation, for harm or for good.
The verses
“Israel joined himself to Baal Peor, and the LORD’s anger burned against Israel.”
“Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.”
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore the LORD’s anger burned against the children of Israel.”
“Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff.”