8:35a

There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded: The phrase not a word of all that Moses had commanded emphasizes again that Joshua read all Moses’ teaching for the Israelites. This information is given again in this verse to emphasize how important the reading of the law was.

8:35b

that Joshua failed to read before the whole assembly of Israel: In the previous verse, the information that Joshua read the entire law is stated in a positive manner. Now it is restated using a double negative for extra emphasis. In some languages a double negative may convey a wrong meaning. Use a natural means to emphasize that Joshua read the entire law to the Israelites. For example, the Good News Translation states 8:35a-b in a positive way:

Every one of the commandments of Moses was read by Joshua to the whole gathering (Good News Translation)

before the whole assembly of Israel: The phrase before the whole assembly of Israel indicates that Joshua read Moses’ teachings while all the Israelites stood and listened.

8:35c

including the women, the little ones: The phrase including the women, the little ones indicates that women and children were present and listened while Joshua read the law. Women and children were not present at every gathering. The author includes this information to show that the entire population of Israel listened while Joshua read aloud the law.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

including the women and the children

and the foreigners who lived among them: The foreigners were foreigners who lived with the Israelites. They were not Israelites by birth.

General Comment on verse 8:35

It may be more natural in some languages to reorder the parts of this verse so that 8:35c is first, as in the New Century Version:

35b All the Israelites were gathered together–35c men, women and children, along with the non-Israelites who lived among them. 35a Joshua read every command that Moses had given. (New Century Version)

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