No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?
For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you,.... And by it separated them from them, as if they were a distinct people; not that this was really the case, but so they feared it would be represented in time to come; for though Jordan was the border of the land of Canaan, strictly so called, eastward, Num 34:12; yet it did...
CONTENTION THEREUPON. (Jos. 22:11-29) and the children of Israel heard say--Fame speedily spread intelligence of what the trans-jordanic tribes had done. The act being suspected of some idolatrous design, the tribes rose in a mass, and repairing to the tabernacle at Shiloh, resolved to declare war against the two tribes and a half as apostates from God.
Commenting on Joshua 22:11-29
For fear of this thing - The motive that actuated us was directly the reverse of that of which we have been suspected.