Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. New Living Translation If you use stones to build my altar, use only natural, uncut stones. Do not shape the stones with a tool, for that would make the altar unfit for holy use. English Standard Version If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. Berean Standard Bible 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. King James Bible And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. New King James Version And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. New American Standard Bible And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your chisel on it, you will profane it. NASB 1995 ‘If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. NASB 1977 ‘And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. Legacy Standard Bible And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. Amplified Bible If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you use a chisel on it, you will profane it. Christian Standard Bible If you make a stone altar for me, do not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it. Holman Christian Standard Bible If you make a stone altar for Me, you must not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it. American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version If you ever build an altar for me out of stones, do not use any tools to chisel the stones, because that would make the altar unfit for use in worship. English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation If you build an altar for me made out of stones, never make it with cut stone blocks. If you use a chisel on it, you will make it unacceptable to me. Good News Translation If you make an altar of stone for me, do not build it out of cut stones, because when you use a chisel on stones, you make them unfit for my use. International Standard Version If you make an altar of stone for me, you must not build it of cut stones, because if you strike it with your chisel, you will profane it. NET Bible If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of stones shaped with tools, for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it. New Heart English Bible 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. Webster's Bible Translation 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleNow 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. World English Bible 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd if you make an altar of stones for Me, you do not build them of hewn work; when you have waved your tool over it, then you defile it; Young's Literal Translation '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; Smith's Literal Translation And if thou shalt make to me an altar of stones, thou shalt not build them, cutting, for didst thou lift up thy sword upon it, and thou shalt defile it. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd 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. Catholic Public Domain Version And if you make an altar of stone for me, you shall not build it from cut stones; for if you lift up a tool over it, it will be defiled. New American Bible But if you make an altar of stone for me, do not build it of cut stone, for by putting a chisel to it you profane it. New Revised Standard Version But if you make for me an altar of stone, do not build it of hewn stones; for if you use a chisel upon it you profane it. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd if you make me a stone altar, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you lift a tool of iron upon it, you will have polluted it. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And if you make to me an altar of stone, you shall not build it with cut stone because you have lifted up iron upon it and you have polluted it. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And 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 profaned it. Brenton Septuagint Translation 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. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Altar of Sacrifice24You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. 25Now 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. 26And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’… Cross References Deuteronomy 27:5-6 Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them. / You shall build the altar of the LORD your God with uncut stones and offer upon it burnt offerings to the LORD your God. Joshua 8:31 just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings. 1 Kings 6:7 The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built. Isaiah 44:9-20 All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ... 1 Kings 18:31-32 And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.” / And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 2 Kings 16:10-16 Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. On seeing the altar in Damascus, King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction. / And Uriah the priest built the altar according to all the instructions King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, and he completed it before King Ahaz returned. / When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings on it. ... Ezekiel 20:39 And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols. Amos 5:21-24 “I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ... Acts 17:24-25 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. / Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation. / He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption. Matthew 5:17-18 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. John 4:21-24 “Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. / But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. ... Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? / If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Treasury of Scripture 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 Deuteronomy 27:5,6 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them… Joshua 8:31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. build it of hewn stone. 