It is not only the army of Israel that makes its way to Shechem, but the entire nation, the whole assembly (Joshua 8:33, Joshua 8:35). This included women and children, as well as sojourners (aliens). Among the sojourners were probably descendants of non-Israelites who left Egypt (Exodus 12:38), such as Rahab and her family (Joshua 6:25) and possibly others like her who have chosen to put their faith in Israel’s God and become part of the covenant community. Their presence in the community shows the extent of God’s grace: God saves all those who put their faith in him, regardless of ethnicity.1
The term assembly of Israel
is often used to denote Israel gathered as a congregation for worship or other religious functions (Leviticus 16:17; Deuteronomy 31:30; 1 Kings 8:14; Ezra 10:1; Psalm 22:22).2
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.