The Meaning of Joshua 22:27 Explained

Joshua 22:27

KJV: 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, Ye have no part in the LORD.

YLT: but a witness it is between us and you, and between our generations after us, to do the service of Jehovah before Him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings, and your sons do not say hereafter to our sons, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.

Darby: but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we might do service to Jehovah 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 future, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.

ASV: but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of Jehovah 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, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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,  Ye have no part  in the LORD. 

What does Joshua 22:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 22:21-34 - The Altar Of Witness
Phinehas and the ten princes did their work well. It was politic as well as true to remind the departing warriors that they could not rebel against God without involving the whole nation. So deeply did the spirit of love work in their hearts that Phinehas and his men even proposed to share the land of western Canaan with them, rather than that they should drift away from the Law of God. There was a gentleness, a desire to conciliate, a yearning over their brethren, which were quite after the mind of Christ, and which had the desired effect in a frank disavowal of any of those unworthy motives that their brethren had imputed.
So is it always. Let us lay aside the sword for the olive-branch. Before proceeding to severer measures, whether as individuals or as nations, let us ever try to restore our brethren "in the spirit of meekness." Let us count it a greater gain to win a brother than to conquer him. As we grow older, may we become more mellow! Matthew 18:15; Galatians 6:1-5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 22

1  The two tribes and a half with a blessing are sent home,
10  They build the altar of testimony in their journey
11  The Israelites are offended thereat
21  They vindicate their conduct, and give them good satisfaction

What do the individual words in Joshua 22:27 mean?

but [that] a witness it [may be] between us and you and our generations after us that we may perform - the service of Yahweh before Him with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings that not may say your descendants in time to come to our descendants no You have part in Yahweh
כִּי֩ עֵ֨ד ה֜וּא בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶ֗ם וּבֵ֣ין דֹּרוֹתֵינוּ֮ אַחֲרֵינוּ֒ לַעֲבֹ֞ד אֶת־ עֲבֹדַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ לְפָנָ֔יו בְּעֹלוֹתֵ֥ינוּ וּבִזְבָחֵ֖ינוּ וּבִשְׁלָמֵ֑ינוּ וְלֹא־ יֹאמְר֨וּ בְנֵיכֶ֤ם מָחָר֙ לְבָנֵ֔ינוּ אֵין־ לָכֶ֥ם חֵ֖לֶק בַּיהוָֽה

כִּי֩  but  [that] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עֵ֨ד  a  witness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
ה֜וּא  it  [may  be] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ  between  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵינֵיכֶ֗ם  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
דֹּרוֹתֵינוּ֮  our  generations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
אַחֲרֵינוּ֒  after  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
לַעֲבֹ֞ד  that  we  may  perform 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֲבֹדַ֤ת  the  service 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲבֹדָה  
Sense: labour, service.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְפָנָ֔יו  before  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בְּעֹלוֹתֵ֥ינוּ  with  our  burnt  offerings 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
וּבִזְבָחֵ֖ינוּ  and  with  our  sacrifices 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
וּבִשְׁלָמֵ֑ינוּ  and  with  our  peace  offerings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: שֶׁלֶם  
Sense: peace offering, requital, sacrifice for alliance or friendship.
וְלֹא־  that  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֹאמְר֨וּ  may  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְנֵיכֶ֤ם  your  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מָחָר֙  in  time  to  come 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מָחָר  
Sense: tomorrow, in time to come, in the future.
לְבָנֵ֔ינוּ  to  our  descendants 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֵין־  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לָכֶ֥ם  You  have 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
חֵ֖לֶק  part 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
בַּיהוָֽה  in  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.