The Meaning of Joshua 22:8 Explained

Joshua 22:8

KJV: And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.

YLT: and speak unto them, saying, 'With great riches turn ye back unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.'

Darby: and spoke to them, saying, Return unto your tents with much wealth and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with copper, and with iron, and with clothing, in very great quantity; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.

ASV: and spake unto them, saying, Return with much wealth unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he spake  unto them, saying,  Return  with much  riches  unto your tents,  and with very  much  cattle,  with silver,  and with gold,  and with brass,  and with iron,  and with very  much  raiment:  divide  the spoil  of your enemies  with your brethren. 

What does Joshua 22:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 22:1-20 - Averting War Between Brethren
There was generous appreciation of services rendered as Joshua dismissed the warriors. Something like "Well-done, good and faithful servant," rings through His words. But he takes care to remind them that the tenure of their lands depends wholly on their obedience. This will explain the brief and transient existence of the trans-Jordanic tribes.
The altar was probably erected on the east of the Jordan. It was "over against" the land of Canaan, and was perhaps a facsimile of that at Shiloh. The prompting motive was to cement the union between themselves and the other tribes. But that end would have been better served had they obeyed the divine command in assembling annually with them. You can secure unity, not by external symbols, but by spiritual affinity and fellowship. [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 22:8 mean?

And spoke to them saying with riches much Return to your tents and with livestock much very with silver and with gold and with bronze and with iron and with clothing much very Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers -
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר בִּנְכָסִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים שׁ֤וּבוּ אֶל־ אָֽהֳלֵיכֶם֙ וּבְמִקְנֶ֣ה רַב־ מְאֹ֔ד בְּכֶ֨סֶף וּבְזָהָ֜ב וּבִנְחֹ֧שֶׁת וּבְבַרְזֶ֛ל וּבִשְׂלָמ֖וֹת הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד חִלְק֥וּ שְׁלַל־ אֹיְבֵיכֶ֖ם עִם־ אֲחֵיכֶֽם פ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בִּנְכָסִ֨ים  with  riches 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נְכָסִים  
Sense: riches, treasures.
רַבִּ֜ים  much 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
שׁ֤וּבוּ  Return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אָֽהֳלֵיכֶם֙  your  tents 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וּבְמִקְנֶ֣ה  and  with  livestock 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְנֶה  
Sense: cattle, livestock.
רַב־  much 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
מְאֹ֔ד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
בְּכֶ֨סֶף  with  silver 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
וּבְזָהָ֜ב  and  with  gold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
וּבִנְחֹ֧שֶׁת  and  with  bronze 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְחֹשֶׁת 
Sense: copper, bronze.
וּבְבַרְזֶ֛ל  and  with  iron 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרְזֶל  
Sense: iron.
וּבִשְׂלָמ֖וֹת  and  with  clothing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: שַׂלְמָה  
Sense: garment, outer garment, wrapper, mantle.
הַרְבֵּ֣ה  much 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
מְאֹ֑ד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
חִלְק֥וּ  Divide 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: חָלַק 
Sense: to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign.
שְׁלַל־  the  spoil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
אֹיְבֵיכֶ֖ם  of  your  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
אֲחֵיכֶֽם  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation