Exodus 20:25

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָ׃

Transliteration

wə-ʾim-mizbēaḥ ʾăbānîm taʿăśeh-to me lōʾ-tibneh ʾethen gāzît kî ḥarbəḵā hēnap̄tā upon her wa-təḥaləlehā

Grammar Details

*wə-ʾim*: conjunction + conditional particle - and if
*mizbēaḥ*: noun, masculine singular construct - altar of
*ʾăbānîm*: noun, feminine plural - stones
*taʿăśeh*: Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you shall make
*lî*: preposition + 1st person singular suffix - to/for me
*lōʾ*: negative particle - not
*tibneh*: Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you shall build
*ʾethen*: direct object + 3rd feminine plural suffix - them
*gāzît*: noun, feminine singular - hewn stone/cut stone
*kî*: conjunction - for/because
*ḥarbəḵā*: noun + 2nd masculine singular suffix - your sword/tool
*hēnap̄tā*: Hiphil perfect 2nd masculine singular - you have wielded/swung/waved
*ʿālehā*: preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix - upon it/her
*wa-təḥaləlehā*: conjunction + Piel imperfect 2nd masculine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix - and you profane/defile it

Word Meanings

*mizbēaḥ*: altar/place of sacrifice
*ʾăbānîm*: stones/rocks
*taʿăśeh*: make/construct/fashion
*tibneh*: build/construct
*gāzît*: hewn stone/dressed stone/cut stone
*ḥereb*: sword/knife/tool
*hēnap̄tā*: waved/lifted/swung
*təḥaləlehā*: profane/defile/pollute/make common

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Deut 27:5-6 : 5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto Jehovah thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt lift up no iron [tool] upon them. 6 Thou shalt build the altar of Jehovah thy God of unhewn stones; and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto Jehovah thy God:
Josh 8:31 : 31 as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of unhewn stones, upon which no man had lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, and sacrificed peace-offerings.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Deut 27:5-6
2 verses
84%
5And there shalt thou build an altar unto Jehovah thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt lift up no iron [tool] upon them.
6Thou shalt build the altar of Jehovah thy God of unhewn stones; and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto Jehovah thy God:
Exod 20:26
82%
26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.
Exod 20:23-24
2 verses
78%
23Ye shall not make [other gods] with me; gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you.
24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in every place where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee.
Deut 12:4
75%
4Ye shall not do so unto Jehovah your God.
Josh 22:23
74%
23that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Jehovah; or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon, let Jehovah himself require it;
Exod 29:37
74%
37Seven days thou shalt make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it: and the altar shall be most holy; whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
Josh 22:19
74%
19Howbeit, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of Jehovah, wherein Jehovah's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against Jehovah, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of Jehovah our God.
Josh 22:26
73%
26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice:
Exod 27:1
73%
1And thou shalt make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
Deut 16:21-22
2 verses
73%
21Thou shalt not plant thee an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
22Neither shalt thou set thee up a pillar; which Jehovah thy God hateth.
Exod 20:3-4
2 verses
73%
3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness [of any thing] that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Lev 26:1
72%
1Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God.
Exod 30:1
72%
1And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it.
Exod 34:17
72%
17Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
Exod 40:10
71%
10And thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and sanctify the altar: and the altar shall be most holy.
Deut 5:7-8
2 verses
71%
7Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
8Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, [nor] any likeness [of anything] that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Ezek 20:32
71%
32and that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, in that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
Exod 34:13
71%
13but ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim
Judg 6:26
71%
26and build an altar unto Jehovah thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down.
Lev 22:24
71%
24That which hath its stones bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut, ye shall not offer unto Jehovah; neither shall ye do [thus] in your land.
Exod 38:1
71%
1And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
Judg 2:2
70%
2and ye shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall break down their altars. But ye have not hearkened unto my voice: why have ye done this?
Mic 5:13
70%
13and I will cut off thy graven images and thy pillars out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands;
Josh 22:28-29
2 verses
70%
28Therefore said we, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.
29Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn away this day from following Jehovah, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle.
Matt 23:20
70%
20He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
1 Kgs 18:32
70%
32And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
Deut 4:25
70%
25When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah thy God, to provoke him to anger;
Jer 25:6
70%
6and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the work of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.
Exod 34:15
70%
15lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot after their gods, and sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice;
Exod 21:14
70%
14And if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Isa 27:9
70%
9Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, [so that] the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more.
Josh 8:31
69%
31as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of unhewn stones, upon which no man had lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, and sacrificed peace-offerings.
2 Chr 4:1
69%
1Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
Exod 22:20
69%
20He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto Jehovah only, shall be utterly destroyed.
Isa 57:7
69%
7Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Exod 23:24
69%
24Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and break in pieces their pillars.
Lev 19:4
69%
4Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am Jehovah your God.
Josh 22:16
69%
16Thus saith the whole congregation of Jehovah, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Jehovah, in that ye have builded you an altar, to rebel this day against Jehovah?
Deut 4:23
69%
23Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image in the form of anything which Jehovah thy God hath forbidden thee.
Exod 27:8
69%
8Hollow with planks shalt thou make it: as it hath been showed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.
Deut 17:1
69%
1Thou shalt not sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God an ox, or a sheep, wherein is a blemish, [or] anything evil; for that is an abomination unto Jehovah thy God.
Exod 34:3
69%
3And no man shall come up with thee; neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
Deut 12:25
69%
25Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah.
Lev 22:20
69%
20But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.