Exodus 20:25
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And if thou make an altar of stone unto me, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up a tool upon it, it shall be defiled.

and

Deuteronomy 27:5,6 And thou shalt build there an altar to the Lord thy God, of stones which iron hath not touched, . . .

Joshua 8:31 As Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the children of Israel, and it is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of unhewn stones, which iron had not touched: and he offered upon it holocausts to the Lord, and immolated victims of peace offerings.

build it of hewn stone.

Context
The Altar of Sacrifice
24You shall make an altar of earth unto me, and you shall offer upon it your holocausts and peace offerings, your sheep and oxen, in every place where the memory of my name shall be: I will come to thee, and will bless thee. 25And if thou make an altar of stone unto me, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up a tool upon it, it shall be defiled.26Thou shalt not go up by steps unto my altar, lest thy nakedness be discovered.…
Cross References
Exodus 20:24
You shall make an altar of earth unto me, and you shall offer upon it your holocausts and peace offerings, your sheep and oxen, in every place where the memory of my name shall be: I will come to thee, and will bless thee.

Deuteronomy 27:5
And thou shalt build there an altar to the Lord thy God, of stones which iron hath not touched,

Deuteronomy 27:6
And of stones not fashioned nor polished: and thou shalt offer upon it holocausts to the Lord thy God:

Joshua 8:31
As Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the children of Israel, and it is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of unhewn stones, which iron had not touched: and he offered upon it holocausts to the Lord, and immolated victims of peace offerings.

1 Kings 6:7
And the house, when it was in building, was built of stones, hewed and made ready: so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was in building.

Ezekiel 40:42
And the four tables for the holocausts were made of square stones: one cubit and a half long, and one cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high: to lay the vessels upon, in which the holocaust and the victim is slain.

Lexicon
Now if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you make
תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־ (ta·‘ă·śeh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 6213: To do, make

an altar
מִזְבַּ֤ח (miz·baḥ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 4196: An altar

of stones
אֲבָנִים֙ (’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's Hebrew 68: A stone

for Me,
לִּ֔י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

you must not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's Hebrew 3808: Not, no

build
תִבְנֶ֥ה (ṯiḇ·neh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 1129: To build

it
אֶתְהֶ֖ן (’eṯ·hen)
Direct object marker | third person feminine plural
Strong's Hebrew 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

with stones shaped by tools;
גָּזִ֑ית (gā·zîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 1496: Something cut, dressed stone

for if
כִּ֧י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 3588: A relative conjunction

you use
הֵנַ֥פְתָּ (hê·nap̄·tā)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5130: To move to and fro, wave, sprinkle

a chisel
חַרְבְּךָ֛ (ḥar·bə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

on it,
עָלֶ֖יהָ (‘ā·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5921: Above, over, upon, against

you will defile it.
וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָ׃ (wat·tə·ḥal·le·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play


Additional Translations
Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.And if you will make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone: for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.

And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

And if thou wilt make to me an altar of stones, thou shalt not build them hewn stones; for thou hast lifted up thy tool upon them, and they are defiled.

And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone; for if thou lift up thy sharp tool upon it, thou hast profaned it.

And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou shalt lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.

'And if an altar of stones thou dost make to Me, thou dost not build them of hewn work; when thy tool thou hast waved over it, then thou dost pollute it;
Jump to Previous
Altar Build Cut Defile Dressed Hewn Instrument Lift Pollute Polluted Profane Profaned Sharp Stone Stones Tool Touch Unclean Use Waved Wield Wilt Work
Jump to Next
Altar Build Cut Defile Dressed Hewn Instrument Lift Pollute Polluted Profane Profaned Sharp Stone Stones Tool Touch Unclean Use Waved Wield Wilt Work
Links
Exodus 20:25 NIV
Exodus 20:25 NLT
Exodus 20:25 ESV
Exodus 20:25 NASB
Exodus 20:25 KJV

Exodus 20:25 Bible Apps
Exodus 20:25 Biblia Paralela
Exodus 20:25 Chinese Bible
Exodus 20:25 French Bible
Exodus 20:25 German Bible

Alphabetical: a altar an build cut defile do dressed for If it make me not of on profane shall stone stones tool use wield will with you your

OT Law: Exodus 20:25 If you make me an altar (Exo. Ex) Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

Exodus 20:24
Top of Page
Top of Page