Eodem tempore vocavit Josue Rubenitas, et Gaditas, et dimidiam tribum Manasse,

It was at this time that Josue summoned the men of Ruben and Gad, and the eastern half of Manasses,

At the same time Josue called the Rubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasses,

dixitque ad eos: Fecistis omnia quæ præcepit vobis Moyses famulus Domini: mihi quoque in omnibus obedistis,

and spoke to them thus: You have done as the Lord’s servant Moses commanded you, and given me, too, full obedience.

And said to them: You have done all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you: you have also obeyed me in all things,

nec reliquistis fratres vestros longo tempore, usque in præsentem diem, custodientes imperium Domini Dei vestri.

All this while you have kept true to the bidding of the Lord your God, and stood by your brethren, waiting for this day.

Neither have you left your brethren this long time, until this present day, keeping the commandment of the Lord your God.

Quia igitur dedit Dominus Deus vester fratribus vestris quietem et pacem, sicut pollicitus est: revertimini, et ite in tabernacula vestra, et in terram possessionis, quam tradidit vobis Moyses famulus Domini trans Jordanem:

Now the Lord your God has granted to your brethren the security and rest he promised them. Return, then, to your own tents, and enjoy the possessions which the Lord’s servant Moses allotted to you on the further side of Jordan;

Therefore as the Lord your God hath given your brethren rest and peace, as he promised: return, and go to your dwellings, and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan:

ita dumtaxat ut custodiatis attente, et opere compleatis mandatum et legem quam præcepit vobis Moyses famulus Domini, ut diligatis Dominum Deum vestrum, et ambuletis in omnibus viis ejus, et observetis mandata illius, adhæreatisque ei, ac serviatis in omni corde, et in omni anima vestra.

yet always keeping carefully in mind, and carrying out in act, the terms of that law which the Lord’s servant Moses enjoined upon you. You must still love the Lord your God, and follow the paths he has chosen, obeying his commandments, keeping close to him, and offering him the service of your heart and soul.

Yet so that you observe attentively, and in work fulfil the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you: that you love the Lord your God, and walk in all his ways, and keep all his commandments, and cleave to him, and serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul.

Benedixitque eis Josue, et dimisit eos. Qui reversi sunt in tabernacula sua.

Then Josue blessed them, and sent them back to their dwelling-place.

And Josue blessed them, and sent them away, and they returned to their dwellings.

Dimidiæ autem tribui Manasse possessionem Moyses dederat in Basan: et idcirco mediæ, quæ superfuit, dedit Josue sortem inter ceteros fratres suos trans Jordanem ad occidentalem plagam. Cumque dimitteret eos in tabernacula sua, et benedixisset eis,

(With Ruben and Gad went those tribesmen of Manasses to whom Moses had allotted territory in Basan; Josue had given the rest a portion with their brethren west of the Jordan.) And as he sent them back, after giving them his blessing,

Now to half the tribe of Manasses, Moses had given a possession in Basan: and therefore to the half that remained, Josue gave a lot among the rest of their brethren beyond the Jordan to the west. And when he sent them away to their dwellings and had blessed them,

dixit ad eos: In multa substantia atque divitiis revertimini ad sedes vestras, cum argento et auro, ære ac ferro, et veste multiplici: dividite prædam hostium cum fratribus vestris.

he said, You will have rich store of wealth to take home with you, silver and gold, bronze and iron, and garments in abundance; in all the spoils taken from the enemy you, too, must have your share.

He said to them: With much substance and riches, you return to your settlements, with silver and gold, brass and iron, and variety of raiment: divide the prey of your enemies with your brethren.

Reversique sunt, et abierunt filii Ruben, et filii Gad, et dimidia tribus Manasse, a filiis Israël de Silo, quæ sita est in Chanaan, ut intrarent Galaad terram possessionis suæ, quam obtinuerant juxta imperium Domini in manu Moysi.

So Ruben and Gad and half Manasses left Silo, left Chanaan behind them, and returned to the home Moses had granted them at the Lord’s bidding, in Galaad.

So the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses returned, and parted from the children of Israel in Silo, which is in Chanaan, to go into Galaad the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Cumque venissent ad tumulos Jordanis in terram Chanaan, ædificaverunt juxta Jordanem altare infinitæ magnitudinis.

And when they reached the Chanaanite bank of Jordan, they built there, near the river, an altar of commanding height.

And when they were come to the banks of the Jordan, in the land of Chanaan, they built an altar immensely great near the Jordan.

Quod cum audissent filii Israël, et ad eos certi nuntii detulissent, ædificasse filios Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiæ tribus Manasse, altare in terra Chanaan, super Jordanis tumulos, contra filios Israël:

When the rest of the Israelites learned beyond doubt, that the three tribes had built an altar on the banks of Jordan, there in Chanaan itself, in full view of Israel,

And when the children of Israel had heard of it, and certain messengers had brought them an account that the children of Ruben, and of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses had built an altar in the land of Chanaan, upon the banks of the Jordan, over against the children of Israel:

convenerunt omnes in Silo, ut ascenderent, et dimicarent contra eos.

they all mustered at Silo, ready to make an expedition against them.

