Joshua 22:23

Context
22:23 If we have built¹ an altar for ourselves to turn back from following the Lord by making² burnt sacrifices and grain offerings on it, or by offering³ tokens of peace⁴ on it, the Lord himself will punish us.⁵

Joshua 22:27-29

Context
22:27 but as a reminder to us and you,⁶ and to our descendants who follow us, that we will honor the Lord in his very presence⁷ with burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace.⁸ Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to our descendants, ‘You have no right to worship the Lord.’⁹ 22:28 We said, ‘If in the future they say such a thing¹⁰ to us or to our descendants, we will reply, “See the model of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors¹¹ made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you.”’¹² 22:29 Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord by turning back today from following after the Lord by building an altar for burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace¹³ aside from the altar of the Lord our God located in front of his dwelling place!”¹⁴

[22:23] ¹tn Heb “by building.” The prepositional phrase may be subordinated to what precedes, “if in unfaithfulness…by building.”

[22:23] ²tn Heb “or if to offer up.”

[22:23] ³tn Heb “or if to make.”

[22:23] ⁴tn Or “peace offerings.”

[22:23] ⁵tn Heb “the Lord, he will seek.” Perhaps this is a self-imprecation in an oath, “may the Lord himself punish us.”

[22:27] ⁶tn Heb “but it is a witness between us and you.”

[22:27] ⁷tn Heb “to do the service of the Lord before him.”

[22:27] ⁸tn Or “peace offerings.”

[22:27] ⁹tn Heb “You have no portion in the Lord.”

[22:28] ¹¹tn The words “such a thing” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[22:28] ¹²tn Heb “fathers.”

[22:28] ¹³tn Heb “but it is a witness between us and you.”

[22:29] ¹⁶tn Or “peace offerings.”

[22:29] ¹⁷sn The Lord’s dwelling place here refers to the tabernacle.