Joshua 8:31

31 as Moses Yahweh's servant commanded the {Israelites}, as [it is] written in the scroll of the law of Moses: "an altar of unhewn stones [on] which no one has {wielded} an iron implement." And they offered burnt offerings on it and sacrificed fellowship offerings.

Joshua 8:31 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:31

As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of
Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses
( Deuteronomy 27:5 ) ;

an altar of whole stones, on which no man hath lift up [any] iron;
(See Gill on Exodus 20:25), (See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:5), and, (See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:6):

and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed
peace offerings;
by way of thanksgiving for the good land they were introduced into, and this was what they were ordered to do by Moses, ( Deuteronomy 27:6 Deuteronomy 27:7 ) .

Joshua 8:31 In-Context

29 The king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the time of evening, and as the sun went down Joshua commanded [them], and they brought down his dead body from the tree. Then they threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and they raised over it a great heap of stones [that remains] to this day.

30 Then Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal for Yahweh the God of Israel,

31 as Moses Yahweh's servant commanded the {Israelites}, as [it is] written in the scroll of the law of Moses: "an altar of unhewn stones [on] which no one has {wielded} an iron implement." And they offered burnt offerings on it and sacrificed fellowship offerings.

32 And there Joshua wrote on the stones [a] copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the {Israelites}.

33 Then all Israel, {foreigner as well as native}, with the elders, officials, and judges stood {on either side} of the ark before the priests and the Levites, who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. Half of them [stood] in front of Mount Gerizim, and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses Yahweh's servant had commanded before to bless the people of Israel.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [b] Or "whole"
• [c] Literally "waved over them"
• [d] See Exod 20:25