Joshua 22:24
New International Version
“No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

New Living Translation
“The truth is, we have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, ‘What right do you have to worship the LORD, the God of Israel?

English Standard Version
No, 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?

Berean Standard Bible
But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

King James Bible
And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?

New King James Version
But in fact we have done it for fear, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your descendants may speak to our descendants, saying, “What have you to do with the LORD God of Israel?

New American Standard Bible
But truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our sons, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

NASB 1995
“But truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our sons, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

NASB 1977
“But truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our sons, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

Legacy Standard Bible
But truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our sons, “What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel?

Amplified Bible
But in truth we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons (descendants) may say to our sons, “What claim do you have to the LORD, the God of Israel?

Christian Standard Bible
We actually did this from a specific concern that in the future your descendants might say to our descendants, ‘What relationship do you have with the LORD, the God of Israel?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
We actually did this from a specific concern that in the future your descendants might say to our descendants, ‘What relationship do you have with the LORD, the God of Israel?

American Standard Version
and if we have not rather out of carefulness done this, and of purpose, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with Jehovah, the God of Israel?

English Revised Version
and if we have not rather out of carefulness done this, and of purpose, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"We were worried because of the situation we're in. We thought sometime in the future your children might say to our children, 'What relationship do you have with the LORD God of Israel?

Good News Translation
No! We did it because we were afraid that in the future your descendants would say to ours, 'What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

International Standard Version
But we did this because we were concerned for a reason, since we thought, 'Sometime in the future your descendants may say to our descendants, "What do you have in common with the LORD, the God of Israel?

Majority Standard Bible
But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

NET Bible
We swear we have done this because we were worried that in the future your descendants would say to our descendants, 'What relationship do you have with the LORD God of Israel?

New Heart English Bible
If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, 'In time to come your descendants might speak to our descendants, saying, "What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

Webster's Bible Translation
And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children may speak to our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?

World English Bible
“If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, “What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And nevertheless, we have done it from fear of [this] thing, saying, Hereafter your sons speak to our sons, saying, And what have you to [do with] YHWH God of Israel?

Young's Literal Translation
And if not, from fear of this thing we have done it, saying, Hereafter your sons do speak to ours sons, saying, What to you and to Jehovah God of Israel?

Smith's Literal Translation
And if we did not do this from fear of the word, saying, To-morrow your sons will say to our sons, saying, What to you and to Jehovah the God of Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And not rather with this thought and design, that we should say: To morrow your children will say to our children: What have you to do with the Lord the God of Israel?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Instead, we have acted with this greater thought and design, that we would say: Tomorrow your sons will say to our sons: ‘What is there between you and the Lord, the God of Israel?

New American Bible
We did it rather out of our anxious concern lest in the future your children should say to our children: ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

New Revised Standard Version
No! 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?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And if we have not rather done this thing because of reverence to him, so that in time to come your children might not say to our children, What have you to do with the LORD God of Israel, O you Reubenites and Gadites?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But if it was from his awe we served him, this one and that one of your children will not say tomorrow to our children: ‘What do you have to do with LORD JEHOVAH God of Israel, children of Rubil and children of Gad?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and if we have not rather out of anxiety about a matter done this, saying: In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying: What have ye to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But we have done this for the sake of precaution concerning this thing, saying, Lest hereafter your sons should say to our sons, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Offensive Altar
23If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable. 24But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the LORD!’ So your descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 12:5-7
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. / There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Numbers 32:16-18
Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones. / But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our little ones will remain in the fortified cities for protection from the inhabitants of the land. / We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has taken possession of his inheritance.

1 Kings 12:26-30
Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David. / If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, their hearts will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” / After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” ...

Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

2 Kings 17:9-12
The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. / They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. / They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. ...

Psalm 78:58
They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.

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.

Hosea 8:11
Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.

Malachi 1:10
“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

Matthew 15:8-9
‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Mark 7:6-7
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

John 4:20-24
Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.” / “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. ...

Acts 17:23-25
For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. / 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.

Romans 10:2-3
For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge. / Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.


Treasury of Scripture

And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, What have you to do with the LORD God of Israel?

for fear

Genesis 18:19
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

In time to come [heb] To-morrow

Joshua 4:6
That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

Genesis 30:33
So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

Exodus 13:14
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

Jump to Previous
Anxiety Children Concern Descendants Hereafter Israel Matter Ours Rather Reason Speak Time What
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Anxiety Children Concern Descendants Hereafter Israel Matter Ours Rather Reason Speak Time What
Joshua 22
1. The two tribes and a half with a blessing are sent home,
10. They build the altar of testimony in their journey
11. The Israelites are offended thereat
21. They vindicate their conduct, and give them good satisfaction














