Inspire: Joshua, Judges & Ruth 978-1-4964-7519-0 - Flipbook - Page 48
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“So we decided to build the altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, 27 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.’
28 “If they say this, our descendants can reply, ‘Look at this copy of the Lord’s
altar that our ancestors made. It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices; it is a
reminder of the relationship both of us have with the Lord.’ 29 Far be it from us
to rebel against the Lord or turn away from him by building our own altar for
burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. Only the altar of the Lord our God
that stands in front of the Tabernacle may be used for that purpose.”
30 When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of
the clans of Israel—heard this from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe
of Manasseh, they were satisfied. 31 Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, replied to
them, “Today we know the Lord is among us because you have not committed
this treachery against the Lord as we thought.
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26
you have rescued Israel
from being destroyed
Instead,
by the hand of the LORD.”
32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the other leaders left the tribes
of Reuben and Gad in Gilead and returned to the land of Canaan to tell the
Israelites what had happened. 33 And all the Israelites were satisfied and praised
God and spoke no more of war against Reuben and Gad.
34 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.”
Joshua’s Final Words to Israel
The years passed, and the Lord had given the people of Israel rest from
all their enemies. Joshua, who was now very old, 2 called together all the
elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel. He said to them, “I am now a very
old man. 3 You have seen everything the Lord your God has done for you during
my lifetime. The Lord your God has fought for you against your enemies. 4 I have
allotted to you as your homeland all the land of the nations yet unconquered, as
well as the land of those we have already conquered—from the Jordan River to
the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
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5
This land will be yours,
for the LORD
your God will himself
drive out all the people living there now.
You will take possession of their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.
6 “So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. 7 Make sure
“You have seen
everything the Lord
your God has
done for you
during my
lifetime.
The Lord
your God
has
fought for you
against
your
enemies.”
Joshua 23 : 3
