SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:28
Nosotros , pues, dijimos: Si aconteciere que tal digan a nosotros, o a nuestras generaciones en lo por venir, entonces responderemos: Mirad el símil del altar del SEŅOR, el cual hicieron nuestros padres, no para holocaustos o sacrificios, sino para que fuese testimonio entre nosotros y vosotros.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 28. Therefore said we , etc.] To prevent any such usage of our children, and that they might have a ready answer to give: that it shall be, when they should [so] say unto us, or to our generations, in time to come ; as above suggested, that they were a separate people from them, and had no interest in the Lord, nor right to his altar, nor concern in his worship: that we may say [again] ; in reply, that is, our posterity: behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made ; which exactly agrees with the Mosaic altar, and which they could never have framed in so exact a manner if they had not seen it, and served at it; wherefore this was a plain proof of their being originally worshippers of the same God, partakers of the same altar, and were in the faith, fellowship, and communion of Israel. According to Gussetius f518 , this was not the altar the Reubenites, etc. built, which the children of Israel would be bid to behold, but the Mosaic altar at the tabernacle or temple, which was the archetype and exemplar, according to which that of the Reubenites was formed; and therefore say not, come and behold, but behold the altar present before them, that of Moses, and acknowledge that to be a type and exemplar, which they had related, and so confess it to be a testimony of their mutual fellowship: and what they had made in imitation of it, which exactly answered to it, was not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices ; of any sort, that was not the intention of erecting it: but it [is] a witness between us and you ; that we worship the same God, and are of the same faith and fellowship.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 21-29 - The tribes took the reproofs of their brethren in good part. With solemnity and meekness they proceeded to give all the satisfaction in their power. Reverence of God is expressed in the form of their appeal This brief confession of faith would remove their brethren's suspicio that they intended to worship other gods. Let us always speak of God with seriousness, and mention his name with a solemn pause. Those wh make appeals to Heaven with a careless "God knows," take his name in vain: it is very unlike this. They express great confidence of their own uprightness in the matter of their appeal. "God knows it," for he is perfectly acquainted with the thoughts and intents of the heart. In every thing we do in religion, it highly concerns us to approv ourselves to God, remembering that he knows the heart. And if ou sincerity be known to God, we should study likewise to let others know it by its fruits, especially those who, though they mistake us, sho zeal for the glory of God. They disdained the design of which they wer suspected to be guilty, and fully explained their true intent in building this altar. Those who have found the comfort and benefit of God's ordinances, cannot but desire to preserve them to their seed, an to use all possible care that their children may be looked upon a having a part in him. Christ is the great Altar that sanctifies ever gift; the best evidence of our interest in him is the work of his Spirit in our hearts.
Original Hebrew
ונאמר 559 והיה 1961 כי 3588 יאמרו 559 אלינו 413 ואל 413 דרתינו 1755 מחר 4279 ואמרנו 559 ראו 7200 את 853 תבנית 8403 מזבח 4196 יהוה 3068 אשׁר 834 עשׂו 6213 אבותינו 1 לא 3808 לעולה 5930 ולא 3808 לזבח 2077 כי 3588 עד 5707 הוא 1931 בינינו 996 וביניכם׃ 996
