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Joshua 22:28

26 That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.

27 Rather, 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!’

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.’

29 Far 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.”

30 When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
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.’
KJV
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.
WEB
“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 the LORD’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’
ASV
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.
DARBY
And we said, If it shall be that in future they so say to us and to our generations, we will say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you.
BLB
And we said, ‘And it will come to pass, when they say [this] to us or to our generations hereafter, that we may say: Here is the replica of the altar of YHWH, which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices, but a witness it [is] between us and between you⁺.’
ÅB
Og vi sa: Hvis de engang skulle si noe slikt til oss og våre etterkommere, da vil vi svare: Se på den etterligning av Herrens alter som våre fedre gjorde, ikke til brennoffer eller til slaktoffer, men til et vitne mellom oss og dere!
OTB
Og vi sa: 'Hvis de noen gang sier dette til oss eller våre etterkommere, vil vi svare: Se på kopien av Herrens alter, som våre forfedre bygde, ikke for brennoffer eller ofre, men som et vitne mellom oss og dere.'
B1930
Og vi sa: Hvis de engang skulde si noget sådant til oss og våre efterkommere, da vil vi svare: Se på den efterligning av Herrens alter som våre fedre gjorde, ikke til brennoffer eller til slaktoffer, men til et vidne mellem oss og eder!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Exodus 25:40

    See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

    Read in context

  • Ezekiel 43:10–11

    As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, so that they may be ashamed of their iniquities. Let them measure the plan,

    Read in context

  • Hebrews 8:5

    The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

    Read in context

  • 2 Kings 16:10

    Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. On seeing the altar in Damascus, King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction.

    Read in context