The Plot Against Jesus^(A)

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things,^(B) he said to his disciples, ² “As you know, the Passover^(C) is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled^(D) in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,^{(E) 4} and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.^{(F) 5} “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot^(G) among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(H)(I)

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany^(J) in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you,^[a](K) but you will not always have me. ¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.^{(L) 13} Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus^(M)

¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot^(N)—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.^{(O) 16} From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper^(P)(Q)(R)

¹⁷ On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(S) the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”^(T)

¹⁸ He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time^(U) is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹ And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”^(V)

²² They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

²³ Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.^{(W) 24} The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.^(X) But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²⁵ Then Judas, the one who would betray him,^(Y) said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”^(Z)

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it^(AA) and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

²⁷ Then he took a cup,^(AB) and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the^[b] covenant,^(AC) which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.^{(AD) 29} I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you^(AE) in my Father’s kingdom.”

³⁰ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.^(AF)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial^(AG)

³¹ Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me,^(AH) for it is written:

³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”^(AJ)

³³ Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”^(AK)

³⁵ But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you,^(AL) I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Gethsemane^(AM)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee^(AN) along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow^(AO) to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”^(AP)

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup^(AQ) be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”^(AR)

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me^(AS) for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(AT) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”^(AU)

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour^(AV) has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested^(AW)

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas,^(AX) one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!”^(AY) and kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”^[d](AZ)

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,^(BA) drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.^(BB)

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.^{(BC) 53} Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?^{(BD) 54} But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled^(BE) that say it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching,^(BF) and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”^(BG) Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin^(BH)

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas^(BI) the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. ⁵⁸ But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest.^(BJ) He entered and sat down with the guards^(BK) to see the outcome.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(BL) were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰ But they did not find any, though many false witnesses^(BM) came forward.

Finally two^(BN) came forward ⁶¹ and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”^(BO)

⁶² Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent.^(BP)

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath^(BQ) by the living God:^(BR) Tell us if you are the Messiah,^(BS) the Son of God.”^(BT)

⁶⁴ “You have said so,”^(BU) Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One^(BV) and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^[e](BW)

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes^(BX) and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,”^(BY) they answered.

⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.^(BZ) Others slapped him ⁶⁸ and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”^(CA)

Peter Disowns Jesus^(CB)

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”^(CC) And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Psalm 44^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b]

5 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast^(A) heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they^[a] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear^(B) and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.

Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

² At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives^(C) and circumcise^(D) the Israelites again.” ³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.^[b]

⁴ Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age^(E)—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.^{(F) 5} All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. ⁶ The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness^(G) forty years^(H) until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us,^(I) a land flowing with milk and honey.^{(J) 7} So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. ⁸ And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.^(K)

⁹ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal^[c](L) to this day.

¹⁰ On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month,^(M) while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.^{(N) 11} The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land:^(O) unleavened bread^(P) and roasted grain.^{(Q) 12} The manna stopped the day after^[d] they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.^(R)

The Fall of Jericho

¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man^(S) standing in front of him with a drawn sword^(T) in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown^(U) to the ground^(V) in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord^[e] have for his servant?”

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”^(W) And Joshua did so.

6 Now the gates of Jericho^(X) were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

² Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered^(Y) Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. ³ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns^(Z) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.^{(AA) 5} When you hear them sound a long blast^(AB) on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout;^(AC) then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.”^{(AD) 7} And he ordered the army, “Advance^(AE)! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark^(AF) of the Lord.”

⁸ When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. ⁹ The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard^(AG) followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. ¹⁰ But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!^(AH)” ¹¹ So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

¹² Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. ¹³ The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. ¹⁴ So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.^{(AI) 16} The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!^{(AJ) 17} The city and all that is in it are to be devoted^[f](AK) to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute^(AL) and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid^(AM) the spies we sent. ¹⁸ But keep away from the devoted things,^(AN) so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction^(AO) and bring trouble^(AP) on it. ¹⁹ All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron^(AQ) are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

²⁰ When the trumpets sounded,^(AR) the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout,^(AS) the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.^{(AT) 21} They devoted^(AU) the city to the Lord and destroyed^(AV) with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

²² Joshua said to the two men^(AW) who had spied out^(AX) the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.^(AY)” ²³ So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her.^(AZ) They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

²⁴ Then they burned the whole city^(BA) and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron^(BB) into the treasury of the Lord’s house.^{(BC) 25} But Joshua spared^(BD) Rahab the prostitute,^(BE) with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho^(BF)—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

²⁶ At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath:^(BG) “Cursed^(BH) before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

²⁷ So the Lord was with Joshua,^(BJ) and his fame spread^(BK) throughout the land.

