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Exodus 20:25

23 You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.

24 You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.

Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.

26 And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

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This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.
KJV
And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
WEB
If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.
ASV
And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
DARBY
And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone; for if thou lift up thy sharp tool upon it, thou hast profaned it.
BLB
And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build them of cut stone, for if you wave your tool on it, then you have profaned it.
ÅB
Men dersom du vil bygge meg et alter av stein skal du ikke bygge det av hugget stein; for dersom du bruker meiselet ditt på steinene så vanhelliger du dem.
OTB
Hvis dere lager et alter av stein for meg, må dere ikke bygge det med tilhugget stein, for hvis dere bruker et verktøy på det, vil dere vanhellige det.
B1930
Men dersom du vil gjøre mig et alter av sten, da skal du ikke bygge det av huggen sten; for bruker du ditt huggjern på stenene, da vanhelliger du dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Joshua 8:31

    just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.

    Read in context

  • Deuteronomy 27:5–6

    Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them.

    Read in context