Treasury of Scripture
the children This verse should probably be rendered, `And when they came to the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, THEN built an altar by (or beyond, al) Jordan, a great altar to the view.' It would appear, that when they came to the river, they formed the purpose of building the altar; and when they crossed it they put that purpose into execution. it is evident that they did not build it west of the Jordan, for that was not in their territories, and the next verse expressly says that it was built over against the land of Canaan.
built
Joshua 22:25-28 For the LORD has made Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad; you have no part in the LORD...
Joshua 4:5-9 And Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of Jordan...
Joshua 24:26,27 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak...
Genesis 28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar...
Genesis 31:46-52 And Jacob said to his brothers, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there on the heap...