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 WorkJump to Next Altar Build Cut Defile Dressed Hewn Instrument Lift Pollute Polluted Profane Profaned Sharp Stone Stones Tool Touch Unclean Use Waved Wield Wilt WorkExodus 20 1. The ten commandments are spoken by Jehovah18. The people are afraid, but Moses comforts them 21. Idolatry is forbidden 23. Of what sort the altar should be Now if you make an altar of stones for Me In the ancient Near Eastern context, altars were central to worship practices. God instructs the Israelites to construct altars for sacrifices, which were a key component of their covenant relationship with Him. The use of natural stones signifies a return to simplicity and purity in worship, contrasting with the elaborate altars of surrounding pagan cultures. This command emphasizes the importance of worshiping God in a manner distinct from other religious practices of the time. you must not build it with stones shaped by tools for if you use a chisel on it you will defile it Persons / Places / Events 1. God (Yahweh)The speaker of the command, emphasizing His holiness and the proper way to worship Him. 2. Moses The recipient of the commandments, serving as the mediator between God and the Israelites. 3. Israelites The people receiving the law, called to worship God in a manner that reflects His holiness. 4. Altar A structure for offering sacrifices to God, symbolizing worship and devotion. 5. Mount Sinai The location where God delivered the Ten Commandments and additional laws to Moses. Teaching Points Holiness in WorshipGod’s command to use uncut stones for altars underscores the importance of approaching Him with reverence and purity. Our worship should reflect His holiness, free from human manipulation or pride. Simplicity and Obedience The instruction to avoid using tools on the stones teaches us that God values obedience and simplicity over human craftsmanship. Our focus should be on His commands rather than our own embellishments. Symbolism of the Altar The altar represents a place of meeting with God, sacrifice, and atonement. In our lives, we should create spaces and times dedicated to encountering God, free from distractions and personal agendas. Avoiding Defilement The use of tools would defile the altar, symbolizing how human efforts can taint pure worship. We must guard against allowing our own desires or cultural influences to corrupt our devotion to God. Christ as Our Altar In the New Testament, Christ becomes the ultimate altar and sacrifice. Our worship now centers on Him, and we are called to offer spiritual sacrifices through lives dedicated to His service. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Exodus 20Why is the use of iron tools prohibited when constructing the altar in Deuteronomy 27:5, and does archaeology support this command? If animal sacrifices were central (Leviticus 17), why does archaeological evidence not consistently support such frequent rituals across the entire region? When is it time to scatter or gather stones? If Exodus 20:4 forbids making graven images, why does Exodus 25:18 command crafting cherubim, appearing to contradict the earlier prohibition?(25) If thou wilt make me an altar of stone.--Among civilised nations altars were almost always of stone, which superseded earth, as more durable. God does not absolutely prohibit the employment of stone altars by the Israelites, who are found to use them upon certain occasions (Joshua 8:31; 1Kings 18:32). He is content to forbid the shaping of the stones by an implement, that so they may not give rise to idolatry. (See Note on Exodus 20:24.) Thou hast polluted it.--Nature is God's handiwork, and, therefore, pure and holy. Man, by contact with it, imparts to it of his impurity. The altar, whereby sin was to be expiated, required to be free from all taint of human corruption. For the construction of the altar afterwards sanctioned, see the comment on Exodus 27:1. Verse 25. - And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone - i.e., if, notwithstanding my preference expressed for an altar of earth, thou wilt insist on making me one of stone, as more permanent, and so more honourable, then I require that the stones shall be rough stones shaped by nature, not stones chiselled into shape by the art of man. For if thou lift up thy tool upon it thou hast polluted it. It is conjectured with reason that we have here an old traditional idea, which God thought fit under the existing circumstances to sanction. The real object was that altars should not be elaborately carved with objects that might superinduce idolatry. The widely prevalent notion, that nature is sacred, and that all man's interference with nature is a defilement, was made use of economically, to produce the desired result. No tool being allowed to be used, no forms of living creatures could be engraved, and so no idolatry of them could grow up.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Now ifוְאִם־ (wə·’im-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not you make תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־ (ta·‘ă·śeh-) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 6213: To do, make an altar מִזְבַּ֤ח (miz·baḥ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4196: An altar of stones אֲבָנִים֙ (’ă·ḇā·nîm) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 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 3808: Not, no build תִבְנֶ֥ה (ṯiḇ·neh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 1129: To build it אֶתְהֶ֖ן (’eṯ·hen) Direct object marker | third person feminine plural Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case with stones shaped by tools; גָּזִ֑ית (gā·zîṯ) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1496: Something cut, dressed stone for if כִּ֧י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction you use הֵנַ֥פְתָּ (hê·nap̄·tā) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5130: To move to and fro, wave, sprinkle a chisel חַרְבְּךָ֛ (ḥar·bə·ḵā) Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword on it, עָלֶ֖יהָ (‘ā·le·hā) Preposition | third person feminine singular Strong's 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 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play Links Exodus 20:25 NIVExodus 20:25 NLT Exodus 20:25 ESV Exodus 20:25 NASB Exodus 20:25 KJV Exodus 20:25 BibleApps.com Exodus 20:25 Biblia Paralela Exodus 20:25 Chinese Bible Exodus 20:25 French Bible Exodus 20:25 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 20:25 If you make me an altar (Exo. 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