Israel had now obtained a substantial enough foothold in the land to journey north to Shechem to carry out God's instructions concerning the renewal of the covenant in the land (Deut. 27). Shechem stood about 30 miles north of Ai. It was a significant place for this ceremony because it was there that God first told Abraham that He would give him the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:7). Moreover Shechem had always been a busy site because of its geographical situation at a crossroads in northern Palestine.
"The story of the building of an altar on Mount Ebal and of the solemn reading of the blessings and curses of the covenant at that site is strategically important for understanding the message of the Book of Joshua. . . . In unmistakably clear symbolism the reader is told that the right of possessing the promised land is tied to the proclamation of, and subjection to, God's covenant claims upon his people (and upon the world)."108
The order of events the writer recorded here varies slightly from the order Moses gave in Deuteronomy. Probably the order here represents what took place.
This ceremony established Yahweh as "the God of Israel"(v. 30) in the sight of the Canaanites as well as the Israelites. It amounted to Israel's declaration of dependence. The people offered burnt and peace offerings on Mt. Sinai when God first gave the Law to Israel. Their offering again here recalled the former incident and shows that this ceremony constituted a covenant renewal.
"The method of plastering stones and then printing on them came originally from Egypt; thus, the letters were probably painted in red. So we can imagine large whitewashed monoliths with red Hebrew characters spelling out the Ten Commandments, and possibly the blessings and curses of the Law as well (cf. Deuteronomy 28). This structure was the firstpublic display of the Law."109
"This made it palpable [sic] even to strangers entering the land what God was worshipped in it, and all excuse for error was taken away."110
"The religion of Israel at its best has always been a missionary religion."111
The extent of the passages from the Mosaic Law that the people copied on the stone monuments is not clear from this passage. Deuteronomy 27 seems to imply the Ten Commandments. "The blessing and the curse"(v. 34) may be a synonym for "all the words of the law"(i.e., the Ten Commandments) rather than a reference to the specific blessings and curses listed previously and recited here (Deut. 28).112However, another possibility is that "the blessing and the curse"may refer to Deuteronomy 28.113
This ceremony confronted all the Israelites--men, women, and children--with the demands of their covenant God as they began this new phase of their national history. Obedient response would guarantee future happiness in the land.
It is important for God's people to declare their allegiance to His revealed will publicly among the unbelievers with whom we live (cf. Act 1:8). This helps them understand why we live as we do, and it brings glory to God when His people then proceed to live upright lives and demonstrate His supernatural power.
