Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the LORD’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’ New Living Translation “If they say this, our descendants can reply, ‘Look at this copy of the LORD’s altar that our ancestors made. It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices; it is a reminder of the relationship both of us have with the LORD.’ English Standard Version And we thought, ‘If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, “Behold, the copy of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.”’ Berean Standard Bible Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’ King James Bible Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. New King James Version Therefore we said that it will be, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, ‘Here is the replica of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between you and us.’ New American Standard Bible Therefore we said, ‘It shall also come about if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather, it is a witness between us and you.”’ NASB 1995 “Therefore we said, ‘It shall also come about if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it is a witness between us and you."’ NASB 1977 “Therefore we said, ‘It shall also come about if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it is a witness between us and you.”’ Legacy Standard Bible Therefore we said, ‘It will also be that if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of Yahweh which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it is a witness between us and you.”’ Amplified Bible So we said, ‘If your descendants should say this to us or to our descendants in time to come, then we can reply, “See the copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice, but rather it is a witness between us and you.”’ Christian Standard Bible We thought that if they said this to us or to our generations in the future, we would reply: Look at the replica of the LORD’s altar that our ancestors made, not for burnt offering or sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you. Holman Christian Standard Bible We thought that if they said this to us or to our generations in the future, we would reply: Look at the replica of the LORD’s altar that our fathers made, not for burnt offering or sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you. American Standard Version Therefore said we, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you. English Revised Version Therefore said we, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you. GOD'S WORD® Translation So we thought, if this statement is made to us or to our descendants in the future, we will answer, 'Look at the model of the LORD's altar our ancestors made. They didn't make it for burnt offerings or sacrifices but to stand as a witness between us.' Good News Translation It was our idea that, if this should ever happen, our descendants could say, 'Look! Our ancestors made an altar just like the LORD's altar. It was not for burning offerings or for sacrifice, but as a sign for our people and yours.' International Standard Version "That's also why we said, 'It may be if they say these things to us and to our descendants in the future, so we will respond, "Look at this replica of the altar of the LORD that our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifice, but rather as a reminder between us and you. Majority Standard Bible Therefore we said, ?If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.? NET Bible We said, 'If in the future they say such a thing to us or to our descendants, we will reply, "See the model of the LORD's altar that our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you."' New Heart English Bible Therefore we said, 'It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, "Look the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you."' Webster's Bible Translation Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they shall so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. World English Bible “Therefore we said, ‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of Yahweh’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’ Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd we say, And it has been, when they say [so] to us, and to our generations hereafter, that we have said, See the pattern of the altar of YHWH, which our fathers made—not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice—but it [is] a witness between us and you. Young's Literal Translation And we say, And it hath been, when they say so unto us, and unto our generations hereafter, that we have said, See the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made -- not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice -- but a witness it is between us and you. Smith's Literal Translation And we shall say, and it was that they shall say to us and to our generations to-morrow, and we said, See the model of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering and not for sacrifice; but this a witness between us and between you. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd if they will say so, they shall answer them: Behold the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for holocausts, nor for sacrifice, but for a testimony between us and you. Catholic Public Domain Version And if they decide to say this, they shall respond to them: ‘Behold, the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for holocausts, and not for sacrifice, but instead as a testimony between us and you.’ New American Bible Our thought was that, if in the future they should speak thus to us or to our descendants, we could answer: ‘Look at the copy of the altar of the LORD which our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings or for sacrifices, but to witness between you and us.’ New Revised Standard Version And we thought, If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we could say, ‘Look at this copy of the altar of the LORD, which our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.’ Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTherefore we said that it shall be, if they should ever speak to us or to our generations in time to come, then we may say to them, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but to be a witness between us and you. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And we said, “Whenever they have spoken to us and to our generations of tomorrow, they will say to them: ‘See the likeness of the altar of LORD JEHOVAH that our fathers have made, not for burnt offerings peace and not for sacrifices, but that there will be a witness between us and you’ OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Therefore said we: It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say: Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you. Brenton Septuagint Translation And we said, If ever it should come to pass that they should speak so to us, or to our posterity hereafter; then shall they say, Behold the likeness of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for the sake of burnt-offerings, nor for the sake of meat-offerings, but it is a witness between you and us, and between our sons. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Offensive Altar…27Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’ 28Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’ 29Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”… Cross References Deuteronomy 12:5-7 Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go. / To that place you are to bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and heave offerings, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, as well as the firstborn of your herds and flocks. / There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you. Numbers 18:7 But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.” Exodus 29:42-43 For the generations to come, this burnt offering shall be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak with you. / I will also meet with the Israelites there, and that place will be consecrated by My glory. Leviticus 17:8-9 Tell them that if anyone from the house of Israel or any foreigner living among them offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice / but does not bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD, that man must be cut off from his people. 