God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and turn away today from following Yahweh, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides Yahweh our God’s altar that is before his tabernacle!”
- BSB Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”
- NKJV Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn from following the Lord this day, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the Lord our God which is before His tabernacle.”
- NASB Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord and turn away from following the Lord this day, by building an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the Lord our God which is before His tabernacle.”
- NLT Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord or turn away from him by building our own altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. Only the altar of the Lord our God that stands in front of the Tabernacle may be used for that purpose.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They firmly deny any intent to rebel or to rival the Lord's true altar. It is their emphatic declaration of loyalty.
Overview
The eastern tribes recoil at the very thought of building an altar to compete with the one before the tabernacle. They affirm their full commitment to worship God only in the way He commanded. Their words remove all suspicion and reveal hearts devoted to the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Josh 24:16And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
- Deut 12:13–14Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:
- Rom 3:6God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
- 1 Kgs 21:3And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
- 1 Sam 12:23Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
- Rom 6:2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
- Gen 44:7And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
- Gen 44:17And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
- 2 Kgs 18:22But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
- Rom 9:14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
- 2 Chr 32:12Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
- Josh 22:26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
- Josh 22:23That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it;
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Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
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Original language
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