Joshua 22:21-29 ▼

21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel.

22 “The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, the Mighty One, God, Yahweh! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion or if in an unfaithful act against Yahweh, do not save us this day!

23 If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from following Yahweh, or if to perform a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may Yahweh Himself require it.

24 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?

25 And Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad; you have no portion in Yahweh.” So your sons may make our sons stop fearing Yahweh.’

26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let us build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;

27 rather it shall be a witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to perform the service of Yahweh before Him with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, so that your sons will not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no portion in Yahweh.”’

28 Therefore we said, ‘It will also be that if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of Yahweh which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it is a witness between us and you.”’

29 Far be it from us to rebel against Yahweh and turn away from following Yahweh this day, by building an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Yahweh our God which is before His tabernacle.”