Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

JPS Old Testament

Joshua 22:26

Therefore we said: Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Government;   Haste;   Liberality;   Misjudgment;   Motive;   Phinehas;   Prudence;   Reubenites;   Uncharitableness;   War;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gad, the Tribe of;   Reuben, the Tribe of;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Phinehas;   Reuben;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Manasseh;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Ir-Ha-Heres;   Jordan;   Phinehas;   Holman Bible Dictionary - High Priest;   Joshua, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joshua;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Phinehas ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Phin'ehas;   Witness;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Altar;   Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Joshua, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jordan, the;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Therefore we said: Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offering or sacrifice.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
King James Version
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
Lexham English Bible
So we said, ‘Let us build immediately for ourselves an altar, not for burnt offerings or for sacrifices;
English Standard Version
Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
New Century Version
"That is why we decided to build this altar. But it is not for burnt offerings and sacrifices.
New English Translation
So we decided to build this altar, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices,
Amplified Bible
"So we said, 'Let us prepare and build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice,
New American Standard Bible
"Therefore we said, 'Let's build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore we said, We will nowe go about to make vs an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
Legacy Standard Bible
"Therefore we said, ‘Let us build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;
Contemporary English Version
That's why we decided to build the altar. It isn't for offering sacrifices, not even sacrifices to please the Lord .
Complete Jewish Bible
So we said, ‘Let us now make preparations and build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices,
Darby Translation
And we said, Let us now set to work to build an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice,
Easy-to-Read Version
"So we decided to build this altar. But we did not plan to use it for burning offerings and sacrifices.
George Lamsa Translation
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;
Good News Translation
So we built an altar, not to burn sacrifices or make offerings,
Literal Translation
And we said, Let us now prepare for ourselves, to build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore sayde we: Let vs make oure children an altare, not for sacrifice, ner for burntofferinge,
American Standard Version
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice:
Bible in Basic English
So we said, Let us now make an altar for ourselves, not for burned offerings or for the offerings of beasts:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therfore we saide, We wyll make vs an aulter, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
King James Version (1611)
Therefore we said, Let vs now prepare to build vs an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And we gave orders to do thus, to build this altar, not for burnt-offerings, nor for meat-offerings;
English Revised Version
Therefore we said, Let as now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
Berean Standard Bible
That is why we said, 'Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seiden, Bilde we an auter to vs, not in to brent sacrifices, nethir to sacrifices to be offrid,
Young's Literal Translation
`And we say, Pray let us prepare for ourselves to build the altar -- not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice --
Update Bible Version
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice:
Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice:
World English Bible
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
New King James Version
Therefore we said, "Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice,
New Living Translation
"So we decided to build the altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices,
New Life Bible
So we said, ‘Let us build an altar. It will not be for burnt gifts or killing animals in worship.
New Revised Standard
Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
We said, therefore, Let us prepare, we pray you, to build us an altar, - not for ascending-offering, nor for sacrifice;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And said: Let us build us an altar, not for holocausts, nor to offer victims,
Revised Standard Version
Therefore we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
THE MESSAGE
"So we said to ourselves, ‘Let's do something. Let's build an altar—but not for Whole-Burnt-Offerings, not for sacrifices.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Therefore we said, 'Let us build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;

Contextual Overview

21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke unto the heads of the thousands of Israel: 22 'God, God, the LORD, God, God, the LORD, He knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in treachery against the LORD--save Thou us not this day-- 23 that we have built us an altar to turn away from following the LORD; or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon, let the LORD Himself require it; 24 and if we have not rather out of anxiety about a matter done this, saying: In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying: What have ye to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 for the LORD hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no portion in the LORD; so might your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. 26 Therefore we said: Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; 27 but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come: Ye have no portion in the LORD. 28 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. 29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn away this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before His tabernacle.'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Joshua 22:29 - to build Judges 6:24 - built Isaiah 19:19 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore we said,.... One to another, in order to prevent the apostasy of our children from God, their departure from his worship, and going into idolatry:

let us now prepare to build us an altar; get materials ready, and set about it instantly, without any delay, while the thing dwells upon our minds:

not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; not for offerings of any kind required by the law, neither for sin offerings nor trespass offerings, nor any other not named.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 22:26. An altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice — Because this would have been in flat opposition to the law, Leviticus 17:8-9; Deuteronomy 12:4-6; Deuteronomy 12:10-11; Deuteronomy 12:13-14, which most positively forbade any sacrifice or offering to be made in any other place than that one which the Lord should choose. Therefore the altar built by the Reubenites, &c., was for no religious purpose, but merely to serve as a testimony that they were one people with those on the west of Jordan, having the same religious and civil constitution, and bound by the same interests to keep that constitution inviolate.


 
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