MPV Commentary

Joshua Assembling the Tribes.

1. Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, seeking one final opportunity to dissuade them from idolatry. His concern arose from his knowledge that the people were prone to adopting the customs of surrounding nations. This address was made to the representatives of the people who had convened at Shechem, a place already significant for its role in a previous solemn renewal of the covenant (Joshua 8:30, 35). The current gathering aimed to rekindle the same solemn atmosphere as before, drawing on the sacred associations of the location.

They presented themselves before God. It is assumed that the ark of the covenant was present at this occasion, having been temporarily removed in times of crisis (Judges 20:1-18; 1 Samuel 4:3; 2 Samuel 15:24). Alternatively, the statement may simply emphasize the ceremony's religious character.