²¹ The descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the officials of the tribes^[a] of Israel, ²² “The God of gods, the Lord, the God of gods, the Lord is the one who knows! And may Israel itself be aware that if this^[b] was an act of rebellion or an act of treachery against the Lord, may he not deliver us today! ²³ If we have built an altar for ourselves intended to turn us away from following the Lord, or to offer burnt offerings, grain offerings, or peace offerings on it, may the Lord himself demand an accounting from us!^[c]