ACV(i)
21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22 The Mighty One, God, LORD, the Mighty One, God, LORD, he knows, and Israel he shall know, if it is in rebellion, or if in trespass against LORD (do not save us this day),
23 that we have built us an altar to turn away from following LORD, or if to offer burnt offering or meal offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, let LORD himself require it,
24 and if we have not rather out of carefulness done this, from purpose, saying, In time to come your sons might speak to our sons, saying, What have ye to do with LORD, the God of Israel?
25 For LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye sons of Reuben and sons of Gad. Ye have no portion in LORD. So your sons might make our sons cease from fearing LORD.
26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
27 but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings, that your sons may not say to our sons in time to come, Ye have no portion in LORD.
28 Therefore we said, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, but it is a witness between us and you.
29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against LORD, and turn away this day from following LORD, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the rulers of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well.
31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the sons of Manasseh, This day we know that LORD is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this trespass against LORD. Now ye have delivered the sons of Israel out of the hand of LORD.