Joshua 8:32 Study Bible: He wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

◄ Joshua 8:32 ►

And there in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

Study Bible

And there, in the presence of the Israelites
This phrase sets the scene for a significant communal event. The presence of the Israelites indicates a public and collective experience, emphasizing the importance of community in the worship and covenantal practices of Israel. Historically, the Israelites were a people bound by a shared identity and covenant with God, and this public act reinforces their unity and collective responsibility in upholding the law.

Joshua wrote on stones
The act of writing on stones is deeply symbolic. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, inscribing laws or decrees on stone was a way to ensure permanence and public accessibility. The Hebrew root for "wrote" (כָּתַב, kathab) implies a formal and authoritative act. This mirrors the giving of the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, signifying the enduring nature of God's law.

a copy of the law of Moses
This phrase underscores the continuity and fidelity to the Mosaic Law. The "law of Moses" refers to the Torah, the foundational legal and ethical code given to Israel. By making a copy, Joshua is ensuring that the law remains central to the life of the nation. It reflects a commitment to the divine instructions that were to guide Israel's conduct and relationship with God.

which he had written
The phrase "which he had written" emphasizes the direct transmission of the law from Moses to Joshua, and now to the people. It highlights the role of leadership in preserving and teaching God's commandments. The continuity of the written word is crucial for maintaining the covenantal relationship between God and His people. This act of writing serves as a reminder of the divine origin and authority of the law, as well as the responsibility of each generation to uphold it.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Joshua
The leader of the Israelites after Moses, tasked with leading them into the Promised Land. He is a central figure in this passage, acting in obedience to God's commands.

2. Israelites
The people of God, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are witnessing the renewal of the covenant through the inscribing of the law.

3. Stones
Large stones set up as a monument where Joshua inscribed the law. These stones served as a physical reminder of God's covenant and commandments.

4. Law of Moses
Refers to the commandments and instructions given by God to Moses, which form the basis of the covenant between God and Israel.

5. Mount Ebal
The location where this event takes place, significant for its role in the covenant renewal ceremony.

Teaching Points

Obedience to God's Commands
Joshua's actions demonstrate the importance of following God's instructions precisely. Believers are called to obey God's Word in their lives.

The Importance of God's Word
The inscribing of the law signifies the centrality of Scripture in the life of God's people. Christians should prioritize reading and meditating on the Bible.

Covenant Renewal
Just as Israel renewed their covenant with God, believers are encouraged to regularly renew their commitment to God through prayer and reflection.

Public Witness
The public nature of this event highlights the importance of living out one's faith openly. Christians are called to be witnesses to God's truth in their communities.

Remembrance and Memorials
The stones serve as a memorial to God's faithfulness and commands. Believers can establish personal reminders of God's work in their lives.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Joshua's obedience in inscribing the law on stones challenge us in our daily walk with God?

2. In what ways can we ensure that God's Word remains central in our lives, similar to how it was for the Israelites?

3. How can we incorporate regular covenant renewal practices in our spiritual lives today?

4. What are some practical ways we can be public witnesses of our faith in our communities?

5. How can we create personal memorials or reminders of God's faithfulness in our lives, and what might these look like?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Deuteronomy 27
This chapter outlines the instructions given by Moses for setting up stones and writing the law upon entering the Promised Land, which Joshua fulfills in this passage.

Exodus 24
Describes the original giving of the law and the covenant ceremony at Mount Sinai, paralleling the renewal of the covenant in Joshua 8.

2 Kings 23
King Josiah's reforms, where he renews the covenant and reads the law to the people, echoing Joshua's actions.

Sermons

Sacrifice and Law	J. Waite	Joshua 8:30-35
The Altar on Ebal, and the Reading and Recording of the Law	R. Glover	Joshua 8:30-35
The Fruits of Victory	R. Glover	Joshua 8:30-35
Ebal and Gerizim	F. B. Meyer, M. A.	Joshua 8:32-35
Ebal and Gerizim	A. B. Mackay.	Joshua 8:32-35
The Reading of the Law	Sermons by the Monday Club	Joshua 8:32-35

People

Israelites, Joshua, Levites

Places

Ai, Arabah, Bethel, Jericho, Mount Ebal, Mount Gerizim

Topics

Copied, Copy, Israelites, Joshua, Law, Presence, Sons, Stones, Writeth, Writing, Written, Wrote

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Joshua 8:30-32

4366 stones
5574 tablet

Joshua 8:30-35

4254 mountains

Joshua 8:31-32

7364 fellowship offering

Library

The National Oath at Shechem
'And Joshua said unto the people. Ye cannot serve the Lord: for He is an holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that He hath done you good. 21. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. 22. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve Him. And they said, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

February the Seventeenth Blessings and Cursings
"He read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings." --JOSHUA viii. 30-35. We are inclined to read only what pleases us, to hug the blessings and to ignore the warnings. We bask in the light, we close our eyes to the lightning. We recount the promises, we shut our ears to the rebukes. We love the passages which speak of our Master's gentleness, we turn away from those which reveal His severity. And all this is unwise, and therefore unhealthy. We become spiritually soft and anaemic. …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Whether it is Lawful to Lay Ambushes in War?
Objection 1: It would seem that it is unlawful to lay ambushes in war. For it is written (Dt. 16:20): "Thou shalt follow justly after that which is just." But ambushes, since they are a kind of deception, seem to pertain to injustice. Therefore it is unlawful to lay ambushes even in a just war. Objection 2: Further, ambushes and deception seem to be opposed to faithfulness even as lies are. But since we are bound to keep faith with all men, it is wrong to lie to anyone, as Augustine states (Contra …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Five Kings in a Cave
TEXT: "And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight."--Joshua 10:24-25. The history of the …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

Jesus in the Tomb.
It was about three o'clock in the afternoon, according to our manner of reckoning,[1] when Jesus expired. A Jewish law[2] forbade a corpse suspended on the cross to be left beyond the evening of the day of the execution. It is not probable that in the executions performed by the Romans this rule was observed; but as the next day was the Sabbath, and a Sabbath of peculiar solemnity, the Jews expressed to the Roman authorities[3] their desire that this holy day should not be profaned by such a spectacle.[4] …
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

Beth-El. Beth-Aven.
Josephus thus describes the land of Benjamin; "The Benjamites' portion of land was from the river Jordan to the sea, in length: in breadth, it was bounded by Jerusalem and Beth-el." Let these last words be marked, "The breadth of the land of Benjamin was bounded by Jerusalem and Beth-el." May we not justly conclude, from these words, that Jerusalem and Beth-el were opposite, as it were, in a right line? But if you look upon the maps, there are some that separate these by a very large tract of land, …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Crucifixion.
Subdivision D. Jesus Found to Be Dead. His Body Buried and Guarded in the Tomb. ^A Matt. XXVII. 57-66; ^B Mark XV. 42-47; ^C Luke XXIII. 50-56; ^D John XIX. 31-42. ^d 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross upon the sabbath (for the day of that sabbath was a high day ), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. [According to rabbinical writing a few hours before the Sabbath were called the Preparation; …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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