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Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Joshua 24:27

‘ And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of YHWH which he spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God.” '

A stone for Jacob (Genesis 31:45) and a heap of stones for his brothers-in-law (Genesis 31:46) stood as a witness between Jacob and Laban, each stone seemingly representing a tribal leader. This stone therefore probably represented Israel. It had ‘heard' all that was said and stood there as a witness to it and to Israel's responsibility to keep the covenant. The idea that somehow stones had something to testify about (even though they never did) lies behind the words of Jesus in Luke 19:40.

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See also Joshua 24:27 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Joshua 24:27. _THIS STONE - HATH HEARD ALL THE WORDS_] That is, the stone itself, from its permanency, shall be in all succeeding ages as competent and as substantial a witness as one who had be...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    THE SECOND ADDRESS CHAPTER 24:1-28 _ 1. The gathering at Shechem (Joshua 24:1)_ 2. Historic retrospect and exhortations (Joshua 24:2) 3. The answer given by Israel (Joshua 24:16) 4. Joshua's answ...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos._ App-6. IT HATH HEARD. Figure of speech _Prosopopmia_. App-6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _this stone shall be a witness_ So in Genesis 31:48; Genesis 31:52, Laban says to Jacob, "This heap _is a witness_between me and thee this day;" and in Deuteronomy 31:19;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Solemn Renewal of the Covenant 25. _So Joshua made a covenant_ "Percussit ergo Josue in die illo fœdus," Vulgate. "Thanne Josue smoot a boond of pees," Wyclif. A covenant had been concluded by God on...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

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  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _VER._ 27. _FOR IT HATH HEARD ALL THE WORDS,_ &C.— "If ever you so far forget yourselves, as to act as if you had not this day chosen the Lord for your God, this stone shall convince you of falsehood,...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Joshua's Last Days and Death Joshua 24:26-33_ 26And 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...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    24:27 words (a-23) Strictly, 'sayings,' _ imrah_ . see Note, Psalms 119:11 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

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  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹושֻׁ֜עַ אֶל ־כָּל ־הָ עָ֗ם

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

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  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

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  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it (m) hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, le...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

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  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

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  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

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  • John Darby's Synopsis

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  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 y...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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  • KJV Original Language Details

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  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

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  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

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  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

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  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

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  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Joshua 24:27 Joshua H3091 said H559 (H8799) people H5971 stone H68 witness H5713 heard H8085 (H8804) words...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

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  • The Biblical Illustrator

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  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

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  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

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  • The Pulpit Commentaries

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  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

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  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    It hath heard — It shall be as sure a witness against you, as if it had heard. This is a common figure, whereby the sense of hearing is often ascribed to the heavens and the earth, and other senseless...

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