Single lesson
Joshua Renews the Covenant at Mount Ebal
Joshua 8:30–35
In this lesson, children will trace how Joshua built an altar, oversaw offerings, wrote the law on stones, and gathered all Israel to hear the law at Mount Ebal. They will notice the order of these actions and who was included.
Before you teach
Joshua 8:30–35 tells how Joshua built an altar to Yahweh on Mount Ebal as Moses had commanded. The altar was made from uncut stones. Burnt offerings and peace offerings were offered, a copy of Moses’ law was written on the stones, and Joshua read all the words of the law before the whole assembly.
Students will be able to sequence Joshua 8:30–35 and explain that the people chose to act as Moses had commanded and to hear all the words of the law, and that the whole assembly heard Joshua read it.
Welcome: What happened at Mount Ebal?
4 minIntroduce Mount Ebal as the place named in this passage. Tell the group they will hear about a series of actions Joshua led there. Explain that they will listen for what happened first, next, and last, and for which people the passage says were present to hear the law.
Joshua 8:30, Joshua 8:35
Read and explain: The altar and offerings
8 minRead Joshua 8:30–31 aloud. Point out that Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal. Explain that the altar used uncut stones, just as Moses had commanded. Then notice what happened there: burnt offerings and peace offerings were sacrificed to Yahweh.
Joshua 8:30, Joshua 8:31
Discuss: Writing the law and the gathered people
7 minRead Joshua 8:32–33. Joshua wrote a copy of Moses’ law on the stones in the presence of the children of Israel. Then all Israel stood on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests, with half in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses had commanded.
Joshua 8:32, Joshua 8:33
Make and respond: Put the actions in order
7 minGive children simple cards or slips of paper to arrange in order: Joshua built an altar, offerings were made, the law was written on stones, the people stood in two groups, and Joshua read all the words of the law. Briefly explain the choice seen in the passage: Joshua and the people acted as Moses had commanded and listened to all the law, and the outcome in these verses is that the whole assembly heard it.
Joshua 8:31, Joshua 8:33, Joshua 8:34, Joshua 8:35
Closing: All the words for all the people
4 minFinish by reading Joshua 8:34–35 again. Emphasise that Joshua read the blessing and the curse according to what was written in the book of the law. He did not leave out a word of what Moses commanded, and women, little ones, and foreigners were included in the assembly that heard it.
Joshua 8:34, Joshua 8:35
Questions to explore
What happened before Joshua wrote the law on the stones?
Look at the order in the passage: Joshua built the altar and offerings were made before he wrote a copy of Moses’ law.
Joshua 8:30, Joshua 8:31, Joshua 8:32
How does the passage show that Joshua and the people followed what Moses had commanded?
Notice the repeated words about doing things as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded, including the altar and the way the people stood.
Joshua 8:31, Joshua 8:33
Who heard Joshua read the law, and how much of it did he read?
The passage says the whole assembly heard it, including women, little ones, and foreigners, and that Joshua read all the words without leaving any out.
Joshua 8:34, Joshua 8:35
Make, think or respond
Mount Ebal Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or markers
- scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Write or draw five events from the passage on separate cards: altar, offerings, law on stones, people standing in two groups, Joshua reading the law.
- Read Joshua 8:30–35 again slowly while children listen for the order.
- Let children place the cards in sequence together and retell the passage using the cards.
- Ask each child to choose one card and say what the verse tells us happened in that part.
This activity helps children follow the order of Joshua 8:30–35 and notice the actions and the whole assembly hearing the law.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, use simple picture cards and repeat the sequence aloud together several times.
- For older children, ask them to match each card to its verse and explain how the passage shows obedience to what Moses commanded.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “Yahweh, thank you for this passage. Help us listen carefully when your words are read, and help us learn what you have said. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Joshua 8
30 Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,
31 as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones, on which no one had lifted up any iron. They offered burnt offerings on it to Yahweh and sacrificed peace offerings.
32 He wrote there on the stones a copy of Moses’ law, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
33 All Israel, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, the foreigner as well as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.
34 Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.