God’s Word Translation
Joshua 22:27
27but it will stand as a witness between us for generations to come. It will stand as a witness that we may worship in the presence of the Lord with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and fellowship offerings.’ Then your descendants cannot say to our descendants, ‘You have no connection with the Lord!’
Joshua 22:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might 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 part in the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, "You have no portion in the Lord."'
- New King James Version (NKJV)but that it may be a witness between you and us and our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the Lord before Him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, “You have no part in the Lord.” ’
Context of Joshua 22:27
25The Lord has made the Jordan River a dividing line between us and you, the descendants of Reuben and Gad. You have no connection with the Lord!’ So your descendants would stop our descendants from worshiping the Lord. 26Then we said, ‘Let’s build an altar for ourselves. It will not be for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but it will stand as a witness between us for generations to come. It will stand as a witness that we may worship in the presence of the Lord with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and fellowship offerings.’ Then your descendants cannot say to our descendants, ‘You have no connection with the Lord!’ 28So we thought, if this statement is made to us or to our descendants in the future, we will answer, ‘Look at the model of the Lord’s altar our ancestors made. They didn’t make it for burnt offerings or sacrifices but to stand as a witness between us.’ 29It would be unthinkable for us to rebel against the Lord or to turn back today from following the Lord by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices in addition to the altar of the Lord our God that is in front of his tent.”
Read all of Joshua 22Joshua 22:27 word by word
כִּי֩ עֵ֨ד ה֜וּא בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶ֗ם וּבֵ֣ין דֹּרוֹתֵינוּ֮ אַחֲרֵינוּ֒ לַעֲבֹ֞ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ לְפָנָ֔יו בְּעֹלוֹתֵ֥ינוּ וּבִזְבָחֵ֖ינוּ וּבִשְׁלָמֵ֑ינוּ וְלֹא־יֹאמְר֨וּ בְנֵיכֶ֤ם מָחָר֙ לְבָנֵ֔ינוּ אֵין־לָכֶ֥ם חֵ֖לֶק בַּיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- a witnessעֵד‛êd · witnessH5707
- between us, and you, and our generationsדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- us, that we might doעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
- the serviceעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: ministryH5656
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- him with our burnt offeringsעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
- and with our sacrificesזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
- and with our peace offeringsשֶׁ֫לֶםshelem · peace offeringH8002
- that your childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- may not sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- in time to comeמָחָרmâchâr · tomorrowH4279
- Ye have no partחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
Cross-references for Joshua 22:27
- Joshua 22:10Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh came to the region of the Jordan that was still in Canaan. They built an altar by the Jordan River. The altar was very large and highly visible.
- Joshua 24:27Joshua told all the people, “This stone will stand as a witness for us. It has heard all the words which the Lord spoke to us. It will stand as a witness for you. You cannot deceive your God.”
- Genesis 31:48Laban said, “This pile of stones stands as a witness between you and me today.” This is why it was named Galeed
- 1 Samuel 7:12Then Samuel took a rock and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer [Rock of Help] and said, “Until now the Lord has helped us.”
- Deuteronomy 12:5The Lord your God will choose a place out of all your tribes to live and put his name. Go there and worship him.
Commentaries on Joshua 22:27
- 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. 27The altar near the Jordan River bank would serve as a witness for future generations that the eastern tribes were also part of Israel.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 22:27
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries