Verse (Click for Chapter) 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? Berean Literal Bible And nevertheless, we have done it from fear of this thing, saying, hereafter your⁺ sons may speak to our seed, saying, ‘And what have you⁺ to do with YHWH, 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? Berean Annotated 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 {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God)? 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? 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? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut 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? 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 VersionAnd 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? Berean Literal Bible And nevertheless, we have done it from fear of this thing, saying, hereafter your⁺ sons may speak to our seed, 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 BibleAnd 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 BibleAnd 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 1917and 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 But in fact we have done this for fear Genesis 32:7 In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels. Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Proverbs 22:3 The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences. that in the future your descendants might say to ours, Joshua 4:6-7 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ / you are to tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.” Deuteronomy 6:20-21 In the future, when your son asks, “What is the meaning of the decrees and statutes and ordinances that the LORD our God has commanded you?” / then you are to tell him, “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Exodus 12:26-27 When your children ask you, ‘What does this service mean to you?’ / you are to reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He struck down the Egyptians and spared our homes.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. ‘What have you to do with the LORD, Ezra 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.” Nehemiah 2:20 So I answered them and said, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no portion, right, or claim in Jerusalem.” 1 Samuel 26:19 Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ the God of Israel? 1 Chronicles 29:10 Then David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly and said: “May You be blessed, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. 2 Samuel 7:27 For You, O LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant when You said, ‘I will build a house for you.’ Therefore Your servant has found the courage to offer this prayer to You. 1 Kings 8:23 and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. 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. 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 WhatJump to Next Anxiety Children Concern Descendants Hereafter Israel Matter Ours Rather Reason Speak Time WhatJoshua 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 This phrase indicates a proactive measure taken by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Their actions were motivated by a concern for future generations, highlighting the importance of foresight and the preservation of faith. This reflects a common biblical theme where actions are taken to ensure the continuity of worship and adherence to God's commandments, as seen in Deuteronomy 6:6-9, where the Israelites are instructed to teach God's laws to their children. that in the future your descendants might say to ours ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?’ Persons / Places / Events 1. Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of ManassehThese tribes settled on the east side of the Jordan River and built an altar as a witness between them and the other Israelites. 2. Jordan River A significant geographical boundary that separated the eastern tribes from the rest of Israel, symbolizing potential division. 3. Altar of Witness Constructed by the eastern tribes as a testimony to their shared faith and heritage with the western tribes, not for sacrifices. 4. Phinehas The son of Eleazar the priest, who led the delegation to investigate the altar, ensuring it was not for idolatry. 5. Israelite Assembly The collective body of the western tribes who initially misunderstood the purpose of the altar and prepared for conflict. Teaching Points Unity in DiversityThe eastern tribes' actions remind us of the importance of maintaining unity within the body of Christ, even when geographical or cultural differences exist. Communication and Understanding Misunderstandings can lead to conflict; open communication is essential to resolve potential divisions within the church. Fear of Future Generations The concern for future generations' faithfulness to God is a reminder to invest in teaching and preserving the faith for those who come after us. Symbolic Actions The altar served as a physical reminder of spiritual truths, encouraging us to use symbols and traditions to reinforce our faith and identity in Christ. Peacemaking Phinehas and the delegation exemplify the role of peacemakers, who seek to understand and reconcile differences within the community of believers. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Joshua 22:24?2. How does Joshua 22:24 demonstrate the importance of maintaining faith traditions today? 3. What can we learn from Joshua 22:24 about addressing misunderstandings among believers? 4. How does Joshua 22:24 connect with Jesus' teachings on unity in John 17? 5. In what ways can we ensure our actions align with God's intentions, as in Joshua 22:24? 6. How can Joshua 22:24 guide us in resolving conflicts within our church community? 7. What was the purpose of the altar mentioned in Joshua 22:24? 8. How does Joshua 22:24 address the theme of unity among the tribes of Israel? 9. Why did the tribes fear future generations in Joshua 22:24? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 22? 11. Who is Jacob, also known as Israel? 12. How does Joshua 22 align with other passages that mandate a single place of worship (e.g., Deuteronomy 12), and why is there no mention of God’s direct intervention here? 13. Where is the historical or archaeological evidence of this altar mentioned in Joshua 22:10, considering its significance to the nation’s unity? 14. How does Micah 6:5 align with or contradict other biblical accounts concerning Balak, Balaam, and their historical credibility? What Does Joshua 22:24 Mean But in fact we have done this• The eastern tribes (Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh) had erected a large altar by the Jordan. They were immediately suspected of idolatry by the western tribes (Joshua 22:10–12). • Their opening words, “But in fact we have done this,” serve as a firm clarification: the altar was not built in rebellion but in obedience and love. • Like Jacob’s heap of stones that testified to a covenant with Laban (Genesis 31:46–52), this altar was meant as a witness, not as a rival place of sacrifice (Joshua 22:26–27). for fear • “Fear” here is not cowardice but a reverent concern to protect covenant faithfulness. Proverbs 1:7 reminds us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” • The tribes sensed a real danger: geographic separation could lead to spiritual drift, just as later generations of Israelites forgot the LORD in Judges 2:10–12. • Their fear therefore produced proactive obedience, echoing Paul’s call to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). that in the future • Their vision extended beyond the present skirmish to generations yet unborn, reflecting Deuteronomy 6:20–25, where parents are told to anticipate their children’s questions about the faith. • Planning for the spiritual welfare of grandchildren mirrors Psalm 78:5–7: “He decreed statutes…that the next generation might know them.” • The altar, then, is a tangible legacy, preaching long after its builders are gone. your descendants might say to ours • Tribal identity was strong, and history shows how quickly Israelites could turn on one another (Judges 8:1; 12:1). • The eastern tribes anticipated a possible accusation: “You live across the river; you’re outsiders.” • By setting up a visible witness on the western bank, they provided a continual reminder that both sides shared the same covenant and the same God. What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? • Spiritual exclusion is devastating. When the Samaritans later offered to help rebuild the temple, Zerubbabel’s leaders replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God” (Ezra 4:3). • The eastern tribes dreaded hearing similar words, so they established proof that “the LORD Himself is God” for all of them (Joshua 22:34). • In Christ, the ultimate fulfillment, the dividing walls are torn down (Ephesians 2:12–14). Their altar foreshadows that inclusive unity, declaring, “We, too, belong.” summary Joshua 22:24 captures a heartfelt, forward-looking strategy: the eastern tribes built a witness-altar not in rebellion but in reverent fear, ensuring future generations on both sides of the Jordan would know they shared the same covenant Lord. It teaches us to guard unity, think generationally, and leave clear testimonies that point to the one true 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 factוְאִם־ (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 Links Joshua 22:24 NIVJoshua 22:24 NLT Joshua 22:24 ESV Joshua 22:24 NASB Joshua 22:24 KJV Joshua 22:24 BibleApps.com Joshua 22:24 Biblia Paralela Joshua 22:24 Chinese Bible Joshua 22:24 French Bible Joshua 22:24 Catholic Bible OT History: Joshua 22:24 If we have not out of concern (Josh. 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