Exo 20:25 | NETfull | STEP | 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.

Exodus 20:25

25 If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it ^{▼▼ Heb “them” referring to the stones.} of stones shaped with tools, ^{▼▼ Heb “of hewn stones.” Gesenius classifies this as an adverbial accusative – “you shall not build them (the stones of the altar) as hewn stones.” The remoter accusative is in apposition to the nearer (GKC 372 #117.kk).} for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it. ^{▼▼ The verb is a preterite with vav (ו) consecutive. It forms the apodosis in a conditional clause: “if you lift up your tool on it…you have defiled it.”}