# Day 74

# The Altar by the River

Joshua 22:1–34

The tribe of Levi served as priests for Israel. They ministered at the tabernacle. They weren’t given part of the land. Instead, they were given cities. The people of Levi served God part of the year. Then they went to their cities and worked.

Joshua had the tabernacle set up in Shiloh. This was near the center of the land. The people went to Shiloh three times a year to worship. It was the only place God allowed Israel to worship.

But the tribes on the east of the Jordan set up another altar. The other ten tribes were unhappy. Two places to worship meant that Israel was divided. God didn’t want this. The tribes almost went to war with each other. But first the ten tribes asked, “Why do you have that new altar?”

The tribes east of the Jordan had a good answer. “Do you see that our altar is on your side of the river? We will show this to our children as a reminder. They’ll remember that Israel is one people on two sides of a river. It isn’t for worship. It’s a reminder that the Lord is the God of us all.”

Questions: Why were the ten tribes angry about the second altar? Why did the other tribes set it up?