EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Joshua 22:23
23We did not build our own altar to make burnt offerings or grain offerings or friendship offerings on it. If we have done that, the Lord himself should certainly punish us.
Joshua 22:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it;
- New International Version (NIV)If we have built our own altar to turn away from the Lord and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the Lord himself call us to account.
- English Standard Version (ESV)for building an altar to turn away from following the Lord. Or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, may the Lord himself take vengeance.
- New King James Version (NKJV)If we have built ourselves an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer on it burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings on it, let the Lord Himself require an account.
Context of Joshua 22:23
21Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered the Israelite leaders. 22They said, ‘God, the Lord, is the great God! God, the Lord knows what is true! So all Israel must also know! Punish us today if we have turned against the Lord. We have not refused to obey him. We did not build our own altar to make burnt offerings or grain offerings or friendship offerings on it. If we have done that, the Lord himself should certainly punish us. 24No! We had a very different idea. We were afraid that in the future, your descendants might say to our descendants, “You have nothing to do with the Lord, Israel's God. 25The Lord put the Jordan River as a border between our tribes and your tribes. The tribes of Reuben and Gad cannot worship the Lord!” In that way, your descendants might stop our descendants from serving the Lord.
Read all of Joshua 22Joshua 22:23 word by word
לִבְנ֥וֹת לָ֙נוּ֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לָשׁ֖וּב מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְאִם־לְהַעֲל֨וֹת עָלָ֜יו עוֹלָ֣ה וּמִנְחָ֗ה וְאִם־לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת עָלָיו֙ זִבְחֵ֣י שְׁלָמִ֔ים יְהוָ֖ה ה֥וּא יְבַקֵּֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That we have builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- us an altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- to turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
- from followingאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- or if to offerעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- thereon burnt offeringעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
- or meat offeringמִנְחָהminchâh · offeringH4503
- or if to offerעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: offerH6213
- peaceשֶׁ֫לֶםshelem · peace offeringH8002
- offeringsזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
- himself requireבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
Cross-references for Joshua 22:23
- Genesis 9:4But you must not eat meat that still has the blood of life in it.
- Deuteronomy 18:19He will speak on my behalf, so I myself will punish anyone who does not listen to his message.
- 1 Samuel 20:16So Jonathan made an agreement with David's family. He said, ‘I am asking the Lord to destroy all David's enemies.’
- 2 Chronicles 24:22King Joash forgot that Zechariah's father Jehoiada had been a faithful servant. He killed Jehoiada's son. Zechariah said, as he was dying, ‘I pray that the Lord sees what you have done! May he punish you because of it!’
- Psalms 10:13Why do wicked people insult God? They say to themselves, ‘God will not give me any trouble.’
- Ezekiel 3:18I may say to a wicked person, “Your punishment will be death.” Then you must warn that person. You must tell him to stop doing wicked things so that he may save his life. If you do not tell the wicked person this, he will die because of his sins. But I will say that you are guilty, as if you had killed him yourself.
- Ezekiel 33:6But the guard might not blow the trumpet when he sees the enemy. He might not warn his people that the enemy is ready to attack them. Then enemy soldiers might kill some of his people. Those people will die because of their sins. But the guard will be guilty of their death, because he did not warn them of danger.”
Commentaries on Joshua 22:23
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 The tribes took the reproofs of their brethren in good part. With solemnity and meekness they proceeded to give all the satisfaction in their power. Reverence of God is expressed in the form of their appeal. This brief confession of faith would remove their brethren's suspicion that they intended to worship other gods. Let us always speak of God with seriousness, and mention his name with a solemn pause. Those who make appeals to Heaven with…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23The eastern tribes swore by the name of the LORD that they were not guilty. The instructions for sacrificing required burnt offerings, grain offerings, or peace offerings (Leviticus 1–3). At this time, Israel worshiped at the tabernacle in Shiloh. Offering sacrifices anywhere other than the central holy place violated God's covenant.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-2911-29. and the children of Israel heard say--Fame speedily spread intelligence of what the trans-jordanic tribes had done. The act being suspected of some idolatrous design, the tribes rose in a mass, and repairing to the tabernacle at Shiloh, resolved to declare war against the two tribes and a half as apostates from God. On calmer and more mature consideration, however, they determined, in the first instance, to send a deputation consisting of the son…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 22:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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