But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, 'What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?'
But in fact
This phrase introduces a clarification or justification, indicating a contrast with what might have been assumed. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "אֲבָל" (aval), which often serves to correct a misunderstanding. The tribes east of the Jordan River are addressing a potential misconception about their intentions, emphasizing the truth of their motives. This highlights the importance of clear communication and the need to address misunderstandings within the community of faith.

we have done this
The action referred to is the building of an altar by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. This was a significant act, as altars were central to worship and covenantal practices in ancient Israel. The Hebrew verb "עָשִׂינוּ" (asinu) implies deliberate and purposeful action. This underscores the tribes' intentionality and the seriousness with which they approached their covenant relationship with God.

for fear
The motivation behind their action is fear, specifically a fear of future separation from the community of Israel. The Hebrew word "מִדְאָגָה" (mid'agah) conveys a sense of anxiety or concern. This reflects a deep-seated desire to maintain unity and continuity in worship and identity among the tribes, highlighting the importance of communal integrity in the faith journey.

that in the future
This phrase points to a forward-looking perspective, considering the long-term implications of their actions. The Hebrew "מָחָר" (machar) can mean "tomorrow" or "in time to come," emphasizing the foresight and prudence of the tribes. It serves as a reminder of the importance of considering future generations in our spiritual decisions and the legacy of faith we leave behind.

your descendants might say to ours
Here, the focus is on the relationship between future generations. The Hebrew "בְּנֵיכֶם" (beneichem) and "בָּנֵינוּ" (baneinu) refer to "your sons" and "our sons," respectively. This highlights the intergenerational aspect of faith and the responsibility to ensure that the covenant with God is understood and upheld by those who come after us. It underscores the communal nature of the covenant and the need for continuity in worship and identity.

What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?
This rhetorical question anticipates a challenge to the eastern tribes' connection to the God of Israel. The Hebrew "מַה־לָּכֶם וְלַיהוָה" (mah-lakhem v'layhova) suggests a questioning of legitimacy or belonging. This reflects the centrality of the LORD as the unifying figure in Israel's identity and the potential for division when that unity is questioned. It serves as a call to ensure that all members of the faith community are recognized and included in the covenant relationship with God.

Verse 24. - From fear of this thing. This translation cannot be correct. Had the Hebrew original intended to convey this meaning, we should have had מִדְּאָגַת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה The literal rendering is, "from anxiety, from a word." The word here translated "anxiety" (LXX. εὐλάβεια) is applied to the sea, and is translated "sorrow" in Jeremiah 49:23. It is translated "heaviness" in Proverbs 12:25. In Ezekiel 4:16; Ezekiel 12:18, 19, it is translated "care," "carefulness," and is applied to eating food. It obviously refers to agitation or anxiety of mind, and the proper translation here is, "we did it out of anxiety, for a cause." So Masius and Rosenmuller, who render the word דְאָגָה here by sollicitudo. Verse 24, 25. - What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel? For the Lord hath made Jordan a border. Literally, What to you and to Jehovah the God of Israel, since He hath given a border between us and between you, sons of Reuben and sons of Gad, even the Jordan. Thus the reason for the erection of the altar was the very converse of what it had been supposed to be. So far from considering themselves as shut out from the communion of Israel by the natural boundary formed by Jordan, the two and a half tribes were resolved that no one else should ever think so. If the descendants of the remainder of the Israelites should ever venture to assert anything of the kind, there was the altar, erected in a conspicuous position on the west side of Jordan, left as a perpetual memorial of the great struggle in which Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh had taken part, and which had resulted in the final occupation of the land of Canaan. Keil and Delitzsch remark that there was some reason for this anxiety. The promises made to Abraham and his posterity related only to the land of Canaan. For their own advantage these tribes had chosen to remain in the trans-Jordanic territory conquered by Moses. It was quite possible that in future ages they might be regarded as outside the blessings and privileges of the Mosaic covenant. For the present, at least, they value those blessings and privileges, and desired to have some permanent memorial of the fact that they had a right to share them. From fearing. It may be worth while to notice, as a sign of later, or at least of different authorship, that the Pentateuch employs a different (the feminine) form of the infinitive for the form found here.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

we have done
עָשִׂ֥ינוּ (‘ā·śî·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

this
זֹ֖את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

for fear
מִדְּאָגָה֙ (mid·də·’ā·ḡāh)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1674: Anxiety, anxious care

that in the future
מָחָ֗ר (mā·ḥār)
Adverb
Strong's 4279: Deferred, the morrow, tomorrow, hereafter

your descendants
בְנֵיכֶ֤ם (ḇə·nê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

might say
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to ours,
לְבָנֵ֙ינוּ֙ (lə·ḇā·nê·nū)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1121: A son

‘What
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

have you to do
לָּכֶ֕ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

with the LORD,
וְלַֽיהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֥י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel?
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT History: Joshua 22:24 If we have not out of concern (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 22:23
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