They all assembled in Silo, to go up and fight against them.

Et interim miserunt ad illos in terram Galaad Phinees filium Eleazari sacerdotis,

Meanwhile, Phinees, son of the high priest Eleazar, was sent into Galaad,

And in the mean time they sent to them into the land of Galaad, Phinees the son of Eleazar the priest,

et decem principes cum eo, singulos de singulis tribubus.

and with him ten chieftains, one from each tribe;

And ten princes with him, one of every tribe.

Qui venerunt ad filios Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiæ tribus Manasse in terram Galaad, dixeruntque ad eos:

and there, in Galaad, they remonstrated with the men of Ruben, Gad, and Manasses.

Who came to the children of Ruben, and of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses, into the land of Galaad, and said to them:

Hæc mandat omnis populus Domini: Quæ est ista transgressio? cur reliquistis Dominum Deum Israël, ædificantes altare sacrilegum, et a cultu illius recedentes?

With this message the general assembly of the Lord’s people had entrusted them: What means this impiety? Would you forsake the Lord God of Israel, withdraw from his worship, and raise an unhallowed altar?

Thus saith all the people of the Lord: What meaneth this transgression? Why have you forsaken the Lord the God of Israel, building a sacrilegious altar, and revolting from the worship of him?

an parum vobis est quod peccastis in Beelphegor, et usque in præsentem diem macula hujus sceleris in nobis permanet, multique de populo corruerunt?

Have we not suffered enough for our sin in Beelphegor, that cost us so many lives, and has left its mark upon us still?

Is it a small thing to you that you sinned with Beelphegor, and the stain of that crime remaineth in us to this day? and many of the people perished.

Et vos hodie reliquistis Dominum, et cras in universum Israël ira ejus desæviet.

Your revolt against the Lord to-day will bring his vengeance on the whole of Israel to-morrow.

And you have forsaken the Lord to day, and to morrow his wrath will rage against all Israel.

Quod si putatis immundam esse terram possessionis vestræ, transite ad terram, in qua tabernaculum Domini est, et habitate inter nos: tantum ut a Domino et a nostro consortio non recedatis, ædificato altari præter altare Domini Dei nostri.

If there is some defilement in this land of yours that must be atoned for, cross over into our land, where the Lord’s tabernacle is, and dwell with us; do not forsake the Lord, and your fellowship with us, by building a fresh altar, to rival the altar of the Lord our God.

But if you think the land of your possession to be unclean, pass over to the land wherein is the tabernacle of the Lord, and dwell among us: only depart not from the Lord, and from our society, by building an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God.

Nonne Achan filius Zare præteriit mandatum Domini, et super omnem populum Israël ira ejus incubuit? et ille erat unus homo, atque utinam solum periisset in scelere suo.

Think how the Lord’s vengeance fell on the whole people, when Achan son of Zare transgressed his commands; that was but one man’s sin, and alas, how many died for it!

Did not Achan the son of Zare transgress the commandment of the Lord, and his wrath lay upon all the people of Israel? And he was but one man, and would to God he alone had perished in his wickedness.

Responderuntque filii Ruben et Gad, et dimidia tribus Manasse, principibus legationis Israël:

But the three tribes had their answer ready for the chieftains of Israel:

And the children of Ruben, and of Gad, and of the half tribe of Manasses answered the princes of the embassage of Israel:

Fortissimus Deus Dominus, fortissimus Deus Dominus, ipse novit, et Israël simul intelliget: si prævaricationis animo hoc altare construximus, non custodiat nos, sed puniat nos in præsenti:

The Lord God is our witness, the Almighty Lord God is our witness; let Israel ask proof from him! Let him be our protector no longer, let him smite us with his punishments here and now, if he sees that this altar of ours was built in any spirit of rebellion against him.

The Lord the most mighty God, the Lord the most mighty God, he knoweth, and Israel also shall understand: If with the design of transgression we have set up this altar, let him not save us, but punish us immediately:

et si ea mente fecimus ut holocausta, et sacrificium, et pacificas victimas super eo imponeremus, ipse quærat et judicet:

Let him condemn and punish us, if we have built it with any thought of offering sacrifice or victim or welcome-offering there.

And if we did it with that mind, that we might lay upon it holocausts, and sacrifice, and victims of peace offerings, let him require and judge:

et non ea magis cogitatione atque tractatu, ut diceremus: Cras dicent filii vestri filiis nostris: Quid vobis et Domino Deo Israël?

This rather was our thought, this was our design; it may be that in time to come your children will turn upon ours and ask them, What have you to do with the God of Israel?

