8:33a
The Hebrew connector that the Berean Standard Bible leaves untranslated but many English versions translate as “and” indicates the next event of the story.
All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike: The phrase All Israel indicates that every Israelite was present at the ceremony.
foreigners and citizens alike: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as foreigners refers to foreigners who lived in the Israelite community.
The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as citizens refers to Israelites who were descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Here are some other ways to translate these two words:
resident foreigners and native Israelites (NET Bible)
-or-
aliens and citizens (New International Version)
-or-
foreigners and native-born (New Living Translation (2004))
with their elders, officers, and judges: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as elders refers to the leaders of tribes and families who represented their tribe on special occasions.
officers: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as officers refers to people who had both military and administrative responsibilities.
Here are some other ways to translate this term:
leaders (NET Bible)
-or-
officials (New International Version)
judges: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as judges refers to people who judged disputes between Israelites. See Exodus 18:17-26 where Moses first appointed judges.
8:33b
stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD: The clause stood on both sides of the ark indicates that the Israelites stood in two groups facing each other. The ark was in-between them.
the ark of the covenant of the LORD: The ark was a wooden box that was a sign of God’s presence. The term ark has different descriptive phrases attached to it in different contexts. In this verse it is called ark of the covenant of the LORD. This emphasizes that inside it were the stone tablets on which Moses wrote the Ten commandments, the symbol of Yahweh’s covenant with Israel.
facing the Levitical priests: Two Levitical priests stood at each end of the ark, carrying it on poles over their shoulders. The two groups of Israelites faced the ark and the priests who carried it.
Levitical priests: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Levitical priests is literally “the priests, the Levites.” The priests were descendants of Levi, and belonged to the tribe of Levi.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the priests, the Levites
-or-
the priests of the Levi tribe
It is also possible to say just “the priests,” and put the literal translation in a footnote. See how you translated this term in Joshua 3:3.
priests: The priests were people who offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. You should translate this the same way you do in the New Testament. See, for example, Mark 1:44.
8:33c
who carried it: It was the responsibility of the priests to carry the ark of the covenant.
8:33d
Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal: The phrase half of them indicates that the Israelites were divided into two large groups.
in front of Mount Gerizim and…in front of Mount Ebal: The Israelites stood in the Valley of Shechem, which was between the two mountains, Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. One group stood facing Mount Gerizim and the other group stood facing Mount Ebal.
In Deuteronomy 27:12–13 Moses told the people to stand “on” Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, whereas this verse uses the words in front of. Because the Israelites followed the commands that Moses gave them, it may be that they stood on the slopes of the two mountains, facing in the direction of the opposite mountain. For example:
on the upper slopes of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal (New Jerusalem Bible)
8:33e
as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier: This indicates that the Israelites obeyed the instructions that Moses gave them before he died.
earlier: The word earlier refers to the time when Moses gave the Israelites this command in Deuteronomy 27:12–13. For example:
the Lord ’s servant Moses had earlier commanded the people (New Century Version)
General Comment on 8:33
This is a long and complicated verse, and you will have to think about it carefully. It is recommended that you begin a new sentence at 8:33d.
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