The Meaning of Joshua 22:33 Explained

Joshua 22:33

KJV: And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

YLT: and the thing is good in the eyes of the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel bless God, and have not said to go up against them to war, to destroy the land which the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, are dwelling in.

Darby: And the thing was good in the sight of the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God, and no more said that they would go up in warfare against them, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.

ASV: And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spake no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the thing  pleased  the children  of Israel;  and the children  of Israel  blessed  God,  and did not intend  to go up  against them in battle,  to destroy  the land  wherein the children  of Reuben  and Gad  dwelt. 

What does Joshua 22:33 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 22:21-34 - The Altar Of Witness
Phinehas and the ten princes did their work well. It was politic as well as true to remind the departing warriors that they could not rebel against God without involving the whole nation. So deeply did the spirit of love work in their hearts that Phinehas and his men even proposed to share the land of western Canaan with them, rather than that they should drift away from the Law of God. There was a gentleness, a desire to conciliate, a yearning over their brethren, which were quite after the mind of Christ, and which had the desired effect in a frank disavowal of any of those unworthy motives that their brethren had imputed.
So is it always. Let us lay aside the sword for the olive-branch. Before proceeding to severer measures, whether as individuals or as nations, let us ever try to restore our brethren "in the spirit of meekness." Let us count it a greater gain to win a brother than to conquer him. As we grow older, may we become more mellow! Matthew 18:15; Galatians 6:1-5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 22

1  The two tribes and a half with a blessing are sent home,
10  They build the altar of testimony in their journey
11  The Israelites are offended thereat
21  They vindicate their conduct, and give them good satisfaction

What do the individual words in Joshua 22:33 mean?

So pleased the thing pleased the sons of Israel and blessed God of Israel and no more they spoke of going against them in battle to destroy - the land where the sons of Reuben and Gad dwelt in
וַיִּיטַ֣ב הַדָּבָ֗ר בְּעֵינֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְבָרֲכ֥וּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֣א אָמְר֗וּ לַעֲל֤וֹת עֲלֵיהֶם֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לְשַׁחֵת֙ אֶת־ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּנֵי־ רְאוּבֵ֥ן וּבְנֵי־ גָ֖ד יֹשְׁבִ֥ים בָּֽהּ

וַיִּיטַ֣ב  So  pleased 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
הַדָּבָ֗ר  the  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
בְּעֵינֵי֙  pleased 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיְבָרֲכ֥וּ  and  blessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְלֹ֣א  and  no  more 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָמְר֗וּ  they  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לַעֲל֤וֹת  of  going 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עֲלֵיהֶם֙  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
לַצָּבָ֔א  in  battle 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
לְשַׁחֵת֙  to  destroy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֲשֶׁ֛ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּנֵי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
רְאוּבֵ֥ן  of  Reuben 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.
גָ֖ד  Gad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּד  
Sense: seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and full brother of Asher.
יֹשְׁבִ֥ים  dwelt 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.