Joshua 24:26

“And Joshua wrote these words, etc.] Which had passed between him and the people: in the book of the law of God; written by Moses, and which he ordered to be put in the side of the ark, and that being now present, the book could be easily taken out, and these words inserted in it, (<053126>Deuteronomy 31:26); and took a great stone: on which also might be inscribed the same words: and set it up there under an oak, that [was] by the sanctuary of the Lord; or “in it” f530; that is, in the field or place where the ark was, which made it sacred, and upon which account the place was called a sanctuary, or an holy place; for there is no need to say that the tabernacle or sanctuary itself was…”

“Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God--registered the engagements of that solemn covenant in the book of sacred history. took a great stone--according to the usage of ancient times to erect stone pillars as monuments of public transactions. set it up there under an oak--or terebinth, in all likelihood, the same as that at the root of which Jacob buried the idols and charms found in his family. that was by the sanctuary of the Lord--either the spot where the ark had stood, or else the place around, so called from that religious meeting, as Jacob named Beth-el the house of God.”

“Consult the marginal references. That was by the sanctuary of the Lord - i. e. the spot where Abraham and Jacob had sacrificed and worshipped, and which might well be regarded by their posterity as a holy place or sanctuary. Perhaps the very altar of Abraham and Jacob was still remaining. return to 'Top of Page'”

“These words - That is, this covenant or agreement of the people with the Lord. In the book - That is, in the volume which was kept in the ark, Deu 31:9, Deu 31:26, whence it was taken and put into this book of Joshua: this he did for the perpetual remembrance of this great and solemn action, to lay the greater obligation upon the people to be true to their engagement; and as a witness for God, against the people, if afterward he punished them for their defection from God, to whom they had so solemnly and freely obliged themselves. Set it up - As a witness and monument of this great transaction, according to the custom of those ancient times. Possibly this agreement was written upon this…”

“24:26 The Book of God’s Instructions was a scroll containing the writings of Moses (see study note on 1:8). It was probably carried to Shiloh and stored with other documents of national importance. • The huge stone was probably a stela, a standing stone monument. Joshua might have had a memorial inscription chiseled into this stone monument.”

“Joshua: Exo 24:4; Deu 31:24-26 took: Jdg 9:6 set it: Jos 4:3-9, Jos 4:20-24; Gen 28:18-22 under: Gen 35:4, Gen 35:8; Jdg 9:6 Joshua 24:27”

“All these things (האלּה הדּברים are not merely the words spoken on both sides, but the whole ceremony of renewing the covenant) Joshua wrote in the law-book of God, i.e., he wrote them in a document which he placed in the law-book of Moses, and then set up a large stone, as a permanent memorial of what had taken place, on the spot where the meeting had been held, "under the oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah." As בּמקדּשׁ neither means "at the sanctuary," nor near the sanctuary, nor "in the place where the sanctuary was set up;' the "sanctuary of Jehovah" cannot signify "the ark of the covenant, which had been brought from the tabernacle to Shechem, for the ceremony of renewing the…”