Bible Strands
Joshua 22:27
Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The eastern tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh address the western tribes after constructing a large altar by the Jordan, responding to accusations of unauthorized worship.
The words — The text centers on עֵד ('ed), meaning "witness," and the repeated preposition בֵּין (ben), rendered as "between us and you and the generations after us," to describe the altar's intended function.
The thread — This pattern of an object serving as a witness appears in Joshua 24:27 with a stone and Genesis 31:48 with a mound, each marking a boundary to preserve communal memory and prevent future religious division.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to acknowledge how tangible markers can formally document shared worship practices and block later claims that a group lacks a share in the LORD.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord.
Cross-references
- Joshua 24:27 And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone. It will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the LORD has spoken to us, and it will be a witness against you if you ever deny your God.”
- Genesis 31:48 Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.
- Deuteronomy 12:5 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.
- Deuteronomy 12:11 then the LORD your God will choose a dwelling for His Name. And there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice offerings you vow to the LORD.
- Deuteronomy 12:17 Within your gates you must not eat the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, the firstborn of your herds or flocks, any of the offerings that you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.
- Joshua 22:34 So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”
- Genesis 31:52 This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me.
- Deuteronomy 12:26 But you are to take your holy things and your vow offerings and go to the place the LORD will choose.
- Joshua 22:10 And when they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.
- 1 Samuel 7:12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”