Joshua 22:26

26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’

Joshua 22:26 in Other Translations

26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:

26 Therefore we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,

26 “So we decided to build the altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices,

26 "So we said to ourselves, 'Let's do something. Let's build an altar - but not for Whole-Burnt-Offerings, not for sacrifices.'

26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice:

26 Then we said, 'Let's build an altar for ourselves. It will not be for burnt offerings or sacrifices,

26 "Therefore we said: Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offering or sacrifice.

26 "That's why we said to ourselves, 'Let's get ready and build an altar. But let's not build it to offer burnt offerings or sacrifices on it.'

Joshua 22:26 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 22:26

Therefore we said
One to another, in order to prevent the apostasy of our children from God, their departure from his worship, and going into idolatry:

let us now prepare to build us an altar;
get materials ready, and set about it instantly, without any delay, while the thing dwells upon our minds:

not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;
not for offerings of any kind required by the law, neither for sin offerings nor trespass offerings, nor any other not named.

Joshua 22:26 In-Context

24 “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?

25 The LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the LORD.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.

26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’

27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD.’

28 “And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the LORD’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’