The Meaning of Joshua 8:31 Explained

Joshua 8:31

KJV: As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.

YLT: as Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses -- an altar of whole stones, over which he hath not waved iron -- and they cause to go up upon it burnt-offerings to Jehovah, and sacrifice peace-offerings;

Darby: as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which iron had not been lifted up. And they offered up burnt-offerings on it to Jehovah, and sacrificed peace-offerings.

ASV: as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of unhewn stones, upon which no man had lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, and sacrificed peace-offerings.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As Moses  the servant  of the LORD  commanded  the children  of Israel,  as it is written  in the book  of the law  of Moses,  an altar  of whole  stones,  over which no man hath lift up  [any] iron:  and they offered  thereon burnt offerings  unto the LORD,  and sacrificed  peace offerings. 

What does Joshua 8:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 8:30-35 - Recording And Reading The Law
After the fall of Ai the war was suspended for a time. The divine hand restrained the Canaanites from interfering with Israel's obedience to the Mosaic code. The whole nation was marshaled in the valley between Ebal and Gerizim, to hear the Law recited and to respond with the thunder of their "Amen," Deuteronomy 27:15. Ebal was for the curse. It was appropriate that the altar should be there, Galatians 3:13.
Remember that even when we enter the land of rest, through faith in Jesus, we cannot get away from God's holy Law; nay, it is even more perfectly fulfilled as we walk after the Spirit, Romans 8:1-4. Let us go further and ask that, as the Law was written on those mighty stones, so it may be engraven on the tablets of our hearts, Hebrews 8:10.
In the hour of completest triumph we need to stand before the Lord! It was in this spot that the incident of John 4:1-54 took place. Jesus transformed it into a valley of blessing! [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 8

1  God encourages Joshua
3  The plan whereby Ai was taken
29  The king thereof is hanged
30  Joshua builds an altar
32  writes the law on stones
33  and pronounces the blessings and curses

What do the individual words in Joshua 8:31 mean?

as had commanded Moses the servant of Yahweh - the sons of Israel as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses an altar of stones whole over which no man has wielded over an iron [tool] and they offered on it burnt offerings to Yahweh and sacrificed peace offerings
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּה֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה עֶֽבֶד־ יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּכָּתוּב֙ בְּסֵ֙פֶר֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִזְבַּח֙ אֲבָנִ֣ים שְׁלֵמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־ הֵנִ֥יף עֲלֵיהֶ֖ן בַּרְזֶ֑ל וַיַּעֲל֨וּ עָלָ֤יו עֹלוֹת֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וַֽיִּזְבְּח֖וּ שְׁלָמִֽים

כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר  as  had 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
צִוָּה֩  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
מֹשֶׁ֨ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
עֶֽבֶד־  the  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יְהוָ֜ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
כַּכָּתוּב֙  as  it  is  written 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
בְּסֵ֙פֶר֙  in  the  Book 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
תּוֹרַ֣ת  of  the  Law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  of  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
מִזְבַּח֙  an  altar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
אֲבָנִ֣ים  of  stones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
שְׁלֵמ֔וֹת  whole 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: complete, safe, peaceful, perfect, whole, full, at peace.
אֲשֶׁ֛ר  over  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לֹֽא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֵנִ֥יף  man  has  wielded 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הֲנָפָה 
Sense: to move to and fro, wave, besprinkle.
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ן  over 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בַּרְזֶ֑ל  an  iron  [tool] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרְזֶל  
Sense: iron.
וַיַּעֲל֨וּ  and  they  offered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עָלָ֤יו  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עֹלוֹת֙  burnt  offerings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
לַֽיהוָ֔ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַֽיִּזְבְּח֖וּ  and  sacrificed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
שְׁלָמִֽים  peace  offerings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שֶׁלֶם  
Sense: peace offering, requital, sacrifice for alliance or friendship.