Joshua 24:26
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.
The verse belongs to Joshua's final address to Israel, given after the wars of conquest had ended and Israel had enjoyed a long period of rest from its enemies. At the close of his service as Israel's visible leader, before his death, he assembled the chosen Hebrew host with faithful testimony, after which the people would lose the guidance of the older, faithful generation. Following the example of Moses, he recapitulated their wilderness travels and God's merciful dealings and providential care in order to foster gratitude and humility. He led Israel to renew their covenant to serve the Lord and obey His voice, pledging to serve Him and put away foreign gods, while warning them against idolatry and corrupting connections; turning from God brings desolation, and God is faithful both to His promises and to His threatenings, a lesson that applies to each person.
Joshua wrote down the covenant transaction and promise of what he had spoken in the book of the law of God containing the laws and statutes given to Moses, placing the account with the book beside the ark. He set up a great stone or pillar under an oak by the sanctuary of the Lord as a memorial of God's dealings with His people. The stone was to stand as a witness that had heard all the words of the Lord and to witness against them lest they deny their God, so they could not deny their commitment to serve and obey.
The stone and oak stood in Palestine by the sanctuary of the Lord, not inside it, showing that the sanctuary is distinct from the surrounding land and proving that Palestine and the earth are not the sanctuary.