Study Desk

When they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, ^(F1)a large altar in appearance.

"Therefore we said, 'Let's ^(F1)build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;

rather, it shall be ^(C1)a witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to ^(C2)perform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings, so that your sons will not say to our sons in time to come, "You have no portion in the LORD."'

"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."'