Di Altar by di Jordan

Dem dey sharpen spear. Armies dey gather. Di tribes of Israel ready to go war, no be against enemy, but against their own brothers. And all of am na because of one heap of stones.

Many years before, when Israel still dey for di east side of di Jordan, di tribe of Reuben and Gad and half of di tribe of Manasseh ask Moses if dem fit settle there, for di good grass land for their animals. Moses agree, but on one condition. Their fighting men must cross di river go help di other tribes win di land of Canaan. And dem do am. For many years, dem fight side by side with their brothers. Now di land don rest, and Joshua call dem come meet am for Shiloh, where di tabernacle dey. Una don do everything wey Moses ask, e tell dem. Una no abandon una brothers. Now go house. Love Di Lord una God, waka for im way, hold am tight, and serve am with all una heart. E bless dem, and e send dem go with plenty wealth wey dem go share.

So di tribes from di east start dey go house. When dem reach di area near di Jordan, still for di west side, dem stop and build one altar. No be small one. Na big altar wey dey stand tall, di kind wey you go see from far. Then di news reach di other tribes. Di people of Reuben, di people of Gad and half of di tribe of Manasseh don build altar for di border. And everybody know say God don talk say only one place go dey for sacrifice, for im tabernacle. Na rebellion be dis? Dem dey turn their back on Di Lord? Di whole community gather for Shiloh, ready to go fight dem.

But before anybody march, dem send messengers. Phinehas, di son of Eleazar di high priest, go, with ten leaders, one from each tribe. Dem cross go Gilead, and dem talk plain. Wetin be dis unfaithfulness? Why una turn una back on Di Lord, una come build altar for unaselves? Remember di sin for Peor, and di trouble wey e bring on all of us. Remember Achan, how di sin of one man bring vex on di whole camp. If una land no clean for una eye, make una cross come Di Lord own land, where im tabernacle dey, come live with us. But no rebel against Di Lord, and no rebel against us. Na hard talk. But na talk, no be sword.

Then di tribes from di east answer, and you fit hear how di thing shake dem. Di Mighty One, God, Di Lord! Di Mighty One, God, Di Lord! E know, and make Israel know too! If na rebellion we do, make una no spare us. But no be rebellion. Na fear catch us. We fear say one day, una children go tell our children: na di Jordan God put as border between us and una. Una no get any part for Di Lord. And our children fit stop to worship am. So we build dis altar, no be for burnt offering or sacrifice, but as copy of di altar of Di Lord, as witness between us and una and di generations wey go come after us, say we too belong to Di Lord. When Phinehas and di leaders hear dis one, dem happy well well. Today we know say Di Lord dey with us, Phinehas talk. Dem go back go report, and all Israel praise God. Nobody talk about war again. And di tribes from di east give di altar one name: Witness. Because e be witness between us say Di Lord na God.

Shiloh, where di tribes gather, na di centre of worship for Israel for di time of Joshua and di judges. Di book of Joshua talk say di whole community set up di tent of meeting for there. Di place, wey dem dey call Khirbet Seilun now, dey for di hills for di north of Jerusalem, and archaeologists wey Israel Finkelstein lead dig am for di early nineteen eighties.

Di altar by di Jordan. You go find dis story for Joshua, chapter twenty-two. One misunderstanding nearly start war, until di tribes choose to talk before dem fight. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When you think say person don wrong you, how you fit ask and listen before you decide?