Deu 27:22 | TNotes | STEP | 27:22 whether ... the daughter of his father or his mother: Though this instruction concerns a relationship with a half sister or foster sibling, it precludes a sexual relationship with one’s full sibling as well (see Lev 18:9 ; 20:17 ). Thematic note: Altars The first recorded altar in Scripture was built by Noah (Gen 8:20-21 ), though Cain and Abel gave God an offering (4:3-5 ). The patriarchs built numerous altars (see 12:7-8 ; 13:4 , 18 ; 22:9 ; 26:25 ; 33:20 ; 35:1 , 14-15 ). These altars designated sacred sites of divine revelation and personal land claims in the Promised Land, both north (in Shechem) and south (in Beersheba). Altars were made of stone, earth, brick, or metal and wood. Their table-like form allowed smoke to rise unhindered. Intended as a memorial or a place for sacrifice, an altar was the most common image of worship in the Old Testament and in the wider ancient world. The typical altar was on a raised platform accessed by a ramp or stairway; this elevated the sacrificial worship toward heaven. The four horns on the corners of many altars (see Exod 27:2 ) marked off the sacred space of meeting between divine and human realms. Through sacrifice and burning, the offering was transferred from the visible to the invisible world. Jesus unites the various aspects of the altar imagery in himself as high priest, sacrificial lamb, and altar (see Heb 4:14-15 ; 7:24 , 27 ; 9:14 , 26 ; 10:10 ; 13:10 , 12 ). Jesus anticipated his own sacrifice in his reference to the blood of martyrs (see Matt 23:35 ; Luke 11:50-51 ), and the cross serves as the final altar. Thus, the enthroned Lamb in Revelation removes the need for temple and altar (Rev 21:22 ). Passages for Further Study Gen 8:20-21 ; 12:7-8 ; 22:9-14 ; 33:20 ; Exod 20:24-26 ; Josh 22:10-34 ; 1 Kgs 18:20-40 ; Hos 8:11-13 ; Matt 5:23-24 ; Heb 13:10-14 ; Rev 6:9 ; 8:3-5

27:22 ^a whether ... the daughter of his father or his mother: Though this instruction concerns a relationship with a half sister or foster sibling, it precludes a sexual relationship with one’s full sibling as well (see Lev 18:9 ^b; 20:17 ^c).

Thematic note: Altars
The first recorded altar in Scripture was built by Noah (Gen 8:20-21 ^d), though Cain and Abel gave God an offering (4:3-5 ^e). The patriarchs built numerous altars (see 12:7-8 ^f; 13:4 ^g, 18 ^h; 22:9 ⁱ; 26:25 ^j; 33:20 ^k; 35:1 ^l, 14-15 ^m). These altars designated sacred sites of divine revelation and personal land claims in the Promised Land, both north (in Shechem) and south (in Beersheba). Altars were made of stone, earth, brick, or metal and wood. Their table-like form allowed smoke to rise unhindered. Intended as a memorial or a place for sacrifice, an altar was the most common image of worship in the Old Testament and in the wider ancient world. The typical altar was on a raised platform accessed by a ramp or stairway; this elevated the sacrificial worship toward heaven. The four horns on the corners of many altars (see Exod 27:2 ⁿ) marked off the sacred space of meeting between divine and human realms. Through sacrifice and burning, the offering was transferred from the visible to the invisible world.
Jesus unites the various aspects of the altar imagery in himself as high priest, sacrificial lamb, and altar (see Heb 4:14-15 ^o; 7:24 ^p, 27 ^q; 9:14 ^r, 26 ^s; 10:10 ^t; 13:10 ^u, 12 ^v). Jesus anticipated his own sacrifice in his reference to the blood of martyrs (see Matt 23:35 ^w; Luke 11:50-51 ^x), and the cross serves as the final altar. Thus, the enthroned Lamb in Revelation removes the need for temple and altar (Rev 21:22 ^y).

Passages for Further Study
Gen 8:20-21 ^z; 12:7-8 ^aa; 22:9-14 ^ab; 33:20 ^ac; Exod 20:24-26 ^ad; Josh 22:10-34 ^ae; 1 Kgs 18:20-40 ^af; Hos 8:11-13 ^ag; Matt 5:23-24 ^ah; Heb 13:10-14 ^ai; Rev 6:9 ^aj; 8:3-5 ^ak