priests and the Levites grouped themselves about the holy Ark in
the vale between the two peaks. With their faces turned toward
Gerizim, the Levites uttered the words: "Happy the man that
maketh no idol, an abomination unto the Lord," and all the people
answered Amen. After reciting twelve blessings similar to this in
form, the Levites turned to Mount Ebal, and recited twelve curses,
counterparts of the blessings, to each of which the people
responded again with Amen. Thereupon an altar was erected on
Mount Ebal with the stones, each weighing forty seim, which the
Israelites had taken from the bed of the river while passing through
the Jordan. The altar was plastered with lime, and the Torah
written upon it in seventy languages, so that the heathen nations
might have the opportunity of learning the law. At the end it was
said explicitly that the heathen outside of Palestine, if they would
but abandon the worship of idols, would be received kindly by the
Jews.

All this happened on one day, on the same day on which the
Jordan was crossed, and the assembly was held on Gerizim and
Ebal, the day on which the people arrived at Gilgal, where they
left the stones of which the altar had been built. (15) At Gilgal
Joshua performed the rite of circumcision on those born in the
desert, who had remained uncircumcised on account of the rough
climate and for other reasons. (16) And here it was that the manna
gave out. It had ceased to fall at the death of Moses, but the supply
that had been stored up had lasted some time longer. (17) As soon
as the people were under the necessity of providing for their daily
wants, they grew negligent in the study of the Torah. Therefore the
angel admonished Joshua to loose his shoes from off his feet, for
he was to mourn over the decline of the study of the Torah, (18)