Scripture · Old Testament

Exodus 20:25

Exodus 20:25 is verse 25 of Exodus chapter 20, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.

BSB source and public domain terms

King James 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.

World English Bible

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.

Read in context

Exodus 20:23–26 · Berean Standard Bible

23 You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.

24 You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.

25 Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.

26 And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

Read all of Exodus 20

Hebrew words

וְאִםand if מִזְבַּ֤חan altar of אֲבָנִים֙stones תַּֽעֲשֶׂהyou will make לִּ֔יfor <the> me לֹֽאnot תִבְנֶ֥הyou must build אֶתְהֶ֖ן<obj.> them גָּזִ֑יתhewn [stone]כִּ֧יfor חַרְבְּךָ֛tool your הֵנַ֥פְתָּyou have wielded עָלֶ֖יהָon it וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָand you have profaned it

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Deuteronomy 27:5
Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them.

Deuteronomy 27:6
You shall build the altar of the LORD your God with uncut stones and offer upon it burnt offerings to the LORD your God.

Joshua 8:31
just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.

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