And not rather with this thought and design, that we should say: To morrow your children will say to our children: What have you to do with the Lord the God of Israel?

terminum posuit Dominus inter nos et vos, o filii Ruben, et filii Gad, Jordanem fluvium, et idcirco partem non habetis in Domino: et per hanc occasionem avertent filii vestri filios nostros a timore Domini. Putavimus itaque melius,

Has he not put Jordan there as a barrier between us and you? Men of Ruben and Gad, the Lord will have none of you! Should we allow them such an opportunity of stealing our children away from the worship of the Lord? No, we were better advised than that.

The Lord hath put the river Jordan for a border between us and you, O ye children of Ruben, and ye children of Gad: and therefore you have no part in the Lord. And by this occasion your children shall turn away our children from the fear of the Lord. We therefore thought it best,

et diximus: Exstruamus nobis altare, non in holocausta, neque ad victimas offerendas,

We determined to build an altar, that should never know burnt-sacrifice or offering;

And said: Let us build us an altar, not for holocausts, nor to offer victims,

sed in testimonium inter nos et vos, et sobolem nostram vestramque progeniem, ut serviamus Domino, et juris nostri sit offerre et holocausta, et victimas, et pacificas hostias: et nequaquam dicant cras filii vestri filiis nostris: Non est vobis pars in Domino.

it was to be a monument of our claims upon you, of our children’s claims upon yours. We would safeguard our right of bringing the Lord burnt-sacrifice and victim and welcome-offering; your children should never say to ours, The Lord will have none of you!

But for a testimony between us and you, and our posterity and yours, that we may serve the Lord, and that we may have a right to offer both holocausts, and victims and sacrifices of peace offerings: and that your children to morrow may not say to our children: You have no part in the Lord.

Quod si voluerint dicere, respondebunt eis: Ecce altare Domini, quod fecerunt patres nostri, non in holocausta, neque in sacrificium, sed in testimonium nostrum ac vestrum.

Let them say it, and our children will reply, And the altar? The altar which our fathers raised, not for burnt-sacrifice or offering, but for a monument of our claim on you?

And if they will say so, they shall answer them: Behold the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for holocausts, nor for sacrifice, but for a testimony between us and you.

Absit a nobis hoc scelus, ut recedamus a Domino, et ejus vestigia relinquamus, exstructo altari ad holocausta, et sacrificia, et victimas offerendas, præter altare Domini Dei nostri, quod exstructum est ante tabernaculum ejus.

Far be such treachery from our thoughts, as to rebel against the Lord, and forsake the paths he has traced for us, never will we present burnt-sacrifice or offering or victim save at the altar raised to the Lord our God, before his tabernacle!

God keep us from any such wickedness that we should revolt from the Lord, and leave off following his steps, by building an altar to offer holocausts, and sacrifices, and victims, beside the altar of the Lord our God, which is erected before his tabernacle.

Quibus auditis, Phinees sacerdos, et principes legationis Israël, qui erant cum eo, placati sunt: et verba filiorum Ruben, et Gad, et dimidiæ tribus Manasse, libentissime susceperunt.

Such answer they made, the men of Ruben and Gad and half Manasses; whereupon Phinees and the envoys who accompanied him were well content, and accepted their plea willingly enough.

And when Phinees the priest, and the princes of the embassage, who were with him, had heard this, they were satisfied: and they admitted most willingly the words of the children of Ruben, and Gad, and of the half tribe of Manasses.

Dixitque Phinees filius Eleazari sacerdos ad eos: Nunc scimus quod nobiscum sit Dominus, quoniam alieni estis a prævaricatione hac, et liberastis filios Israël de manu Domini.

Phinees himself, son of the high priest Eleazar, was their spokesman. Now we are sure, he said, that the Lord God dwells among us. By clearing yourselves of this charge, you have freed Israel from the dread of the Lord’s vengeance.

And Phinees the priest the son of Eleazar said to them: Now we know that the Lord is with us, because you are not guilty of this revolt, and you have delivered the children of Israel from the hand of the Lord.

Reversusque est cum principibus a filiis Ruben et Gad de terra Galaad, finium Chanaan, ad filios Israël, et retulit eis.

So they bade farewell to Galaad, to Ruben and to Gad, and went back with their news to the other Israelites in Chanaan.

And he returned with the princes from the children of Ruben and Gad, out of the land of Galaad, into the land of Chanaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.

Placuitque sermo cunctis audientibus. Et laudaverunt Deum filii Israël, et nequaquam ultra dixerunt, ut ascenderent contra eos, atque pugnarent, et delerent terram possessionis eorum.

These were well content, and praised God for it; no more was heard of making an expedition against the three tribes and ravaging their possessions.

And the saying pleased all that heard it. And the children of Israel praised God, and they no longer said that they would go up against them, and fight, and destroy the land of their possession.

Vocaveruntque filii Ruben, et filii Gad, altare quod exstruxerant, Testimonium nostrum, quod Dominus ipse sit Deus.

And the name given by the men of Ruben and Gad to the altar they had built was Ed, the Record; Here we have put it on record, they said of it, that the Lord is God.

And the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad called the altar which they had built, Our testimony, that the Lord is God.