Joshua 22:8
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.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern warfare primarily aimed at plunder—livestock, precious metals, cloth, weapons, and sometimes captives. The defeated Canaanite city-states possessed wealth accumulated through strategic location on trade routes between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Deuteronomy 20:14 permitted Israel to take spoils from distant cities, though devoted cities like Jericho required total destruction of goods (Joshua 6:17-19). The Transjordan warriors accumulated seven years of plunder—an enormous fortune. The requirement to share with non-combatants prevented resentment between those who fought and those who stayed, maintained economic equity, and acknowledged that guarding families and territory was also essential service. This principle of equitable distribution prevented the emergence of a wealthy warrior class and maintained tribal cohesion.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you handle material blessing that comes through your service—with generosity toward others who supported you, or with possessive individualism?
- What does equitable sharing of 'spoils' look like in modern contexts—recognizing and compensating support workers, administrative staff, or those in less visible roles?
- How does this command challenge prosperity theology that treats blessing as individual reward rather than corporate provision to be shared?
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Analysis & Commentary
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.
Joshua's final instruction concerns the division of war spoils. The repeated emphasis "much riches...very much cattle...very much raiment" (rav and harbeh me'od, רַב and הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד) stresses abundance—God blessed their obedience materially. The specific mention of metals—silver, gold, brass (nechoshet, נְחֹשֶׁת, likely bronze), and iron—indicates valuable war plunder from conquered cities. Iron was particularly precious in the Late Bronze/Early Iron Age transition, making these spoils economically significant.
The command "divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren" (chalequ shalal oyveichem im acheichem, חַלְקוּ שְׁלַל אֹיְבֵיכֶם עִם אֲחֵיכֶם) reveals a crucial principle: those who fought must share with those who stayed behind. This mirrors David's later law in 1 Samuel 30:24: "As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike." The Transjordan men must share spoils with their brothers who remained east—both those who guarded families and those who could not fight.