Joshua 8:35

“There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not, etc.] So punctually, precisely, and exactly did he observe the instructions and commands that were given him by Moses; and this he did in the most public manner: before all the congregation of Israel; who were on this occasion called together, and not before the men only, but with the women, and little ones: who all had a concern in the things that were read to them: yea, even and the strangers that were conversant among them; not the proselytes of righteousness only, but the proselytes of the gate, that dwelt, walked, and conversed with them.”

“There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not--It appears that a much larger portion of the law was read on this occasion than the brief summary inscribed on the stones; and this must have been the essence of the law as contained in Deuteronomy (Deu 4:44; Deu 6:9; Deu 27:8). It was not written on the stones, but on the plaster. The immediate design of this rehearsal was attained by the performance of the act itself. It only related to posterity, in so far as the record of the event would be handed down in the Book of Joshua, or the documents which form the groundwork of it [HENGSTENBERG]. Thus faithfully did Joshua execute the instructions given by Moses. How…”

“The account of this solemnity is very brief. An acquaintance with Deuteronomy 27:0 is evidently presupposed; and the three several acts of which the solemnity consisted are only so far distinctly named as is necessary to show that the commands of Moses there given were fully carried out by Joshua. It is difficult to escape the conviction that these verses are here out of their proper and original place. The connection between Joshua 8:29, and Joshua 9:1, is natural and obvious; and in Joshua 9:3, the fraud of the Gibeonites is represented as growing out of the alarm caused by the fall of Jericho and Ai. It is, moreover, extremely unlikely that a solemnity of this nature in the very center of…”

“Read not - Therefore he read not the blessings and curses only, as some think, but the whole law, as the manner was when all Israel, men and women, were assembled together, or the ten commandments. Among them - Who were proselytes, for no others can be supposed to be with them at this time. Next: Joshua Chapter 9”

“8:35 Old Testament religion was not just for the men of Israel; the entire assembly included the women and children. • The foreigners who lived among the Israelites included people who came out of Egypt with Israel in the Exodus (Exod 12:38, 48-49). These converts had accepted the Lord as their God and joined Israel when they saw the great things God had done for Israel.”

“was not: Deu 4:2; Jer 26:2; Act 20:27 women: Deu 29:11, Deu 31:12; Ezr 10:1; Neh 8:2; Joe 2:16; Mar 10:14; Act 21:5 strangers: Jos 8:33 were: Heb. walked conversant: The word conversant, from the Latin conversor, is here used in the classical sense of having intercourse with. Next: Joshua Chapter 9”