Ed

Witness, a word not found in the original Hebrew, nor in the LXX. and Vulgate, but added by the translators in the Authorized Version, also in the Revised Version, of Josh. 22:34. The words are literally rendered: “And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar. It is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.” This great altar stood probably on the east side of the Jordan, in the land of Gilead, “over against the land of Canaan.” After the division of the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, on returning to their own settlements on the east of Jordan (Josh. 22:1-6), erected a great altar, which they affirmed, in answer to the challenge of the other tribes, was not for sacrifice, but only as a witness (‘Ed) or testimony to future generations that they still retained the same interest in the nation as the other tribes.

(witness), a word inserted in the Authorized Version of (Joshua 22:34) apparently on the authority of a few MSS., and also of the Syriac and Arabic versions, but not existing in the generally-received Hebrew text.

ED (witness). This word printed in italics, is inserted in Josh 22:34 as the name given to the altar set up by the trans-Jordanic tribes, but it does not occur in the received Hebrew text, which, literally translated, reads, "And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar: 'It [i. e. the altar] is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.'" Some place the altar on the east or Moab side of the Jordan. Conder put it on the west side, at Kurn Surtaheh, 11 miles north-east of Shiloh, but this identification is disputed.

witness

ED (witness). This word printed in italics, is inserted in Josh 22:34 as the name given to the altar set up by the trans-Jordanic tribes, but it does not occur in the received Hebrew text, which, literally translated, reads, "And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar: 'It [i. e. the altar] is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.'" Some place the altar on the east or Moab side of the Jordan. Conder put it on the west side, at Kurn Surtaheh, 11 miles north-east of Shiloh, but this identification is disputed.