1 Kings 8:29-30 May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place. / Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive. 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. / If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, / and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. ... Psalm 27:4 One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple. Psalm 84:1-4 For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of Hosts! / My soul longs, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. / Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she places her young near Your altars, O LORD of Hosts, my King and my God. ... Isaiah 56:7 I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.” Ezekiel 20:40-41 For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your offerings and choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. / When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through you in the sight of the nations. Malachi 1:11 For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts. John 4:20-24 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.” / “Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ... Acts 7:48-50 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: / ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be? / Has not My hand made all these things?’ Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? / If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. Treasury of Scripture Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. Behold Exodus 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. 2 Kings 16:10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof. Ezekiel 43:10,11 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern… Jump to Previous Altar Burnt Burnt-Offerings Offering Offerings Pattern Sacrifice Sacrifices Thought Time WitnessJump to Next Altar Burnt Burnt-Offerings Offering Offerings Pattern Sacrifice Sacrifices Thought Time WitnessJoshua 22 1. The two tribes and a half with a blessing are sent home,10. They build the altar of testimony in their journey 11. The Israelites are offended thereat 21. They vindicate their conduct, and give them good satisfaction Therefore we said, This phrase indicates a decision or conclusion reached by the speakers, reflecting a collective agreement or understanding. It suggests a response to a potential future challenge or accusation, emphasizing foresight and planning. ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’ Persons / Places / Events 1. The Eastern Tribes (Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh)These tribes settled on the east side of the Jordan River and built an altar as a witness. 2. The Altar A replica of the LORD’s altar, constructed not for sacrifices but as a symbol of unity and witness between the tribes on both sides of the Jordan. 3. The Jordan River A significant geographical boundary that separated the eastern tribes from the rest of Israel, leading to potential misunderstandings. 4. Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest Sent by the Israelites to investigate the intentions behind the altar, representing the concern for maintaining covenant faithfulness. 5. The Assembly of Israel The collective body of the remaining tribes who were initially concerned that the altar signified rebellion against God. Teaching Points Unity in DiversityThe altar served as a reminder that physical separation should not lead to spiritual division. In the body of Christ, we must strive for unity despite differences. Symbolic Reminders Just as the altar was a witness, Christians can use symbols like the cross to remind us of our shared faith and commitment to God. Communication and Understanding The initial misunderstanding about the altar highlights the importance of clear communication and seeking understanding before jumping to conclusions. Faithfulness to God’s Commands The tribes’ concern for faithfulness to God’s commands reflects the importance of adhering to biblical principles in our lives. Witness to Future Generations The altar was intended as a witness to future generations, reminding us of the importance of passing down our faith and values.(28) The altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices.--The words suggest the reflection that there are many other "altars" so called in the present day, also an occasion of dispute; and it would tend greatly to peace and acquiescence in their existence if we could be assured that, like this altar, they are "not for sacrifice" but for a witness to that common worship of Christ as God which is an essential feature of Christianity.Verse 28. - Behold the pattern. Rather, Look at this facsimile. The Hebrew is even stronger than our version. The existence of an exact reproduction of the altar in Shiloh, erected on Canaanitish ground by the two and a half tribes before their departure across Jordan, was an incontestible proof of their original connection with Israel. And the fact that they had erected it, not on their own territory, but on that of their brethren, was, though they do not use the argument, proof positive that it was not intended to be used in contravention of the precepts of the law. The nature of the facsimile is explained by Exodus 20:24, where the precise form of altar seems to have been presented as a contrast to the stone altars employed by the heathen. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Therefore we said,וַנֹּ֕אמֶר (wan·nō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural Strong's 559: To utter, say ‘If they ever כִּֽי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction say [this] יֹאמְר֥וּ (yō·mə·rū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say to us אֵלֵ֛ינוּ (’ê·lê·nū) Preposition | first person common plural Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to or וְאֶל־ (wə·’el-) Conjunctive waw | Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to to our descendants, דֹּרֹתֵ֖ינוּ (dō·rō·ṯê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling we will answer: וְאָמַ֡רְנוּ (wə·’ā·mar·nū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural Strong's 559: To utter, say Here is רְא֣וּ (rə·’ū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7200: To see the copy תַּבְנִית֩ (taḇ·nîṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 8403: Structure, a model, resemblance of the altar מִזְבַּ֨ח (miz·baḥ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4196: An altar of the LORD יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel that אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that our fathers אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ (’ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 1: Father made, עָשׂ֣וּ (‘ā·śū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make not לֹ֤א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no for burnt offerings לְעוֹלָה֙ (lə·‘ō·w·lāh) Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5930: Whole burnt offering or sacrifices, לְזֶ֔בַח (lə·ze·ḇaḥ) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2077: A slaughter, the flesh of an animal, a sacrifice but כִּי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction as a witness עֵ֣ד (‘êḏ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5707: A witness, testimony, a recorder, prince between us בֵּינֵ֖ינוּ (bê·nê·nū) Preposition | first person common plural Strong's 996: An interval, space between and you.? וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ (ū·ḇê·nê·ḵem) Conjunctive waw | Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's 996: An interval, space between Links Joshua 22:28 NIVJoshua 22:28 NLT Joshua 22:28 ESV Joshua 22:28 NASB Joshua 22:28 KJV Joshua 22:28 BibleApps.com Joshua 22:28 Biblia Paralela Joshua 22:28 Chinese Bible Joshua 22:28 French Bible Joshua 22:28 Catholic Bible OT History: Joshua 22:28 Therefore we said 'It shall be when (Josh. 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