Exodus 20:25

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

If you make an altar of stones for Me, do not build it with stones that have been worked with tools; if you use your tool on it, you will defile 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

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

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

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

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

• 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.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

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

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  But and yf thou wilt make me an alter off stone, se thou make it not of hewed stone, for yf thou lyfte vp thy tole vpon it, thou shalt polute it.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And yf thou wilt make me an altare of stone, thou shalt not make it of hewen stone: For yf thou lift vp thy tole vpon it, thou shalt vnhalowe it.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But if thou wilt make mee an altar of stone, thou shalt not buylde it of hewen stones: for if thou lift vp thy toole vpon them, thou hast polluted them.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And if thou wylt make me an aulter of stone, see thou make it not of hewen stone: els if thou lyft vp thy toole vpon it, thou hast poluted it.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

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

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `And if an altar of stones thou dost make to Me, thou dost not build them of hewn work; when thy tool thou hast waved over it, then thou dost pollute it;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And if you make me an altar of stone do not make it of cut stones: for the touch of an instrument will make it unclean.

• World English Bible (2000)

  If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of stones shaped with tools, for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it.

Referenced Verses

• Deut 27:5-6 : 5 Build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool on them. 6 Use uncut stones to build the altar of the LORD your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God.
• Josh 8:31 : 31 He built it according to what Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the Israelites, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings.