hath lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace-offerings. 32. 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. 33. 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. 34. 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. 35. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
This religious solemnity which we have here an account of, comes in somewhat surprisingly in the midst of the history of the wars of Canaan. After the taking of Jericho and Ai, we should have expected that the next news should have been of their taking possession of the country, the pushing on of their victories in other cities, and the carrying of the war into the bowels of the nation, now that they had made themselves masters of these frontier towns. But here a scene opens of quite another nature; the camp of Israel is drawn out into the field, not to engage the enemy, but to offer sacrifice, to hear the law read, and to say Amen to the blessings and the curses. Some think this was not done till after some of the following victories were obtained, which we read of, ch. 10. and 11. But it should seem by the maps, that Shechem, (near to which these two mountains, Gerizim and Ebal, were) was not so far off from Ai, but that when they had taken that, they might penetrate into that country as far as those two mountains, and therefore I would not willingly admit a transposition of the story; and the rather, because as it comes in here, it is a remarkable instance, 1. Of the zeal of Israel for the service of God and for his honour. Though never was war more honourable, more pleasant, or more gainful, nor ever was war more sure of victory, or more necessary to a settlement, (for they had neither houses nor lands of their own, till they had won them by the sword, no, not Joshua himself,) yet all the business of the war shall stand still, while they make a long march to the place appointed, and there attend this solemnity. God appointed them to do this when they were got over Jordan, and they did it as soon as possibly they could, though they might have had a colourable pretence to have put it off. Note, We must not think to defer our covenanting with God till we are settled in the world, nor must any business put us by from minding and pursuing the one thing needful. The way to prosper, is to begin with God, Matt. 6. 33. 2. It is an instance of the care of God concerning his faithful servants and worshippers. Though they were in an enemy's country, as yet unconquered, yet in the service of God they were safe, as Jacob, when in this very country he was going to Beth-el to pay his vows, the terror of God was upon the cities round about, Gen. 35. 5. Note, When we are in the way of duty, God takes us under his special protection.
Twice Moses had given express orders for this solemnity; once Deut. 11. 29, 30. where he seems to have pointed to the very place where it was to be performed; and again, Deut. 27. 2, &c. It was a federal transaction: the covenant was now renewed between God and Israel upon their taking possession of the land of promise, that they might be encouraged in the conquest of it, and might know upon what terms they held it, and come under fresh obligations to obedience. In token of the covenant,
I. They built an altar, and offered sacrifice to God, v. 30, 31. 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 11. 29. to signify that there, where by the law we had reason to expect a curse, by Christ's sacrifice of himself for us, and his mediation, we have peace with God; he has redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us, Gal. 3. 13. Even there where it was said, by the curse, Ye are not my people; there it is said, through Christ the Altar, Ye are the children of the living God, Hos. 1. 10. The curses pronounced on mount Ebal would immediately have been executed, if atonement had not been made by sacrifice.
By the sacrifice offered on this altar they did likewise give God the glory of the victories they had already obtained, as Exod. 17. 15. Now that they had had the comfort of them in the spoils of Ai, it was fit that God should have the praise of them; and they also implored his favour for their future success; for supplications as well as thanksgivings were intended in their peace-offerings. The way to prosper in all that we put our hand to, is, to take God along with us, and in all our ways to acknowledge him by prayer, praise, and dependence.
The altar they built, was of rough unhewn stone, according to the law, Exod. 20. 25. for that which is most plain and natural, and least artful and affected in the worship of God, he is best pleased with. Man's device can add no beauty to God's institutions.
II. They received the law from God; and this they must do, that would find favour with him, and expect to have their offerings accepted; for if we turn away our ear from hearing the law, our prayers will be an abomination. When God took Israel into covenant, he gave them his law, and they, in token of their consent to the covenant, subjected themselves to the law. Now here,
1. The law of the ten commandments was written upon stones in the presence of all Israel, as an abridgment of the whole, v. 32. This copy was not graven in the stone, as that which was reserved in the ark, that was to be done only by the finger of God; it is his prerogative to write the law in the heart, but the stones were plastered, and it was written upon the plaster, Deut. 27. 4, 8. It was written, that all might see what it was that they consented to, and that it might be a standing remaining testimony to posterity, of God's goodness in giving them such good laws, and a testimony against them, if they were disobedient to them. It is a great mercy to any people to have the law of God in writing, and it is fit that the written law should be exposed to common view in a known tongue, that it may be seen and read of all men.
2. The blessings and the curses, the sanctions of the law, were publicly read, and the people, (we may suppose,) according to Moses's appointment, said Amen to them, v. 33, 34. The auditory was
