Joshua 22 27

Joshua 22:27 kjv

But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.

Joshua 22:27 nkjv

but that it may be a witness between you and us and our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, "You have no part in the LORD." '

Joshua 22:27 niv

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.'

Joshua 22:27 esv

but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the LORD in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, "You have no portion in the LORD."'

Joshua 22:27 nlt

but as a memorial. It will remind our descendants and your descendants that we, too, have the right to worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings. Then your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no claim to the LORD.'

Joshua 22 verses

Joshua 22 27 Meaning

Joshua 22:27 explains the true purpose of the altar built by the Transjordanian tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh). It was not for offering unauthorized sacrifices or defying God's law of centralized worship, but rather to serve as a perpetual visible monument. This monument would stand as a witness ('ed) for all future generations that these eastern tribes, despite being separated by the Jordan River, shared the same covenantal right to worship the Lord with their brethren west of the Jordan, specifically through established burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings. Their primary fear was that in future times, the western tribes might deny their kinship and religious inheritance, accusing them of having "no portion in the Lord" – meaning no share in the God of Israel, the covenant, or the promised land. Thus, the altar was a theological statement, ensuring their continuous recognition as part of unified Israel with full access to God's presence and worship.

Joshua 22 27 Context

Joshua chapter 22 recounts the highly tense encounter between the Transjordanian tribes (Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh) and the rest of Israel. Having fulfilled their commitment to assist in the conquest of Canaan, Joshua sends them back to their inherited land east of the Jordan. As they journey, they construct a large, imposing altar near the Jordan. When news of this reaches the other nine-and-a-half tribes (west of the Jordan), they immediately interpret it as an act of rebellion against God, a departure from the singular place of worship (Shiloh, where the Tabernacle resided), and a dangerous imitation of pagan practices. This perceived apostasy nearly triggers a civil war. Phinehas, the high priest's son, leads an embassy to confront the eastern tribes, invoking past sin and warning of divine wrath. Joshua 22:27 is part of the eastern tribes' passionate defense and explanation, asserting that their altar was not for forbidden sacrifices but purely as a memorial, ensuring their covenantal inclusion and shared faith with western Israel for generations to come, preventing the very exclusion the western tribes feared they were enacting.

Joshua 22 27 Word analysis

• but that it may be a witness (כִּי עֵד הוּא - kî ‘ēḏ hū’):
  • witness (‘ēḏ): From the root עָדָה (‘adah) "to pass on, go on, witness". This noun denotes someone or something that bears testimony, evidence, or memorial. It implies an enduring public declaration or confirmation. The very name of the altar, Ed, is based on this word (Jos 22:34). It's a key concept in legal and covenantal contexts.
  • Significance: The altar's purpose is not functional worship, but declarative; it exists to state a truth. This distinguishes it from an altar built for prohibited sacrifice. It serves as a visual teaching aid.
• between us and you and between our generations after us:
  • Significance: Emphasizes continuity across time and identity. The witness is for the present parties and crucially for their descendants. It secures a future spiritual and national identity, fearing a potential split in national consciousness and religious affinity across the Jordan.
• that we may do the service of the Lord before him:
  • do the service (‘āḇaḏ ‘aḇōḏâ): Lit. "serve service." Refers to rendering homage or worship.
  • the Lord (YHWH): The covenant God of Israel. Their fidelity is to Him alone.
  • before him: Implies divine presence and acceptance. The eastern tribes insist their loyalty and desire to worship YHWH is intact and central.
  • Significance: Reaffirms their commitment to legitimate worship at the divinely appointed place (Shiloh) and clarifies their true intention regarding their place in Israel's cultic life. It counters the accusation of independent worship or rebellion.
• with our burnt offerings (בְּעֹלוֹתֵינוּ - bə‘ōlōṯēnû):
  • burnt offerings (‘ōlāh): An ascending sacrifice, wholly consumed on the altar, signifying complete devotion and atonement for unintentional sins (Lv 1).
• and with our sacrifices (וּבִזְבָחֵינוּ - ûḇiźḇāḥênû):
  • sacrifices (zəḅāḥîm): General term for animal sacrifices, often encompassing peace offerings but here likely a broader category.
• and with our peace offerings (וּבִשְׁלָמֵינוּ - ûḇišlāmênû):
  • peace offerings (šĕlāmîm): Associated with well-being, fellowship, and communion, often shared by the offerer, priest, and God (Lv 3).
  • Significance (grouping of offerings): These three specific types of offerings (‘olōh, z'vakhim, sh'lamim) cover the core public cultic rituals ordained by Yahweh in the Torah (e.g., Leviticus 1-3). By explicitly naming them, the Transjordanian tribes are stating that they acknowledge the authoritative, specific modes of worship prescribed by God and performed at the central sanctuary, thereby reaffirming their adherence to biblical law and their intention to participate in Israel's cultic life. They are not inventing new forms of worship or new gods.
• and that you may not say to us afterward, ‘You have no portion in the Lord.’:
  • portion (ḥēleq): Refers to a share, inheritance, or allocated part. In a theological sense, it means spiritual belonging and inclusion in God's covenant, people, and blessings.
  • Significance: This reveals the eastern tribes' profound existential fear: being excluded from the covenant community and its blessings because of geographical separation. To "have no portion in the Lord" means to be outside the community of faith, effectively excommunicated from the national and spiritual identity of Israel, devoid of God's presence, protection, and promises. The altar is a preemptive counter-argument to such a grave accusation, asserting their spiritual legitimacy and continued connection to Yahweh through a common identity rooted in shared worship practices.