Achan’s Sin

7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things^[g];^(BL) Achan^(BM) son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,^[h] the son of Zerah,^(BN) of the tribe of Judah,^(BO) took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned^(BP) against Israel.^(BQ)

² Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,^(BR) which is near Beth Aven^(BS) to the east of Bethel,^(BT) and told them, “Go up and spy out^(BU) the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

³ When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” ⁴ So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,^{(BV) 5} who killed about thirty-six^(BW) of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear^(BX) and became like water.

⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes^(BY) and fell facedown^(BZ) to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.^(CA) The elders of Israel^(CB) did the same, and sprinkled dust^(CC) on their heads. ⁷ And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why^(CD) did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?^(CE) If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! ⁸ Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? ⁹ The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.^(CF) What then will you do for your own great name?^(CG)”

¹⁰ The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned;^(CH) they have violated my covenant,^(CI) which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,^(CJ) they have put them with their own possessions.^{(CK) 12} That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;^(CL) they turn their backs^(CM) and run^(CN) because they have been made liable to destruction.^(CO) I will not be with you anymore^(CP) unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

¹³ “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves^(CQ) in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

¹⁴ “‘In the morning, present^(CR) yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses^(CS) shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. ¹⁵ Whoever is caught with the devoted things^(CT) shall be destroyed by fire,^(CU) along with all that belongs to him.^(CV) He has violated the covenant^(CW) of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”^(CX)

¹⁶ Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. ¹⁷ The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen.^(CY) He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. ¹⁸ Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,^(CZ) was chosen.^(DA)

¹⁹ Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory^(DB) to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell^(DC) me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

²⁰ Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: ²¹ When I saw in the plunder^(DD) a beautiful robe from Babylonia,^[i] two hundred shekels^[j] of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,^[k] I coveted^(DE) them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

²² So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. ²³ They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

²⁴ Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons^(DF) and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.^{(DG) 25} Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble^(DH) on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”

Then all Israel stoned him,^(DI) and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.^{(DJ) 26} Over Achan they heaped^(DK) up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.^(DL) Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger.^(DM) Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor^[l](DN) ever since.

Ai Destroyed

8 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid;^(DO) do not be discouraged.^(DP) Take the whole army^(DQ) with you, and go up and attack Ai.^(DR) For I have delivered^(DS) into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. ² You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder^(DT) and livestock for yourselves.^(DU) Set an ambush^(DV) behind the city.”

³ So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night ⁴ with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. ⁵ I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. ⁶ They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them, ⁷ you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The Lord your God will give it into your hand.^{(DW) 8} When you have taken the city, set it on fire.^(DX) Do what the Lord has commanded.^(DY) See to it; you have my orders.”

⁹ Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush^(DZ) and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people.

¹⁰ Early the next morning^(EA) Joshua mustered his army, and he and the leaders of Israel^(EB) marched before them to Ai. ¹¹ The entire force that was with him marched up and approached the city and arrived in front of it. They set up camp north of Ai, with the valley between them and the city. ¹² Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. ¹³ So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley.

¹⁴ When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah.^(EC) But he did not know^(ED) that an ambush had been set against him behind the city. ¹⁵ Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back^(EE) before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.^{(EF) 16} All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away^(EG) from the city. ¹⁷ Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.

¹⁸ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin^(EH) that is in your hand,^(EI) for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand.^{(EJ) 19} As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly^(EK) from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.^(EL)

²⁰ The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky,^(EM) but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. ²¹ For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from it, they turned around^(EN) and attacked the men of Ai. ²² Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives.^{(EO) 23} But they took the king of Ai alive^(EP) and brought him to Joshua.

²⁴ When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. ²⁵ Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.^{(EQ) 26} For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin^(ER) until he had destroyed^[m](ES) all who lived in Ai.^{(ET) 27} But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.^(EU)

²⁸ So Joshua burned^(EV) Ai^[n](EW) and made it a permanent heap of ruins,^(EX) a desolate place to this day.^{(EY) 29} He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset,^(EZ) Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks^(FA) over it, which remains to this day.

The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal

³⁰ Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal^(FB) an altar^(FC) to the Lord, the God of Israel, ³¹ as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool^(FD) had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings.^{(FE) 32} There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses.^{(FF) 33} All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical^(FG) priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born^(FH) were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal,^(FI) as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.

³⁴ Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law.^{(FJ) 35} There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.^(FK)