Joshua 22:27
Joshua 22:27 in Multiple Translations
Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’
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.
but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of Jehovah 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 Jehovah.
But to be a witness between us and you, and between the future generations, that we have the right of worshipping the Lord with our burned offerings and our offerings of beasts and our peace-offerings; so that your children will not be able to say to our children in time to come, You have no part in the Lord.
but as a witness between us and you, and for the generations that come after us, that we will come to worship the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and friendship offerings.’ Then your descendants will not be able to say to ours in the future, ‘You don't belong to the Lord.’
But it shall be a witnesse betweene vs and you, and betweene our generations after vs, to execute the seruice of the Lord before him in our burnt offerings, and in our sacrifices, and in our peace offerings, and that your children should not say to our children in time to come, Ye haue no part in the Lord.
but a witness it [is] between us and you, and between our generations after us, to do the service of Jehovah before Him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings, and your sons do not say hereafter to our sons, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.
but it will be a witness between us and you, and between 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 children may not tell our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in the LORD.’
But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and 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 part in the LORD.
But for a testimony between us and you, and our posterity and yours, that we may serve the Lord, and that we may have a right to offer both holocausts, and victims and sacrifices of peace offerings: and that your children tomorrow may not say to our children: You have no part in the Lord.
We built that new altar to prove/show to you and to us and to all of our descendants that we worship Yahweh by completely burning animal sacrifices and offerings of grain and offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh only at the place Yahweh chooses. We do not want your descendants to say to our descendants, ‘You do not belong to Yahweh.’
Berean Amplified Bible — Joshua 22:27
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Joshua 22:27 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Joshua 22:27
Study Notes — Joshua 22:27
- Context
- Cross References
- Joshua 22:27 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Joshua 22:27
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 22:27
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
- Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
- Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
- Cambridge Bible on Joshua 22:27
- Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
- Sermons on Joshua 22:27
Context — The Altar of Witness
27Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’
28Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’ 29Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 24:27 | And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone. It will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the LORD has spoken to us, and it will be a witness against you if you ever deny your God.” |
| 2 | Genesis 31:48 | Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 12:17–18 | Within your gates you must not eat the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, the firstborn of your herds or flocks, any of the offerings that you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you must eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates. Rejoice before the LORD your God in all you do, |
| 4 | Joshua 22:34 | So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.” |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 12:5–6 | Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go. To that place you are to bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and heave offerings, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, as well as the firstborn of your herds and flocks. |
| 6 | Deuteronomy 12:11 | then the LORD your God will choose a dwelling for His Name. And there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice offerings you vow to the LORD. |
| 7 | 1 Samuel 7:12 | Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” |
| 8 | Deuteronomy 12:26–27 | But you are to take your holy things and your vow offerings and go to the place the LORD will choose. Present the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out beside the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat. |
| 9 | Genesis 31:52 | This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me. |
| 10 | Joshua 22:10 | And when they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan. |
Joshua 22:27 Summary
[The Reubenites and Gadites wanted to build an altar as a reminder that they would always worship the Lord, just like the other Israelites, as stated in Joshua 22:27. This shows that they valued unity and wanted to make sure their descendants would not forget their shared faith. By building this altar, they were making a public declaration of their commitment to the Lord, similar to the way we might make a commitment to follow Jesus, as seen in Matthew 16:24-25. This reminds us that our actions and decisions should reflect our desire to worship and follow the Lord, and to be united with other believers, as encouraged in Psalm 133:1 and Ephesians 4:3-6.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of building the altar in Joshua 22:27?
The purpose of building the altar is to serve as a witness between the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the other Israelites, that they will worship the Lord in His presence with their burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings, as seen in Joshua 22:27, and to prevent future generations from saying they have no share in the Lord, as mentioned in Joshua 22:25.
Does this verse promote idolatry or the creation of a new place of worship?
No, this verse does not promote idolatry or the creation of a new place of worship, but rather it emphasizes the importance of worshiping the Lord in His presence, as stated in Joshua 22:27, and reaffirms the altar of the Lord our God, which stands before His tabernacle, as mentioned in Joshua 22:29, similar to the instructions given in Deuteronomy 12:5-7.
How does this verse relate to the concept of unity among believers?
This verse highlights the importance of unity among believers, as the tribes of Reuben and Gad want to ensure that their descendants will not be separated from the rest of the Israelites in their worship of the Lord, as seen in Joshua 22:27, and this unity is also emphasized in other scriptures, such as Ephesians 4:3-6 and Psalm 133:1.
What can we learn from the Reubenites and Gadites' desire to build an altar as a witness?
We can learn from their desire to build an altar as a witness that it is essential to have a visible reminder of our commitment to worship and follow the Lord, as seen in Joshua 22:27, and this is also reflected in other scriptures, such as Exodus 24:4 and Joshua 4:6-7, which demonstrate the importance of establishing memorials to commemorate significant events and promises in our walk with God.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can visibly demonstrate my commitment to worshiping the Lord, just like the Reubenites and Gadites built an altar as a witness?
- How can I ensure that my actions and decisions reflect a desire to unify with other believers, rather than creating division or separation?
- What are some potential consequences of not having a clear understanding of our shared faith and worship, as hinted at in Joshua 22:25?
- In what ways can I use my words and actions to promote unity and worship among those around me, as encouraged in Joshua 22:27 and other scriptures like Romans 15:5-7?
Gill's Exposition on Joshua 22:27
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 22:27
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
Cambridge Bible on Joshua 22:27
Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 22:27
Sermons on Joshua 22:27
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Through the Bible - Genesis 29-31 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith discusses Jacob's journey to Haran, where he meets Rachel at a well, showcasing God's guidance in his life. Jacob's love for Rachel leads him to work seven years for he |
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Synopsis of the Books of the Bible - Deuteronomy by John Nelson Darby | John Nelson Darby discusses the Book of Deuteronomy, emphasizing its moral warnings and the importance of Israel's obedience to God's commandments as they stand on the brink of Can |
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"neither... nor... but..." by T. Austin-Sparks | T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the transformative nature of worship in his sermon 'neither... nor... but...', highlighting Jesus' declaration that true worship is not confined to spec |
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Bristol Conference 1975-09 Nehemiah - His Problem by Stan Ford | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the character of Nehemiah and his problem. Nehemiah is described as a concerned, charitable, cheerful, and courageous man. The speaker sugges |
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The Trumpet Solo by James A. Stewart | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Gideon from the book of Judges. He begins by describing how the Midianites, Amalekites, and the children of the East gathered t |
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Ebenezer - Part 1 by Ric Vargas | Ric Vargas preaches about the significance of remembering God's help through the concept of Ebenezer, emphasizing the importance of worship and personal revival. He encourages beli |
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Ebenezer - Part 2 by Ric Vargas | Ric Vargas emphasizes the journey of spiritual development and maturity, using the concept of Ebenezer as a reminder that God can lead us from a place of struggle to a place of est |






