Joshua 8:33
in Joshua 8All 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And all Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, as well the sojourner as the home-born; half of them in front of mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.
KJV
And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
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This verse in Joshua 8
Commentary
9 notes on this verseAll Israel - That is, the whole congregation, old and young, male and female. That side - Some on one side of it, and some on the other. Mount Gerizim - These two places were in the tribe of Ephraim, not far from Shechem, as appears both from scripture, and from other authors.
This site's exposition
All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike
The tribes stand as Deuteronomy 27:12-13 assigned them. The foreigner stands beside the citizen, the rule of Exodus 12:49 kept in the first covenant act inside the land. The ground is Shechem, where Abram built his first altar in Genesis 12:6-7, and Joseph’s bones are buried at 24:32.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Now it is for God alone to know who of all of us sons of Israel is kindled by desire of the good itself to do what is good, and who of us, out of fear of Gehenna and the terror of eternal fire, strives toward the good and is diligent and hastens to fulfill the things that have been written. It is certain that the nobler ones are those who do what is good by the desire of the good itself and by the love of blessings, rather than those who run after the good through the fear of evil. Therefore, Jesus alone is the one who is able to distinguish the minds and spirits of all such people, and to station some on Mount Gerizim for blessings and others on Mount Ebal for cursings. Not so that they may receive curses but that they may guard against incurring them by gazing at the curses prescribed and punishments set down for sinners.
But how shall we ourselves apply this narration of history to mystic discernment so that we may make known who they are who go near Mount Gerizim and who they are who go near Mount Ebal?As I myself see, there are two species of those who through faith hasten and go quickly toward salvation. One of them are those who, kindled by the longing for the promise of heaven, press forward with the greatest zeal and diligence so that not even the least happiness may pass them by.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark, and on that side,....
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.
(2.) The tribes were posted, as Moses directed, six towards Gerizim and six towards Ebal. And the ark in the midst of the valley was between them, for it was the ark of the covenant; and in it were shut up the close rolls of that law which was copied out and shown openly upon the stones. The covenant was commanded, and the command covenanted.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side--One half of Israel was arranged on Gerizim, and the other half on Ebal--along the sides and base of each. before the priests the Levites--in full view of them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Half of them over against Mount Gerizim - See the arrangement of the whole of this business in the note and observations on Deu 27:26 (note). And see also the notes on Deuteronomy 28:1-68 (note).
The words behind it
38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וּזְקֵנָ֡יו | uzekenav | and elders its | H2205 → | 178 times |
| וְשֹׁטְרִ֣ים׀ | veshoterim | and officials | H7860 → | 25 times |
| וְשֹׁפְטָ֡יו | veshofetav | and judges its | H8199 → | 202 times |
| עֹמְדִ֣ים | ʾomedim | [were] standing | H5975 → | 521 times |
| מִזֶּ֣ה׀ | mizeh | from this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וּמִזֶּ֣ה׀ | umizeh | and from this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| לָאָר֡וֹן | laaron | of the ark | H727 → | 202 times |
| נֶגֶד֩ | neged | before | H5048 → | 151 times |
| הַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֜ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| נֹשְׂאֵ֣י׀ | noseei | [the] bearers of | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֲר֣וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| בְּרִית־ | berit- | [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כַּגֵּר֙ | kager | as the sojourner | H1616 → | 92 times |
| כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח | kaezrach | as the native | H249 → | |
| חֶצְיוֹ֙ | chetzyo | half of it | H2677 → | 125 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מ֣וּל | mul | [the] front of | H4136 → | 36 times |
| הַר־ | har- | [the] mountain of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| גְּרִזִ֔ים | gerizim | Gerizim | H1630 → | |
| וְהַֽחֶצְי֖וֹ | vehachetzyo | and <the> half of it | H2677 → | 125 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מ֣וּל | mul | [the] front of | H4136 → | 36 times |
| הַר־ | har- | [the] mountain of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| עֵיבָ֑ל | ʾeival | Ebal | H5858 → | |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֜ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֣ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| עֶֽבֶד־ | ʾeved- | [the] servant of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לְבָרֵ֛ךְ | levarekh | to bless | H1288 → | 330 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעָ֥ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בָּרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ | barishonah | at the former [time] | H7223 → | 182 times |
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֡לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וּזְקֵנָ֡יוand elders its
uzekenavH2205 →178 times
וְשֹׁטְרִ֣ים׀and officials
veshoterimH7860 →25 times
וְשֹׁפְטָ֡יוand judges its
veshofetavH8199 →202 times
עֹמְדִ֣ים[were] standing
ʾomedimH5975 →521 times
מִזֶּ֣ה׀from this
mizehH2088 →1180 times
וּמִזֶּ֣ה׀and from this
umizehH2088 →1180 times
לָאָר֡וֹןof the ark
laaronH727 →202 times
נֶגֶד֩before
negedH5048 →151 times
הַכֹּהֲנִ֨יםthe priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
הַלְוִיִּ֜םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
נֹשְׂאֵ֣י׀[the] bearers of
noseeiH5375 →656 times
אֲר֣וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
בְּרִית־[the] covenant of
berit-H1285 →284 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
כַּגֵּר֙as the sojourner
kagerH1616 →92 times
כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔חas the native
kaezrachH249 →
חֶצְיוֹ֙half of it
chetzyoH2677 →125 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מ֣וּל[the] front of
mulH4136 →36 times
הַר־[the] mountain of
har-H2022 →546 times
גְּרִזִ֔יםGerizim
gerizimH1630 →
וְהַֽחֶצְי֖וֹand <the> half of it
vehachetzyoH2677 →125 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מ֣וּל[the] front of
mulH4136 →36 times
הַר־[the] mountain of
har-H2022 →546 times
עֵיבָ֑לEbal
ʾeivalH5858 →
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֜הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
מֹשֶׁ֣הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
עֶֽבֶד־[the] servant of
ʾeved-H5650 →799 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לְבָרֵ֛ךְto bless
levarekhH1288 →330 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעָ֥םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בָּרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃at the former [time]
barishonahH7223 →182 times
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
Joshua 4:18When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan and their feet touched the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their course…
it leads to
- Joshua 3:15
Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
- Joshua 3:15
Through
Deuteronomy 31:12Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigners within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and to follow carefully all the words of this law.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 4:10
The day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, “Gather the people before Me to hear My words, so that they may learn to fear Me all…
- Psalms 19:7–11
The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.
- Deuteronomy 6:6–7
These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
- Psalms 34:11–14
Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
- Deuteronomy 4:10
Through
Deuteronomy 31:9So 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.
it leads to
- Numbers 4:15
When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they…
- Joshua 3:3
and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
- Numbers 4:15
Through
Deuteronomy 11:29When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 27:12–26
“When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
- Deuteronomy 27:12–26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 9.7.