Joshua 8:32

32 And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on ¹the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

Joshua 8:32 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:32

And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of
Moses
Not upon the stones of which the altar was made, though some have so thought; but upon other stones erected in the form of a pillar, and plastered over, ( Deuteronomy 27:4 ) ; which copy of the law was not the whole book of Deuteronomy, as some, at least only an abstract of the laws in it; but rather the decalogue, as Abarbinel; or the blessings and curses later read, as Ben Gersom:

which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel:
they being witness of it, that he did what was enjoined.

Joshua 8:32 In-Context

30 At that time Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,

31 just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, "an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool." And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings.

32 And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

33 And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel.

34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 27:2-4