23. If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn away from the lord or to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings, may the lord himself punish us.
24. “The truth is, we have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, ‘What right do you have to worship the lord, the God of Israel?
25. The lord has placed the Jordan River as a barrier between our people and you people of Reuben and Gad. You have no claim to the lord.’ So your descendants may prevent our descendants from worshiping the lord.
26. “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. Instead, you have rescued Israel from being destroyed 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.”