יהושע, פרק כ״ב, פסוק ט״ו

A delegation arrives in the land of Gilead to meet with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. As the representatives address these eastern tribes, their communication is not merely a one-sided delivery of a message. Instead, the very purpose of their speech is to gauge a reaction. They speak with the explicit intention of drawing out a response, aiming to provoke the tribes into stating their case and explaining their true motives [אלשיך].