Joshua 8:33
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.
The verse describes the covenant gathering at Shechem between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, held in obedience to the command given through Moses after the victory at Ai and before Israel took possession of the inheritance. The whole people left their camp and traveled through enemy territory for this higher duty of covenant service and recognition of God's law. The place was full of sacred associations carrying minds back to God's covenant with Abraham and Jacob.
All Israel was present, including the strangers among them as well as those born among them, with their elders, officers, and judges, before the priests the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant, half over against Gerizim and half over against Ebal. The six tribes descended from Leah and Rachel stood on Gerizim, while the tribes descended from the handmaids, together with Reuben and Zebulun, stood on Ebal. Joshua read the blessings for obedience to God's law and the tribes on Gerizim answered Amen, and he read the curses for disregarding God's law and the tribes on Ebal likewise assented. Then the law, statutes, and judgments given through Moses, including the Ten Commandments and the other statutes and precepts he had recorded, were read before all the people to renew their commitment.
The ceremony enacted solemn entrance vows to God, with the divided people as silent witnesses. The mountains and those vows remained as solemn witnesses when the tribes later assembled again at Shechem in the presence of their dying leader Joshua, surrounded on every side by evidences of what God had wrought in giving them a land for which they did not labor, and cities which they built not, vineyards and oliveyards which they planted not, to renew the same commitment. In leaving their camp for this duty they were safe under God's protection while they remained faithful to him.