Joshua 8:34 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.
Joshua 8:34 nkjv
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.
Joshua 8:34 niv
Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law?the blessings and the curses?just as it is written in the Book of the Law.
Joshua 8:34 esv
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.
Joshua 8:34 nlt
Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of Instruction.
Joshua 8 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 27:2-3 | "...when you cross over... set up large stones and plaster them... write all the words of this law on them..." | Moses commands the setting up of the Law. |
| Deut 27:11-13 | "...These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people... And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse..." | Designation of mountains for blessings/curses. |
| Deut 28:1-14 | "...if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God... all these blessings shall come upon you..." | Detailed list of blessings for obedience. |
| Deut 28:15-68 | "...if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God... all these curses shall come upon you..." | Detailed list of curses for disobedience. |
| Deut 31:9-12 | "...Moses wrote this law... commanded them, 'At the end of every seven years... you shall read this law before all Israel...'" | Moses' command for public reading of the Law. |
| Deut 31:26 | "Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant..." | Authority and preservation of the written Law. |
| Ex 24:7 | "Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people..." | Previous covenant reading at Sinai. |
| Lev 26:3-45 | Comprehensive chapter detailing blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. | Foundational Old Testament covenant principles. |
| Neh 8:1-8 | "...Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform... and he read from it..." | Public reading of the Law in post-exilic times. |
| 2 Kgs 23:1-3 | "Then the king went up to the house of the LORD... and read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant..." | Josiah's reform based on rediscovered Law. |
| Ps 1:1-2 | "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly... but his delight is in the law of the LORD..." | The blessedness of meditating on God's Law. |
| Ps 19:7-11 | "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure..." | The perfect and life-giving nature of God's Law. |
| Ps 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." | Guidance and illumination from God's word. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven... so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth..." | The efficacy and power of God's word. |
| Jer 1:9 | "...I have put my words in your mouth." | Divine origin and authority of spoken word. |
| Mal 4:4 | "Remember the law of Moses, my servant, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel." | Call to remember and obey Moses' Law. |
| Jn 1:1 | "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." | Christ as the ultimate manifestation of God's Word. |
| Matt 5:17-19 | "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." | Jesus' affirmation of the Law's enduring validity. |
| Rom 2:12-16 | "For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law." | Law reveals sin and its consequences. |
| Gal 3:10 | "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law...'" | Highlights the curse of failing the Law's demands. |
| Jas 1:22-25 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." | Importance of obeying the Word, not just hearing it. |
| Jos 21:45 | "Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed..." | God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. |
Joshua 8 verses
Joshua 8 34 Meaning
Joshua 8:34 describes a foundational act following Israel's entry into Canaan: Joshua publicly read "all the words of the Law," encompassing both the promises of blessing for obedience and the warnings of cursing for disobedience. This declaration occurred in the solemn context of a covenant renewal ceremony, fulfilling the command given by Moses, thereby establishing the divine Torah as the supreme authority and guide for the newly established nation in the Promised Land.
Joshua 8 34 Context
Joshua 8:34 occurs after Israel's victory over Ai, following the prior defeat at Ai due to Achan's sin and subsequent repentance. This military success paves the way for the spiritual cornerstone event described in verses 30-35: the solemn covenant renewal ceremony at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. This was a direct fulfillment of Moses' final command (Deut 27:1-8; 31:9-12), given before his death, to formally reaffirm Israel's covenant with Yahweh upon entering the Promised Land. Joshua ensures that the entire nation, including foreigners and children, partakes in this re-dedication, establishing the supremacy of God's Law as the foundation of their national identity and their claim to the land.
Joshua 8 34 Word analysis
- And afterward (ואחרי כן, va'aharei ken): Connects this significant religious act to the preceding military conquest (of Ai), signaling a shift from war to covenant affirmation. It emphasizes that the secure possession of the land is directly linked to faithfulness to God's law.
- he read (קרא, qara): Hebrew "to call out," "to proclaim aloud," or "to read publicly." This highlights that the Law was not merely observed individually or silently studied, but audibly declared for all to hear. This oral tradition ensured public understanding and commitment, echoing the importance of listening and obedience (Shema, Deut 6:4).
- all the words (כל-דברי, kol-divrei): Implies completeness and comprehensiveness. Nothing from the divine instruction was omitted. Divrei (words/matters) emphasizes the specific, divinely revealed pronouncements, distinct from human philosophies or decrees. This directly challenges the fragmentary or ritualistic nature of local pagan religions.
- of the law (התורה, ha-Torah): Refers to the divine "instruction" or "teaching," not just a set of rules. This is the revealed will of God given through Moses at Sinai, forming the foundational covenant document for Israel. It encompasses the moral, civil, and ceremonial statutes given by God.
- the blessings (הברכה, ha-berakhah): Specific divine promises of favor, prosperity, life, and well-being conditioned on obedience to the covenant. These correspond to the provisions detailed in Deuteronomy 28:1-14.
- and the cursings (והקללה, veha-qelalah): Specific divine warnings of judgment, misfortune, sickness, and death, resulting from covenant disobedience. These are outlined in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. This duality underscores the gravity of choice and consequences in the covenant relationship with God, distinguishing Israel's mono-divine faith from the arbitrary gods of Canaan.
- according to all that is written (ככל-הכתוב, ke-khol ha-katuv): Stresses exact fidelity to the text. Joshua's reading was not a reinterpretation or summary but a precise recitation of the established, authoritative written revelation. This underscores the unchangeable nature of God's word and established its supremacy over human tradition.
- in the book of the law (בספר התורה, ba-sefer ha-Torah): Refers to the physical, written compilation of God's commands (likely a scroll of Deuteronomy, or the Pentateuch). The term sefer (book/scroll) emphasizes its official, canonical, and unalterable status as a foundational document for the nation. This reinforces the concept of a revealed and recorded word of God, critical against a background of oral, mutable pagan lore.
Joshua 8 34 Bonus section
The location of this ceremony, between Mount Gerizim (where the tribes designated to represent blessing stood) and Mount Ebal (for curses, and where the altar and plaster stones inscribed with the Law were placed), provided a vivid, dramatic, and performative context for the reading. The very landscape echoed the covenant's stipulations. This physical, auditory, and visual reinforcement was designed to imprint the Law indelibly upon the national consciousness. Furthermore, the inclusion of "all Israel" (Jos 8:35), even women, little ones, and sojourners, highlights the universal reach and responsibility of the covenant—every member of the community was expected to understand and live by the Law of God. This also subtly stands in opposition to mystery cults or selective wisdom often found in surrounding cultures, promoting an accessible, public, and unifying divine truth for all.
Joshua 8 34 Commentary
Joshua 8:34 describes a pivotal moment in Israel's history, securing their identity not just through military conquest but fundamentally through covenant commitment. Joshua, as Moses' successor, faithfully executed the divine command to publicly read the entirety of the Law, including both the promised blessings for fidelity and the dire cursings for disobedience. This comprehensive declaration served several vital purposes: it formally established the Torah as the ultimate authority for the new nation, impressing upon them the critical choice and consequences inherent in their relationship with God. The public nature, encompassing men, women, children, and even resident aliens, underscored the collective responsibility and unified identity of Israel under God's suzerainty. It laid the spiritual and legal groundwork for their life in Canaan, a constant reminder that their security, prosperity, and future in the land depended entirely on their national allegiance and obedience to the divine covenant, differentiating them sharply from the morally fluid and polytheistic practices of the surrounding Canaanite cultures. This event emphasized that hearing the Word must translate into doing it.