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THE MESSAGE

Joshua 22:34

Reuben and Gad named the altar: A Witness Between Us. God Alone Is God.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Altar;   Decision;   Ed;   Haste;   Motive;   Prudence;   Reubenites;   War;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Phinehas;   Reuben;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Phinehas;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ed;   Manasseh;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ed;   Phinehas;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ed;   Joshua, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ed;   Joshua;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ed;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Witness;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Altar;   Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ed;   Joshua, Book of;   Text of the Old Testament;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ed;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar: It is a witness between us that the Lord is God.
Hebrew Names Version
The children of Re'uven and the children of Gad called the altar [`Ed]: For, [said they], it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.
King James Version
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God.
Lexham English Bible
The descendants of Reuben and Gad called the altar Witness, "Because," they said, "it is a witness between us that Yahweh is God."
English Standard Version
The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the Lord is God."
New Century Version
And the people of Reuben and Gad named the altar Proof That We Believe the Lord Is God.
New English Translation
The Reubenites and Gadites named the altar, "Surely it is a Reminder to us that the Lord is God."
Amplified Bible
The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness; "For it is a witness between us that the LORD is God."
New American Standard Bible
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness; "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the LORD is God."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witnesse betweene vs, that the Lord is God.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness; "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that Yahweh is God."
Contemporary English Version
The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar "A Reminder to Us All That the Lord Is Our God."
Complete Jewish Bible
The descendants of Re'uven and Gad called the altar "‘Ed [a witness]" between us that Adonai is God.
Darby Translation
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad gave a name to the altar; for it is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.
Easy-to-Read Version
The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar "Proof That We Believe the Lord is God."
George Lamsa Translation
And the Reubenites and the Gadites and the Manashites called the altar which they had made, The Altar of Testimony, for it is a witness between us that the LORD is the only God.
Good News Translation
The people of Reuben and Gad said, "This altar is a witness to all of us that the Lord is God." And so they named it "Witness."
Literal Translation
And the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad proclaimed regarding the altar, that it was a witness between us that Jehovah is God.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And ye childre of Ruben and Gad called the name of the altare: This altare be witnesse betwene vs, that the LORDE is God.
American Standard Version
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: For, said they, it is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.
Bible in Basic English
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad gave to that altar the name of Ed. For, they said, It is a witness between us that the Lord is God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, called the aulter [Ed] for it shalbe a witnes betweene vs, that the Lorde is God.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar--: 'for it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.'
King James Version (1611)
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall bee a witnesse betweene vs, that the Lord is God.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joshua gave a name to the altar of the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse; and said, It is a testimony in the midst of them, that the Lord is their God.
English Revised Version
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: For, said they, it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.
Berean Standard Bible
So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, saying, "It is a witness between us that the LORD is God."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the sones of Ruben and the sones of Gad clepiden the auter, which thei hadden bildid, Oure Witnessyng, that the Lord hym silf is God.
Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad proclaim concerning the altar, that `it [is] a witness between us that Jehovah [is] God.'
Update Bible Version
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad gave the altar a name: It is a witness between us that Yahweh is God.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar [Ed]: for it [shall be] a witness between us that the LORD [is] God.
World English Bible
The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar [Ed]: For, [said they], it is a witness between us that Yahweh is God.
New King James Version
34 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad [fn] called the altar, Witness, "For it is a witness between us that the Lord is God."
New Living Translation
The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar "Witness," for they said, "It is a witness between us and them that the Lord is our God, too."
New Life Bible
The people of Reuben and Gad said, "This altar shows the agreement between us that the Lord is God."
New Revised Standard
The Reubenites and the Gadites called the altar Witness; "For," said they, "it is a witness between us that the Lord is God."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad named the altar a Witness : A witness, it is between us, That, Yahweh, is God.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad called the altar which they had built, Our testimony, that the Lord is God,
Revised Standard Version
The Reubenites and the Gadites called the altar Witness; "For," said they, "it is a witness between us that the LORD is God."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness; "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the LORD is God."

