Joshua 8:32
New International Version
There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses.

New Living Translation
And as the Israelites watched, Joshua copied onto the stones of the altar the instructions Moses had given them.

English Standard Version
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.

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

King James Bible
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

New King James Version
And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

New American Standard Bible
And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.

NASB 1995
He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.

NASB 1977
And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.

Amplified Bible
And there, in the presence of the sons of Israel, Joshua wrote on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses which Moses had written.

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
There on the stones, Joshua copied the law of Moses, which he had written in the presence of the Israelites.

American Standard Version
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote, in the presence of the children of Israel.

English Revised Version
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote, in the presence of the children of Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
There in front of the people of Israel he wrote on stone slabs a copy of the Teachings which Moses had written down.

Good News Translation
There, with the Israelites looking on, Joshua made on the stones a copy of the Law which Moses had written.

International Standard Version
There Joshua inscribed on stones a copy of the Law of Moses that Moses had presented to the Israelis.

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

NET Bible
There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a duplicate of the law written by Moses.

New Heart English 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

World English Bible
He wrote there on the stones a copy of Moses’ law, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he writes there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he has written in the presence of the sons of Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
and he writeth there on the stones the copy of the law of Moses, which he hath written in the presence of the sons of Israel.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will write there upon the stones the second of the law of Moses which he wrote before the sons of Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he wrote upon stones the Deuteronomy of the law of Moses, which he had ordered before the children of Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he wrote on the stones, the Deuteronomy of the law of Moses, which he had set in order before the sons of Israel.

New American Bible
There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed upon the stones a copy of the law written by Moses.

New Revised Standard Version
And there, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he wrote there upon the stones of the altar a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he wrote there on these stones of the altar a copy of the Law of Moshe that he wrote before the children of Israel
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote before the children of Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua wrote upon the stones a copy of the law, even the law of Moses, before the children of Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joshua Renews the Covenant
31just as Moses the servant of the LORD 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.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings. 32And there in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier, to bless the people of Israel.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 27:2-8
And on the day you cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster. / Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you. / And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster. ...

Deuteronomy 31:9
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

Exodus 24:4
And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.

Deuteronomy 31:24-26
When Moses had finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, / he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD: / “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, so that it may remain there as a witness against you.

2 Kings 23:3
So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Nehemiah 8:1-3
At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. / On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand. / So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:8
So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.

2 Chronicles 34:30-31
And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites—all the people great and small—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. / So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20
When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. / It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes. / Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.

2 Chronicles 23:16
Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people.

2 Kings 11:17
Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

2 Chronicles 29:10
Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that His fierce anger will turn away from us.

Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

2 Chronicles 34:14-15
While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses. / And Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!” And he gave it to Shaphan.

2 Chronicles 35:6
Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your fellow countrymen to carry out the word of the LORD given by Moses.”


Treasury of Scripture

And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 27:2,3,8
And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: …

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Joshua 8
1. God encourages Joshua
3. The plan whereby Ai was taken
29. The king thereof is hanged
30. Joshua builds an altar
32. writes the law on stones
33. and pronounces the blessings and curses














And there in the presence of the Israelites
This phrase emphasizes the public nature of the event. The Israelites were gathered to witness the inscribing of the law, highlighting the communal aspect of their covenant with God. This public act ensured transparency and accountability, reinforcing the collective responsibility of the people to uphold the law. It mirrors the earlier covenant renewal ceremonies, such as the one at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24), where the law was given in the presence of the entire nation.

Joshua inscribed on the stones
The act of inscribing the law on stones signifies permanence and durability, symbolizing the enduring nature of God's commandments. This practice of writing on stones was common in ancient Near Eastern cultures for important decrees and treaties. The use of stones also connects to the earlier command in Deuteronomy 27:2-3, where Moses instructed the Israelites to set up large stones and coat them with plaster to write the law upon entering the Promised Land.

a copy of the law of Moses
This refers to the Torah, particularly the commandments and statutes given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The law served as the foundation of Israel's covenant relationship with God, guiding their moral, social, and religious life. By inscribing a copy, Joshua was reaffirming the centrality of the law in the life of the nation. This act also prefigures the New Covenant, where the law is written on the hearts of believers (Jeremiah 31:33).

which he had written
This phrase indicates that Joshua was following the instructions given by Moses, who had written down the law as commanded by God (Deuteronomy 31:9). It underscores the continuity of leadership and the faithfulness of Joshua in adhering to the divine mandate. The written law served as a tangible reminder of God's will and a standard against which the Israelites could measure their obedience.

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.Verse 32. - And he wrote there upon the stones; i.e., upon the plaster, as we read in Deuteronomy 27:2, 4. "The wall destined to receive the picture," and it was just the same with inscriptions - was covered with a coating of lime and gypsum plaster. The outline was then sketched with red chalk, and afterwards corrected and filled in with black (Keurick's 'Egypt,' 1, p. 271). Thomson ('Land and the Book,' Io. 471) says that he has seen writings in plaster which could not have been less than two thousand years old. This passage shows that our author had Deuteronomy 28:2, 3 in his mind. The stones of the altar, which alone have been mentioned, are clearly not meant here, but the erection of plastered stone on which the law was to be written. A copy of the law of Moses, "Deuteronomium legis," Vulgate. So also LXX. Not the whole law, nor yet the Book of Deuteronomy, for time would not permit,but the decalogue, as the word מִשְׁנֶה duplicate, from whence the word Mishna comes, signifies. It is to be observed that the word is definite, the copy, not a copy, of the law. This (Deuteronomy 5:22) was what was written on the two tables of stone, which (Exodus 24:12, 31:18) God gave to Moses. Yet it is possible that, as some commentaters suggest, and as ver. 34 may be held to imply, what is meant is the curses and blessings mentioned in Deuteronomy 27, and 28. The formal setting up of this memorial was intended to remind the Israelites, by a perpetual standing witness, of the conditions on which they held the land of Canaan. And it is to be observed that the moral, rather than the positive, precepts of the law were thus solemnly enjoined on them, since neglect of the moral law of God is the invariable source of national degradation and decay. Which he wrote. Namely, Joshua.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And there
שָׁ֖ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

in the presence
לִפְנֵ֖י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of the Israelites,
בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

[Joshua] inscribed
וַיִּכְתָּב־ (way·yiḵ·tāḇ-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the stones
הָאֲבָנִ֑ים (hā·’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68: A stone

a copy
מִשְׁנֵה֙ (miš·nêh)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4932: A repetition, a duplicate, a double, a second

of the Law
תּוֹרַ֣ת (tō·w·raṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law

of Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

he had written.
כָּתַ֔ב (kā·ṯaḇ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write


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OT History: Joshua 8:32 He wrote there on the stones (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 8:31
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