Joshua 22:29

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!’

²⁸ 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.’

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.

³¹ Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you have delivered the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.”

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: 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.”
KJV: God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
WEB: “Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn away today from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides the LORD our God’s altar that is before his tabernacle!”
ASV: Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn away this day from following Jehovah, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle.
DARBY: Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn this day from following Jehovah, in building an altar for burnt-offering, for oblation, and for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle.
BLB: Far be it from us that we should rebel against YHWH and turn this day from following YHWH to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, and for sacrifice, besides the altar of YHWH our God which [is] before His tabernacle.”

ÅB: Det være langt fra oss å sette oss opp mot Herren og idag vende oss bort fra Herren ved å bygge et alter til brennoffer eller matoffer eller slaktoffer foruten Herrens, vår Guds alter, som står foran hans tabernakel.
OTB: Langt være det fra oss å gjøre opprør mot Herren og vende oss bort fra Ham i dag ved å bygge et alter for brennoffer, grødeoffer eller ofre, annet enn Herrens, vår Guds, alter som står foran Hans tabernakel."
B1930: Det være langt fra oss å sette oss op mot Herren og idag vende oss bort fra Herren ved å bygge et alter til brennoffer eller matoffer eller slaktoffer foruten Herrens, vår Guds alter, som står foran hans tabernakel.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 12:13–14
Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in just any place you see;
Read in context
Joshua 24:16
The people replied, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!
Read in context
Genesis 44:7
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
Read in context
1 Samuel 12:23
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.
Read in context
Joshua 22:23
If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.
Read in context
1 Kings 21:3
But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
Read in context
Joshua 22:26
That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 32:12
Did not Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn sacrifices’?
Read in context