Joshua 22:29
in Joshua 22Far 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn away this day from following Jehovah, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Joshua 22
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut let us see what sacrament lies within this deed. The former people of the circumcision are represented in Reuben, who was the firstborn; but also in Gad, who also is the firstborn out of Zilpah; and Manasseh, no less a firstborn. But insofar as I say "firstborn," I speak chronologically. Therefore, these things are said not that it might be evident some division and separation is between us and those who were righteous before the coming of Christ, but that they might reveal themselves to still be our brothers even if they existed before the coming of Christ.
This site's exposition
Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD
on Joshua 22:28-29
The word rendered replica is the word rendered pattern at Exodus 25:9. It is shaped like an altar to be pointed at, and no fire is laid on it. Verse 29 says "Far be it from us" and places the lawful altar before the tabernacle, as Deuteronomy 12 did.
This site's exposition
which stands before His tabernacle
The altar of the LORD they name is the altar of burnt offering that Bezalel built of acacia wood at Exodus 38:1. It stood now at Shiloh. The eastern tribes claim that altar as their own.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
We have as great a value and veneration for the altar of the Lord at Shiloh as any of the tribes of Israel have, and are as firmly resolved to adhere to it and constantly to attend it; we have the same concern that you have for the purity of God's worship and the unity of his church; far be it, far be it from us, to think of turning away from following God." II.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The quality of the deputies evinced the deep solicitude that was felt on the occasion to maintain the purity of the divine worship throughout Israel. In the presumptive belief that the two tribes and a half had really built an altar, the deputies expressed astonishment at their so soon falling into such a heinous crime as that of violating the unity of divine worship (Ex 20:24;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
God forbid that we should rebel - These words not only express their strong abhorrence of this crime, but also show that without God they could do no good thing, and that they depended upon him for that strength by which alone they could abstain from evil.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חָלִילָה֩ | chalilah | far be it | H2486 → | |
| לָּ֨נוּ | lanu | to <the> us | ||
| מִמֶּ֜נּוּ | mimenu | from us | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| לִמְרֹ֣ד | limrod | to rebel | H4775 → | 25 times |
| בַּֽיהוָ֗ה | bayahweh | against Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְלָשׁ֤וּב | velashuv | and to turn back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| הַיּוֹם֙ | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י | meacharei | from after | H310 → | 715 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לִבְנ֣וֹת | livnot | by building | H1129 → | 376 times |
| מִזְבֵּ֔חַ | mizbeach | an altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| לְעֹלָ֖ה | leolah | for burnt offering | H5930 → | 287 times |
| לְמִנְחָ֣ה | leminchah | for grain offering | H4503 → | |
| וּלְזָ֑בַח | ulezavach | and for sacrifice | H2077 → | 162 times |
| מִלְּבַ֗ד | milevad | <from> <to> besides | H905 → | 200 times |
| מִזְבַּח֙ | mizbach | [the] altar of | H4196 → | 401 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ | ʾeloheinu | God our | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֖ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | [is] <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מִשְׁכָּנֽוֹ׃ פ | mishkano | tabernacle his | H4908 → |
חָלִילָה֩far be it
chalilahH2486 →
לָּ֨נוּto <the> us
lanu
מִמֶּ֜נּוּfrom us
mimenuH4480 →1188 times
לִמְרֹ֣דto rebel
limrodH4775 →25 times
בַּֽיהוָ֗הagainst Yahweh
bayahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְלָשׁ֤וּבand to turn back
velashuvH7725 →1056 times
הַיּוֹם֙this day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
מֵאַחֲרֵ֣יfrom after
meachareiH310 →715 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לִבְנ֣וֹתby building
livnotH1129 →376 times
מִזְבֵּ֔חַan altar
mizbeachH4196 →401 times
לְעֹלָ֖הfor burnt offering
leolahH5930 →287 times
לְמִנְחָ֣הfor grain offering
leminchahH4503 →
וּלְזָ֑בַחand for sacrifice
ulezavachH2077 →162 times
מִלְּבַ֗ד<from> <to> besides
milevadH905 →200 times
מִזְבַּח֙[the] altar of
mizbachH4196 →401 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּGod our
ʾeloheinuH430 →2601 times
אֲשֶׁ֖רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לִפְנֵ֥י[is] <to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
מִשְׁכָּנֽוֹ׃ פtabernacle his
mishkanoH4908 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 3:6Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?
it leads to
- Genesis 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the…
- Acts 17:31
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
- Job 8:3
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
- Genesis 18:25
Through
Joshua 24:16The people replied, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:38–39
But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
- 1 Samuel 12:23
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.
- Hebrews 10:38–39
Through
2 Chronicles 32:12Did not Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn sacrifices’?
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 31:1
When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and…
- Deuteronomy 12:13–14
Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in just any place you see;
- 2 Chronicles 31:1
Through
Genesis 44:7“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
it leads to
- Genesis 38:16–18
Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired.
- Genesis 38:16–18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 26.3.