With the Israelites looking on is literally “in the presence of the people of Israel” (Revised Standard Version); many languages will have idiomatic formulas for “in the presence of,” as, for example, “before all eyes.”

It is not certain whether the text means that Joshua inscribed a copy of the Law on the stones of the altar or on some other stones (see Good News Translation text and footnote; see New English Bible text and footnote). The instructions in Deuteronomy 27.1-8 distinguish between the altar (made of undressed stones) and the stones, covered with plaster, on which the Law was to be written. It is not to be thought that the area of the stones would be large enough to allow all the instructions and laws to be written; either the Ten Commandments or some other short section of the Law would be inscribed.

The Law which Moses had written is literally “the law of Moses” (Revised Standard Version); for English readers the “of” phrase may imply ownership rather than authorship.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .