ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Joshua 8.30-35

Book: Joshua · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"28. So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a desolation, unto this day. 29. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the eventide: and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, unto this day."

"30. Then Joshua built an altar unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, in mount Ebal, 31. 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. 32. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote, in the presence of the children of Israel. 33. And all Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, as well the sojourner as the homeborn; half of them in front of mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners that were among them." (Joshua 8:28-35, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"28. So Joshua burned Ai, and made it a heap forever, even a desolation, to this day. 29. He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until the evening, and at sundown Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised a great heap of stones on it that remains to this day."

"30. Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, 31. as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones, on which no one had lifted up any iron. They offered burnt offerings on it to Yahweh and sacrificed peace offerings. 32. He wrote there on the stones a copy of Moses’ law, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. 33. All Israel, their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the priests the Levites, who carried the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, the foreigner as well as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34. Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them." (Joshua 8:28-35, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"28. And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day. 29. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day."

"30. Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, 31. 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. 32. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. 33. And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them. were: Heb. walked" (Joshua 8:28-35, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"28. And Joshua burneth Ai, and maketh it a heap age-during, a desolation unto this day; 29. and the king of Ai he hath hanged on the tree till even-time, and at the going in of the sun hath Joshua commanded, and they take down his carcase from the tree, and cast it unto the opening of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones till this day."

"30. Then doth Joshua build an altar to Jehovah, God of Israel, in mount Ebal, 31. 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; 32. and he writeth there on the stones the copy of the law of Moses, which he hath written in the presence of the sons of Israel. 33. And all Israel, and its elders, and authorities, and its judges, are standing on this side and on that of the ark, over-against the priests, the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, as well the sojourner as the native, half of them over-against mount Gerizim, and the half of them over-against mount Ebal, as Moses servant of Jehovah commanded to bless the people of Israel at the first. 34. And afterwards he hath proclaimed all the words of the law, the blessing and the reviling, according to all that is written in the book of the law; 35. there hath not been a thing of all that Moses commanded which Joshua hath not proclaimed before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the infants, and the sojourner who is going in their midst." (Joshua 8:28-35, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: narrator (traditionally Joshua + later editor)
  • Audience: settled Israelite community
  • Location: Canaan (conquest and settlement)
  • Time period: events c. 1406-1390 BC; composed c. 1380-1050 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.