English Standard Version
Joshua 22:23
23for 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn away from the Lord or to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings, may the Lord himself punish us.
Context of Joshua 22:23
21Then the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel, 22"The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the Lord, do not spare us today 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. 24No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25For the Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the Lord.' So your children might make our children cease to worship 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 shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
- Deuteronomy 18:19And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
- 1 Samuel 20:16And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies."
- 2 Chronicles 24:22Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and avenge!"
- Psalms 10:13Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, "You will not call to account"?
- Ezekiel 3:18If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.
- Ezekiel 33:6But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.
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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