Joshua 24:26
And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While the covenant was officially written into the Book of the Law, Joshua also set up a monumental stone, declaring it had "heard" their vows. This wasn't just a symbolic marker, but a powerful, tangible reminder to the people that their agreement was made in the very presence of God, and that even inanimate creation would bear witness to their faithfulness.
Fresh off renewing their covenant with God after a powerful display of His faithfulness, Joshua takes concrete steps to memorialize this momentous agreement. He records the covenant's terms in the official Law, integrating this event into God's enduring Word, and then erects a large stone as a physical witness under a nearby oak, solidifying the people's commitment before God and history. This act immediately precedes Joshua's death and the subsequent, yet temporary, faithfulness of the Israelites, making the stone and the written words vital reminders against future forgetting.
Why would Joshua write the covenant in the Book of the Law? What does this tell us about God's promises?
Joshua didn't just create a new agreement; he rooted it in what God had already established. Writing the covenant 'in the Book of the Law of God' means this wasn't just a human pact, but a reaffirmation of the covenant God made with Israel through Moses. It shows that God's faithfulness to His Word is the bedrock upon which Israel's obedience should stand. This act connects their future faithfulness to the enduring truth of God's existing Law.
Why a stone? Why under an oak? Discover the deep symbolism of this ancient monument.
Joshua didn't stop with the written word. He set up a great stone, a solid, unmoving witness. The oak tree nearby, possibly an ancient landmark, provided a significant location. This stone wasn't just a marker; it was meant to be a silent, yet powerful, testament. It 'heard' the covenant and would stand as a perpetual reminder, especially when the people gathered near the sanctuary. This acted as a tangible symbol, a physical reminder of their sacred vows and a testament against any future denial of God.
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Joshua declared the stone 'heard all the words.' How can an inanimate object witness against us?
Joshua's words about the stone 'hearing' are powerfully symbolic. It’s hyperbole, yes, but it underscores the solemnity of the moment. This stone would stand as a witness, not by speaking, but by its very presence. It served as a constant reminder of the covenant, a silent accuser against any who would later 'lie' or deny their vows to God. It represents the unchanging truth of God's Word and the gravity of the promises made. Even if the people forgot or became unfaithful, the stone and the Law would stand as evidence of their original commitment, highlighting their subsequent betrayal.
Understand the original words
torah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the Pentateuch or the Mosaic covenant stipulations; it signifies the authoritative, revealed will of God for His people's conduct and relationship with Him.
elah · Hebrew Noun
A large tree, often used as a landmark or a site for significant religious or judicial gatherings in the Ancient Near East, symbolizing longevity and stability.
miqdash · Hebrew Noun
A holy, set-apart place where God's presence dwells or where His people gather for authorized worship; it signifies the meeting place between the holy God and His people.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, representing His faithfulness, holiness, and active presence in history and with His people.
This verse marks the end of an era, with Joshua making a profound, tangible effort to secure the people's commitment to God before his death. The placement of the stone and its inscription in the Book of the Law serves as a powerful, lasting testament to the covenant, anticipating future generations' need for such reminders in times of wavering faithfulness.
c. 1400 BC
Israel enters the Promised Land
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites conquer and divide the land of Canaan, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham.
c. 1380 BC— this verse
Joshua's final address and covenant renewal
In his old age, Joshua gathers the tribes at Shechem to renew their covenant with the Lord, recounting God's faithfulness and challenging them to choose whom they will serve.
c. 1375 BC
Joshua and elders die
Joshua dies at 110 years old, followed by the generation that had witnessed God's mighty acts. This marks a transition point for Israel's faithfulness.
c. 1375 BC - 1070 BC
The Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel experiences cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance, demonstrating their struggle to remain faithful to the covenant.
This passage describes Moses writing the law and commanding it to be placed in the ark, mirroring Joshua's action of writing the covenant in the 'book of the law of God'.
Genesis 35:4The text mentions Jacob burying idols under an oak tree near Shechem; the commentary suggests the stone set up by Joshua might have been near the same significant oak, connecting monumental acts across generations.
Exodus 24:4Similar to Joshua setting up a stone as a witness to the covenant, Moses also built an altar and set up twelve stones representing the tribes of Israel after God's spoken words.
1 Samuel 10:25This verse shows Samuel recording the 'manner of the kingdom' and laying it up before the Lord, paralleling Joshua's act of writing the covenant's terms in a sacred record.
Joshua 4:3-7Just as Joshua previously instructed the Israelites to take stones from the Jordan River to set up as a memorial, this act with a single large stone serves a similar purpose of remembrance and witness.
calvinJoshua 24:25-33: "So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem."
And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest you deny your God.
Dixitque Josue ad universum populum, En lapis iste erit nobis in testimonium: ipse enim audivit omnia verba Jehovae quae loquutus est nobiscum, eritqu…
bensonJoshua 24:26: "And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD."
Joshua 24:26 . Joshua wrote these words — Namely, this covenant, or agreement of the people with the Lord. In the book of the law of God — That is, in the volume which was kept in the ark, ( Deuteronomy 31:9 ; Deuteronomy 31:26 ,) whence it was taken and put into this book of Joshua; this he did for the perpetual remembrance…
While the covenant was officially written into the Book of the Law, Joshua also set up a monumental stone, declaring it had "heard" their vows. This wasn't just a symbolic marker, but a powerful, tangible reminder to the people that their agreement was made in the very presence of God, and that even inanimate creation would bear witness to their faithfulness.
Fresh off renewing their covenant with God after a powerful display of His faithfulness, Joshua takes concrete steps to memorialize this momentous agreement. He records the covenant's terms in the official Law, integrating this event into God's enduring Word, and then erects a large stone as a physical witness under a nearby oak, solidifying the people's commitment before God and history. This act immediately precedes Joshua's death and the subsequent, yet temporary, faithfulness of the Israelites, making the stone and the written words vital reminders against future forgetting.
Fresh off renewing their covenant with God after a powerful display of His faithfulness, Joshua takes concrete steps to memorialize this momentous agreement. He records the covenant's terms in the official Law, integrating this event into God's enduring Word, and then erects a large stone as a physical witness under a nearby oak, solidifying the people's commitment before God and history. This act immediately precedes Joshua's death and the subsequent, yet temporary, faithfulness of the Israelites, making the stone and the written words vital reminders against future forgetting.
"And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD." — While the covenant was officially written into the Book of the Law, Joshua also set up a monumental stone, declaring it had "heard" their vows. This wasn't just a symbolic marker, but a powerful, tan…
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