Joshua 8:30
in Joshua 8At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Joshua built an altar unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, in mount Ebal,
KJV
Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal,
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This verse in Joshua 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The account of this solemnity is very brief. An acquaintance with Deut. 27 is evidently presupposed; and the three several acts of which the solemnity consisted are only so far distinctly named as is necessary to show that the commands of Moses there given were fully carried out by Joshua. It is difficult to escape the conviction that these verses are here out of their proper and original place.
This site's exposition
Then Joshua built an altar
on Joshua 8:30-31
Ebal stands at Shechem, about twenty miles north of Ai through country Israel had not taken, and the text gives no account of the march or of anyone opposing it. The altar answers Deuteronomy 27:4-6 to the letter, whole stones with no iron lifted on them, which is the law of the altar in Exodus 20:25. The Samaritan Pentateuch reads Gerizim instead of Ebal at Deuteronomy 27:4, and that variant is the ground of the Samaritan claim for their own mountain which the woman raises at John 4:20.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
), in token of their dedication of themselves to God, as living sacrifices to his honour, in and by a Mediator, who is the altar that sanctifies this gift. This altar was erected on Mount Ebal, the mount on which the curse was put ( Deut. xi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
And indeed this work was fit to be done as soon as might be, that thereby they might renew their covenant with God, by whose help alone they could expect success in their great and difficult enterprize. Built an altar - Namely, for the offering of sacrifices, as appears from the following verse.
Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal. As was commanded, Deu 27:
Note, When we have faithfully put away sin, that accursed thing, which separates between us and God, then, and not till then, we may expect to hear from God to our comfort; and God's directing us how to go on in our Christian work and warfare is a good evidence of his being reconciled to us.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Then Joshua built an altar - This was done in obedience to the express command of God, Deu 27:4-8 (note).
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אָ֣ז | ʾaz | then | H227 → | 141 times |
| יִבְנֶ֤ה | yivneh | he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| מִזְבֵּ֔חַ | mizbeach | an altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֖ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בְּהַ֖ר | behar | on [the] mountain of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| עֵיבָֽל׃ | ʾeival | Ebal | H5858 → |
אָ֣זthen
ʾazH227 →141 times
יִבְנֶ֤הhe built
yivnehH1129 →376 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙Joshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
מִזְבֵּ֔חַan altar
mizbeachH4196 →401 times
לַֽיהוָ֖הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בְּהַ֖רon [the] mountain of
beharH2022 →546 times
עֵיבָֽל׃Ebal
ʾeivalH5858 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 20:24You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 12:5
Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
- Psalms 132:13–14
For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home:
- 2 Chronicles 6:6
But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
- 1 Kings 9:3
And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple you have built by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart…
- 2 Chronicles 7:16
For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
- Deuteronomy 12:5
Through
Genesis 8:20Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:15–16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
- Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
- Genesis 22:9
When they arrived at the place God had designated, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, atop the wood.
- Hebrews 13:15–16
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.