Act Acted Committed Delivered Eleazar Elea'zar Falling Gad Gadites Hands Israelites Kept Lord's Manasseh Manas'sites Matter Midst Perceive Phinehas Phin'ehas Priest Rescued Reuben Reubenites Saved Sons To-day Treachery Trespass Unfaithful Unfaithfully Wrong
22:31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD [is] {q} among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have {r} delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.
(q) By preserving and governing us.
(r) Whom if ye had offended; he would have punished with you.
22:31 Is among us - By his gracious presence, and preventing goodness, in keeping you from so great an offence, and all of us from those calamities that would have followed it. Hand of the Lord - That is, from the wroth and dreadful judgments of God, by avoiding that sin which would have involved both you and us in a most bloody war; you have delivered us from the evils we feared. He that prevents an approaching disease or mischief, doth as truly deliver a man from it, as he that cures or removes it after it hath been inflicted.
22:30-34 It is well that there was on both sides a disposition to peace, as there was a zeal for God; for quarrels about religion, for want of wisdom and love, often prove the most fierce and difficult to be made up. Proud and peevish spirits, when they have passed any unjust blame on their brethren, though full evidence be brought of its unfairness, can by no means be persuaded to withdraw it. But Israel was not so prejudiced. They looked upon their brethren's innocence as a token of God's presence. Our brethren's zeal for the power of godliness, and faith and love, notwithstanding the fears of their breaking the unity of the church, are things of which we should be very glad to be satisfied. The altar was called ED, a witness. It was a witness of their care to keep their religion pure and entire, and would witness against their descendants, if they should turn from following after the Lord. Happy will it be when all professed Christians learn to copy the example of Israel, to unite zeal and steady adherence to the cause of truth, with candour, meekness, and readiness to understand each other, to explain and to be satisfied with the explanations of their brethren. May the Lord increase the number of those who endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! may increasing grace and consolation be with all who love Jesus Christ in sincerity!
Children Committed Delivered Eleazar Hand Israel Manasseh Midst Perceive Phinehas Priest Reuben Today Treachery Trespass
Children Committed Delivered Eleazar Hand Israel Manasseh Midst Perceive Phinehas Priest Reuben Today Treachery Trespass
