Joshua 8:34
in Joshua 8Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
KJV
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
⋯
This verse in Joshua 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAfterward - After the altar was built, and the stones plaistered and writ upon. He read - That is, he commanded the priests or Levites to read, Deut. xxvii, 14.
This site's exposition
Joshua read aloud all the words of the law
on Joshua 8:34-35
Deuteronomy 11:29 and 27:11-26 set this ceremony up, and these verses are the one place Scripture records it carried out. The hearers include “the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them”, the assembly Deuteronomy 31:12 named for the reading.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
I certainly think that whenever "Moses is read" to us and through the grace of the Lord "the veil of the letter is removed." and we begin to understand that "the law is spiritual," then the Lord Jesus reads that law to us.… The law, which Paul names "spiritual," is thus understood and Jesus himself is the one who recites these things in the ears of all the people, admonishing us that we not follow "the letter that kills" but that we hold fast "the life-giving spirit."24Therefore, Jesus reads the law to us when he reveals the secret things of the law.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And afterwards he read all the words of the law,.... Not the whole Pentateuch, nor the whole book of Deuteronomy, but either some parts of it, the decalogue, or whatsoever he had written on the stones, and as follows: the blessings and cursings, according to all that was written in the book of the law; Deu 27:14; See Gill on Deu 27:11.
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.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
afterward he read all the words of the law--caused the priests or Levites to read it (De 27:14). Persons are often said in Scripture to do that which they only command to be done.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַֽחֲרֵי־ | veacharei- | and after | H310 → | 715 times |
| כֵ֗ן | khen | thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| קָרָא֙ | kara' | he read aloud | H7121 → | 733 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֣י | divrei | [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַתּוֹרָ֔ה | hatorah | the law | H8451 → | 219 times |
| הַבְּרָכָ֖ה | haberakhah | the blessing | H1293 → | |
| וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה | vehakelalah | and the curse | H7045 → | |
| כְּכָל־ | kekhol- | according to every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַכָּת֖וּב | hakatuv | <the> [thing] written | H3789 → | 224 times |
| בְּסֵ֥פֶר | besefer | in [the] book of | H5612 → | 186 times |
| הַתּוֹרָֽה׃ | hatorah | the law | H8451 → | 219 times |
וְאַֽחֲרֵי־and after
veacharei-H310 →715 times
כֵ֗ןthus
khenH3651 →771 times
קָרָא֙he read aloud
kara'H7121 →733 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
דִּבְרֵ֣י[the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
הַתּוֹרָ֔הthe law
hatorahH8451 →219 times
הַבְּרָכָ֖הthe blessing
haberakhahH1293 →
וְהַקְּלָלָ֑הand the curse
vehakelalahH7045 →
כְּכָל־according to every
kekhol-H3605 →5413 times
הַכָּת֖וּב<the> [thing] written
hakatuvH3789 →224 times
בְּסֵ֥פֶרin [the] book of
beseferH5612 →186 times
הַתּוֹרָֽה׃the law
hatorahH8451 →219 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 1:8This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper…
it leads to
- Psalms 119:15
I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways.
- Psalms 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
- Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
- Proverbs 3:1
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
- Deuteronomy 29:9
So keep and follow the words of this covenant, that you may prosper in all you do.
- Psalms 119:15
Through
Nehemiah 13:1At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 23:3–5
No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even to the tenth generation.
- Nehemiah 9:3
While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in…
- Deuteronomy 31:11–12
when all Israel comes before the LORD your God at the place He will choose, you are to read this law in the hearing of all Israel.
- Deuteronomy 23:3–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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 9.8.