Joshua 8:33

33 All Israel, foreigner and citizen alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on either side of the ark of the Lord's covenant facing the Levitical priests who carried it. As Moses the Lord's servant had commanded earlier, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, to bless the people of Israel.^[a]

Joshua 8:33 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:33

And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their
judges, stood on this side the ark, and on that side
Some on Ebal, and some on Gerizim:

before the priests and the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant
of the Lord;
it being brought out of the tabernacle on this occasion, and bottle by the priests and Levites:

as well the stranger, as he that was born among them;
that is, as well the proselytes as the native Israelites, both appeared and were in the same situation:

half of them over against Mount Gerizim;
that is, half of the tribes, and these were Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin:

and half of them over against Mount Ebal;
which were the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:12) and (See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:13);

as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they
should bless the people of Israel,
as in ( Deuteronomy 27:12 ) .

Joshua 8:33 In-Context

31 just as Moses the Lord's servant had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used. Then they offered burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings on it.

32 There on the stones, Joshua copied the law of Moses, which he had written in the presence of the Israelites.

33 All Israel, foreigner and citizen alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on either side of the ark of the Lord's covenant facing the Levitical priests who carried it. As Moses the Lord's servant had commanded earlier, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, to bless the people of Israel.

34 Afterwards, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law-the blessings as well as the curses-according to all that is written in the book of the law.

35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read before the entire assembly of Israel, including the women, little children, and foreigners who were with them.

Footnotes

• [a]. Dt 27:12-13