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.
All of Israel—their leaders, officials, and judges—stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant before the Levite priests who carried it. This included both foreigners living among them and native-born Israelites. Half the people stood facing Mount Gerizim, and half stood facing Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had previously commanded them to do when blessing the people of Israel.
The writer is describing how all the Israelites, including their leaders and even foreigners among them, gathered around God's ark in a special ceremony to receive blessings, following Moses' earlier instructions.
📚 Historical Context
This scene takes place after Joshua's military victory at Ai, when the Israelites paused their conquest to hold a covenant renewal ceremony. The two mountains, Gerizim and Ebal, were located in the heart of the Promised Land near the city of Shechem. Moses had instructed them in Deuteronomy to perform this ceremony once they entered the land, with one mountain designated for blessings and the other for curses.
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