Bible Strands
Joshua 24:27
And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone. It will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the LORD has spoken to us, and it will be a witness against you if you ever deny your God.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua addresses the full assembly immediately after placing a large stone beneath an oak near the LORD’s sanctuary. He delivers this statement just before dismissing each individual to their own inheritance.
The words — The Hebrew הִנֵּה (hi.Neh) functions as a demonstrative command meaning “here!” or “behold,” while אֶבֶן (E.ven) refers strictly to the physical stone. These terms tether the verbal warning to a fixed, visible landmark in the territory.
The thread — The concept of created objects serving as covenant witnesses appears in Joshua 22:34, where an altar is named Witness, and Luke 19:40, where Jesus states that silence would compel stones to cry out. Deuteronomy 31:26 similarly positions a written record beside the ark to function as a permanent witness.
Why it lands — The text describes the stone as a silent auditor of God’s speech that will confront the people if they later deny their God. It requires the assembly to recognize that their public commitment is permanently recorded and will be held against them in future disobedience.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.
Cross-references
- Luke 19:40 “I tell you,” He answered, “if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.”
- Joshua 22:34 So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”
- Deuteronomy 31:26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, so that it may remain there as a witness against you.
- Joshua 22:27 Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’
- Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
- Deuteronomy 31:21 And when many troubles and afflictions have come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants. For I know their inclination, even before I bring them into the land that I swore to give them.”
- Deuteronomy 32:1 Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
- 1 Samuel 7:12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
- Job 31:23 For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
- Proverbs 30:9 Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.