Tanach
Yehoshua 22:21-29 יהושע כ״ב:כ״א-כ״ט
Part of: Chapter 22
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַֽיַּעֲנוּ בְּנֵי־רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי־גָד וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁה וַֽיְדַבְּרוּ אֶת־רָאשֵׁי אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Then the children of Re᾽uven and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Menashshe answered, and said to the heads of the thousands of Yisra᾽el,
Then the children of Re᾽uven and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Menashshe answered, and said to the heads of the thousands of Yisra᾽el,
אֵל ׀ אֱלֹהִים ׀ יְהֹוָה אֵל ׀ אֱלֹהִים ׀ יְהֹוָה הוּא יֹדֵעַ וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא יֵדָע אִם־בְּמֶרֶד וְאִם־בְּמַעַל בַּיהֹוָה אַל־תּוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
The mighty One, God, the Lord, the mighty One, God, the Lord, he knows and Yisra᾽el shall know; if in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save Thou us not this day,)
The mighty One, God, the Lord, the mighty One, God, the Lord, he knows and Yisra᾽el shall know; if in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save Thou us not this day,)
Rashi
אל תושיענו. כלפי שכינה אמרו:
Do not save us this day. They said this to His Divine Presence.
לִבְנוֹת לָנוּ מִזְבֵּחַ לָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה וְאִם־לְהַעֲלוֹת עָלָיו עוֹלָה וּמִנְחָה וְאִם־לַעֲשׂוֹת עָלָיו זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים יְהֹוָה הוּא יְבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
if we have built an altar for ourselves to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer a burnt offering or a meal offering upon it, or if to offer peace offerings upon it, let the Lord himself demand reparation;
if we have built an altar for ourselves to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer a burnt offering or a meal offering upon it, or if to offer peace offerings upon it, let the Lord himself demand reparation;
Rashi
הוא יבקש. יפרע ממנו:
Let Him prosecute—Let him punish us.
וְאִם־לֹא מִדְּאָגָה מִדָּבָר עָשִׂינוּ אֶת־זֹאת לֵאמֹר מָחָר יֹֽאמְרוּ בְנֵיכֶם לְבָנֵינוּ לֵאמֹר מַה־לָּכֶם וְלַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
or if we have not rather done this out of anxiety, saying, In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, What have you to do with the Lord God of Yisra᾽el?
or if we have not rather done this out of anxiety, saying, In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, What have you to do with the Lord God of Yisra᾽el?
Rashi
מדאגה מדבר. מחמת דאגת יראת דבר חרפה עשינו, כמה שמפרש פן יאמרו בניכם מחר לחרף את בנינו, כשילכו להקריב במשכן שילה, שמא יאמרו מה לכם ולה', והלא גבול נתן בינינו וביניכם את הירדן, זו דאגנו ועשינו כל 'דאגה' שבמקרא לשון יראה הוא, כמו (ירמיהו לח יט): אני דואג את היהודים, דצדקיהו:
Our anxiety of this. Because of anxiety, and the fear of insulting words, have we done this, as is further explained in the Scripture: ‘Lest tomorrow your children will say,’ Lest they insult our children— when they go to bring sacrifices in the Mishkan at Shiloh— lest they say to them, ‘What have you to do with Adonoy?’ Did he not set a boundary between us and you, namely, the Jordan. This was our fear and thus we made it. Every word, דְּאָגָה, found in Scripture expresses fear, similar to, “I am concerned [fear] that the Jews etc.” [These were the words] of Tzidkiahu.3See Yirmiahu 38:19. King Tzidkiahu was concerned that the Jews that had been captured by the Kasdim would betray him and he too would fall into their hands.
וּגְבוּל נָֽתַן־יְהֹוָה בֵּינֵנוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶם בְּנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי־גָד אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן אֵין־לָכֶם חֵלֶק בַּיהֹוָה וְהִשְׁבִּיתוּ בְנֵיכֶם אֶת־בָּנֵינוּ לְבִלְתִּי יְרֹא אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃
For the Lord has made the Yarden a border between us and you, you children of Re᾽uven and children of Gad; you have no part in the Lord: so shall your children make our children cease fearing the Lord.
For the Lord has made the Yarden a border between us and you, you children of Re᾽uven and children of Gad; you have no part in the Lord: so shall your children make our children cease fearing the Lord.
וַנֹּאמֶר נַעֲשֶׂה־נָּא לָנוּ לִבְנוֹת אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא לְעוֹלָה וְלֹא לְזָֽבַח׃
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
כִּי עֵד הוּא בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶם וּבֵין דֹּרוֹתֵינוּ אַחֲרֵינוּ לַעֲבֹד אֶת־עֲבֹדַת יְהֹוָה לְפָנָיו בְּעֹלוֹתֵינוּ וּבִזְבָחֵינוּ וּבִשְׁלָמֵינוּ וְלֹא־יֹאמְרוּ בְנֵיכֶם מָחָר לְבָנֵינוּ אֵין־לָכֶם חֵלֶק בַּיהֹוָֽה׃
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, You have no part in the Lord.
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, You have no part in the Lord.
Rashi
כי עד הוא. שלא סילקנו עצמנו מתורת מזבח:
Rather it will bear witness that we have not withdrawn ourselves from the law governing the altar.
וַנֹּאמֶר וְהָיָה כִּֽי־יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֵינוּ וְאֶל־דֹּרֹתֵינוּ מָחָר וְאָמַרְנוּ רְאוּ אֶת־תַּבְנִית מִזְבַּח יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לֹא לְעוֹלָה וְלֹא לְזֶבַח כִּֽי־עֵד הוּא בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃
Therefore we said, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may reply, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
Therefore we said, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may reply, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
חָלִילָה לָּנוּ מִמֶּנּוּ לִמְרֹד בַּֽיהֹוָה וְלָשׁוּב הַיּוֹם מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה לִבְנוֹת מִזְבֵּחַ לְעֹלָה לְמִנְחָה וּלְזָבַח מִלְּבַד מִזְבַּח יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי מִשְׁכָּנֽוֹ׃ {פ}
God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meal offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle.
God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meal offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle.
אל אלהים ה'. אל כל האלהים הוא ה' היודע כי לא במרד וגו', וכשכפל לומר שתי פעמים אלהים, בעולם הזה ובעולם הבא:
Almighty God is Adonoy. He is God over all divine beings. He is Adonoy, Who knows that our intent was not rebellion etc. By repeating this declaration twice, [they declared] that He is God in this world and in the World to Come.