כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּה֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּכָּתוּב֙ בְּסֵ֨פֶר֙ תֹּורַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִזְבַּח֙ אֲבָנִ֣ים שְׁלֵמֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־הֵנִ֥יף עֲלֵיהֶ֖ן בַּרְזֶ֑ל וַיַּעֲל֨וּ עָלָ֤יו עֹלֹות֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וַֽיִּזְבְּח֖וּ שְׁלָמִֽים׃
(Joshua 8:31)
As Moshe, the servant of YHWH, commanded the children of Yisraʾel, as it is written in the book of the Torah of Moshe: an altar of unhewn stones upon which no iron tool was wielded, and they offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH and sacrificed peace offerings.
Syntax in Service of Covenant Memory
Joshua 8:31 narrates the building of an altar on Mount Ebal as commanded in the Torah of Moses. While the verse is rooted in ritual practice, its syntax is rich with covenantal and theological weight. Each clause unfolds the story of continuity between Moses’ instructions and Israel’s obedience under Joshua. The verse does not simply tell us what was done—it reveals through its word order and clause structure how Israel’s worship was grounded in precise conformity to divine command.
This article explores the syntax of the verse in depth: its subordinate clauses, relative constructions, verb sequences, and discourse flow. By analyzing the Hebrew grammar, we see how syntax functions as a theological instrument, preserving covenantal fidelity in words as well as deeds.
Clause Structure Breakdown
The verse can be divided into distinct syntactic units:
- כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד־יְהוָה אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – Subordinate clause, establishing precedent: “Just as Moses the servant of YHWH commanded the children of Israel.”
- כַּכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה – Additional subordinate clause, textual grounding: “As it is written in the Book of the Torah of Moses.”
- מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הֵנִיף עֲלֵיהֶן בַּרְזֶל – Main nominal clause, describing the altar: “An altar of uncut stones, upon which no iron had been lifted.”
- וַיַּעֲלוּ עָלָיו עֹלוֹת לַיהוָה – Narrative clause with wayyiqtol: “And they offered burnt offerings upon it to YHWH.”
- וַיִּזְבְּחוּ שְׁלָמִים – Coordinated clause: “And they sacrificed peace offerings.”
This structure creates a layered rhythm: obedience (subordinate clauses), description (nominal clause), action (verbal clauses).
Subordinate Clauses: Framing Obedience
The verse opens with כַּאֲשֶׁר, a subordinating particle meaning “just as.” The clause כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה… places Israel’s action under the authority of Moses’ prior command. Syntax here is theological: Israel does not act autonomously but according to precedent.
The following clause כַּכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה strengthens this by grounding obedience in the written Torah. Syntaxically, the two subordinate clauses form a parallelism:
– “As Moses commanded…”
– “As it is written…”
This dual witness (Moses’ command and the written Torah) underscores the binding nature of the instruction.
Nominal Clause: The Altar Description
The heart of the verse is the nominal clause: מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הֵנִיף עֲלֵיהֶן בַּרְזֶל.
– מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים (“altar of stones”) introduces the object.
– שְׁלֵמוֹת (“whole/uncut”) functions adjectivally, emphasizing that the stones were natural, not shaped by tools.
– אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הֵנִיף עֲלֵיהֶן בַּרְזֶל is a relative clause qualifying the altar: “upon which no iron had been lifted.”
This construction encodes covenantal theology. The uncut stones symbolize purity and divine creation; syntax conveys this through a relative clause that restricts and clarifies what kind of altar is permissible.
Verbal Clauses: Ritual Action
The shift to wayyiqtol forms introduces narrative movement:
– וַיַּעֲלוּ (“and they offered up”) marks the first ritual act, specifying עֹלוֹת (burnt offerings).
– וַיִּזְבְּחוּ (“and they sacrificed”) follows with שְׁלָמִים (peace offerings).
The syntax emphasizes sequence and completeness: both whole offerings and fellowship offerings were made, covering the spectrum of sacrificial worship. The conjunction וַ links each act, portraying ritual progression.
Parallelism and Thematic Symmetry
The verse is built on balanced parallels:
– כַּאֲשֶׁר… כַּכָּתוּב (obedience framed by Moses and the Torah).
– וַיַּעֲלוּ… וַיִּזְבְּחוּ (ritual acts in sequence).
The syntax thus mirrors the theme of continuity: law and practice, command and obedience, text and action.
Agreement and Precision
Subject-verb agreement is consistent: verbs are plural, matching the collective subject “they” (the Israelites). The plural reinforces communal participation. This is not the act of one priest but of the whole nation under covenant.
The agreement between nouns and adjectives (אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת) heightens ritual precision: the stones are not only stones but intact, untouched stones.
Discourse Flow
The verse’s discourse flow is deliberate:
1. Authority (Moses and Torah).
2. Object (altar of uncut stones).
3. Ritual actions (burnt and peace offerings).
This progression moves from covenantal precedent → physical preparation → liturgical execution. Syntax enforces the theological flow: divine instruction precedes human worship.
Theological Implications in Syntax
– Subordinate clauses emphasize obedience and continuity with Moses.
– Nominal clauses highlight the theological significance of the altar as natural and unaltered.
– Wayyiqtol narrative verbs capture the immediacy and sequence of ritual actions.
– Parallelism reinforces covenant fidelity.
In short, grammar embodies theology. The syntax demonstrates that Israel’s worship was legitimate because it adhered exactly to divine command.
Syntax as Covenant Witness
The syntax of Joshua 8:31 does more than narrate; it functions as covenant witness. By carefully structuring subordinate clauses before the main nominal and verbal clauses, the text emphasizes that divine authority precedes human action. Worship is not spontaneous but covenantal, framed by command and text. The altar itself, described through relative and adjectival clauses, becomes a grammatical monument to obedience. Finally, the narrative verbs show that Israel did not merely build but also sacrificed, fulfilling the covenant in both structure and practice.
The Syntax of Sacred Continuity
Joshua 8:31 is a microcosm of Israel’s covenant life. Its syntax weaves together obedience to Moses, fidelity to the Torah, precision in ritual preparation, and completeness in sacrificial action. Each clause plays a role: subordinate clauses frame authority, the nominal clause describes sacred space, and the verbal clauses enact liturgy. Together, they form a syntactic liturgy of covenant continuity.
This reminds us that syntax itself is not neutral. In Biblical Hebrew, the order of words and clauses encodes theology. The repeated framing with “as Moses commanded” and “as written in the Torah” ensures that the nation’s actions are not innovations but obedient continuations. The description of the altar as made of untouched stones conveys divine purity and unmediated worship. The sequence of sacrifices narrates the fullness of fellowship with YHWH.
Thus, Joshua 8:31 demonstrates that covenant life is preserved not only in ritual action but also in linguistic form. The very structure of the verse—its syntax—becomes a testimony to obedience, continuity, and worship. In this way, grammar becomes theology, and word order becomes covenant witness, reminding us that in Scripture, faithfulness to YHWH is revealed both in deeds and in the sacred architecture of syntax.