Joshua 22 27 Bonus section

The entire narrative of Joshua 22, culminating in verse 27, serves as a powerful polemic against any future impulse to fragment Israel's spiritual unity. It indirectly critiques "sacrifices in high places" or localized, unauthorized altars which later plagued Israel's history (e.g., 1 Ki 12:31-33; 2 Ki 17:9-12). By demonstrating the extreme tension and near-civil war triggered by even the appearance of religious division, it underscores the gravity of cultic fidelity and centralized worship as mandated by the Mosaic Covenant. This event highlights that true religious commitment must sometimes transcend perceived logic or convenience for the sake of unity in the divine economy. It's also a testament to the wisdom in seeking explanation before engaging in conflict, echoing biblical principles of discernment and reconciliation. The very naming of the altar, 'Ed, which means 'witness,' encapsulates the essence of the tribes' profound act of commitment.

Joshua 22 27 Commentary

Joshua 22:27 serves as the heart of the Transjordanian tribes' explanation for building the altar "Ed." It perfectly encapsulates the theological stakes of the confrontation. The verse demonstrates their unwavering fidelity to YHWH and the Mosaic law regarding a singular, centralized place of worship, countering the immediate assumption of apostasy by the western tribes. Their ingenuity lay in repurposing the form of an altar (traditionally for sacrifice) into a monumental declaration, a physical witness that connected them ritually and spiritually to the main body of Israel west of the Jordan.

This deep fear of being "disinherited" or declared to have "no portion in the Lord" highlights the supreme importance of covenantal identity in ancient Israel. Geographical distance and a significant boundary like the Jordan River raised legitimate concerns about potential separation, both physically and spiritually. Their action, born out of this anxiety, was a proactive measure to ensure future generations understood their integral belonging to the family of Israel, united under one God, with the same right to approach Him through His prescribed cultic practices. It was a visible reminder of shared faith and common inheritance, aimed at bridging physical separation with spiritual unity, demonstrating how proactive communication and explanation are vital to prevent misunderstanding and division within God's people.

Examples:

• A church building a separate fellowship hall with a cross, not to form a new denomination, but to demonstrate they are part of the broader Christian family for future outreach.
• Missionaries in a distant land creating local worship practices that resonate culturally while affirming their unity with core Christian doctrine, to show indigenous believers have full "portion in the Lord."