Joshua 22:26
““Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;”
What does Joshua 22:26 mean?
The eastern tribes of Israel built an altar near the Jordan River after their military campaigns were complete, and they knew this would raise immediate concerns back home. An altar was sacred ground where sacrifices happened, so building one outside the official tabernacle could look like rebellion against God's law or the start of false worship. Rather than wait for misunderstanding to spread, they decided to explain themselves first: this altar was a *witness* and reminder of their covenant with the western tribes, not a place where they'd actually make offerings. It was their way of saying, "We're still one people with you, even though we're settling on the other side of the river."