Joshua 22:28

Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The eastern tribes address the western tribes and the Israelite congregation after returning from the conquest, responding to accusations that their newly constructed altar violates covenant law. They speak this declaration to preempt future intergenerational disputes over religious inheritance.

The words — The Hebrew וַ/נֹּ֕אמֶר (va./No.mer) translates literally as "and we said," marking a deliberate, collective pronouncement. The phrase דֹּרֹתֵ֖י/נוּ (do.ro.Tei./nu) means "our generations," specifying the temporal scope of the intended witness.

The thread — The text explicitly states the altar serves as a "witness" rather than a site for burnt offerings or sacrifices. This functional distinction aligns with the pattern-following mandate in Exodus 25:40, the descriptive temple instructions in Ezekiel 43:10, and the heavenly copy concept in Hebrews 8:5.

Why it lands — The passage first establishes that the structure's purpose is evidentiary, not liturgical. It requires readers to separate physical monuments from worship practice and to treat them as permanent markers of covenant boundaries.

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

וַנֹּ֕אמֶרva./No.merand/ we said וְהָיָ֗הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be כִּֽי־ki-that יֹאמְר֥וּyo.me.Ruthey will say אֵלֵ֛ינוּ'e.Lei./nuto/ us וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ to דֹּרֹתֵ֖ינוּdo.ro.Tei./nugenerations/ our מָחָ֑רma.Chartomorrow וְאָמַ֡רְנוּve./'a.Mar.nuand/ we will say רְא֣וּre.'Usee אֶת־'et-<obj.>תַּבְנִית֩tav.Nit[the] copy of מִזְבַּ֨חmiz.Bach[the] altar of יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahweh אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which עָשׂ֣וּ'a.Suthey made אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ'a.vo.Tei./nuancestors/ our לֹ֤אlo'not לְעוֹלָה֙le./'o.Lahfor/ burnt offering וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not לְזֶ֔בַחle./Ze.vachfor/ sacrifice כִּי־ki-for עֵ֣ד'ed[is] a witness ה֔וּאHu'it בֵּינֵ֖ינוּbei.Nei./nubetween/ us וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃u./vei.nei./Khemand/ between/ you

King James Version

Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.

Cross-references

Exodus 25:40 See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
Ezekiel 43:10 As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, so that they may be ashamed of their iniquities. Let them measure the plan,
Hebrews 8:5 The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
2 Kings 16:10 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.