Contextual Overview

30 Phinehas the priest, all the heads of the congregation, and the heads of the military divisions of Israel who were also with him heard what the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had to say. They were satisfied. 31 Priest Phinehas son of Eleazar said to Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, "Now we're convinced that God is present with us since you haven't been disloyal to God in this matter. You saved the People of Israel from God 's discipline." 32Then Priest Phinehas son of Eleazar left the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (from Gilead) and, with the chiefs, returned to the land of Canaan to the People of Israel and gave a full report. They were pleased with the report. The People of Israel blessed God—there was no more talk of attacking and destroying the land in which the Reubenites and Gadites were living. 34 Reuben and Gad named the altar: A Witness Between Us. God Alone Is God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ed: i.e. a witness, The word witness, or testimony, is not found in the common editions of the Hebrew Bible; and is supplied in Italics by our venerable translators, at least in our modern copies; for in the first edition of this translation, it stands in the text without any note of this kind; but it is found in several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's manuscripts, and also in the Syriac and Arabic. Several also of the early printed editions of the Hebrew Bible have the word ed, either in the text or in the margin; and it must be allowed to be necessary to complete the sense. It is very probable that an inscription was put on this altar, signifying the purpose for which it was erected. Thus was this affair most happily terminated. Joshua 22:27, Joshua 24:27, 1 Kings 18:39, Isaiah 43:10, Matthew 4:10

the Lord is God: Several manuscripts read more emphatically, אלהים [Strong's H3068] הוא [Strong's H1931] יהוה, Yehowah, hoo Elohim, "Jehovah he is God."

Reciprocal: Isaiah 19:20 - for a

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, called the altar [Ed],.... Which signifies a "witness"; they caused such an inscription to be put upon it, or this word to be engraved on it, that so the intention of erecting it might be known in future time; that it was not for sacrifice, but to be a testimony of their being one with their brethren on the other side Jordan, in worship, faith, and fellowship:

for [it shall be] a witness between us that the Lord [is] God; is the one God, the God of them both, of all Israel, whether on the one or the other side of Jordan; to be worshipped by them in one and the same manner, and their sacrifices to be offered to him on his altar before the tabernacle.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The word עד êd is not found after “altar” in the text of most manuscripts, nor is it represented in the Septuagint or Vulgate. The passage should probably run: “the children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar, that (as they said) it might be, etc.” The title placed on the altar was perhaps simply a witness between them that the Lord was God (Wordsworth).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 22:34. Called the altar Ed] The word עד ED, which signifies witness or testimony, is not found in the common editions of the Hebrew Bible, and is supplied in Italics by our translators, at least in our modern copies; for in the first edition of this translation it stands in the text without any note of this kind; and it is found in several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and also in the Syriac and Arabic. Several also of the early printed editions of the Hebrew Bible have the word עד, either in the text or in the margin, and it must be allowed to be necessary to complete the sense. It is very probable that an inscription was put on this altar, which pointed out the purposes for which it was erected.

FROM the contents of this chapter we learn that the Israelites were dreadfully alarmed at the prospect of a schism in their own body, both as it related to ecclesiastical and civil matters. A few observations on this subject may not be useless.

Schism in religion is a dangerous thing, and should be carefully avoided by all who fear God. But this word should be well understood. Σχισμα, in theology, is generally allowed to signify a rent in, or departure from, the doctrine and practice of the apostles, especially among those who had been previously united in that doctrine and practice. A departure from human institutions in religion is no schism, for this reason that the WORD OF GOD alone is the sufficient rule of the faith and practice of Christians; and as to human institutions, forms, modes, c., those of one party may be as good as those of another.

When the majority of a nation agrees in some particular forms and modes in their religious service no conscientious man will lightly depart from these; nor depart at all, unless he find that they are not only not authorized by the word of God, but repugnant to it. It is an object greatly to be desired, that a whole people, living under the same laws may, as much as possible, glorify God, not only with one heart, but also with one mouth.

But there may be a dissent from established forms without schism; for if that dissent make no rent in the doctrines or practice of Christianity, as laid down in the New Testament, it is an abuse of terms to call it a schism; besides, there may be a dissent among religious people relative to certain points both in creed and practice, which, not affecting the essentials of Christianity, nor having any direct tendency to alienate the affections of Christians from each other, cannot be called a schism; but when professing Christians separate from each other, to set up one needless or non-essential form, c., in the place of others which they call needless or non-essential, they are highly culpable. This not only produces no good, but tends to much evil for both parties, in order to make the points of their difference of sufficient consequence to justify their dissension, magnify these non-essential matters beyond all reason, and sometimes beyond conscience itself: and thus mint and cummin are tithed, while the weightier matters of the law - judgment and the love of God - are utterly neglected. If Christians either cannot or will not think alike on all points, surely they can agree to disagree, and let each go to heaven his own way. "But should we take this advice, would it not lead to a total indifference about religion?" Not at all; for in the things which concern the essentials of Christianity, both in doctrine and practice, we should ever feel zealously affected, and earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.


 
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