And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest you deny your God.
All Commentaries on Joshua 24:27 Go To Joshua 24
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
It hath heard. This is a figure of speech, by which sensation is attributed to inanimate things; and they are called upon, as it were, to bear witness in favour of the great Creator, whom they on their part constantly obey, (Challoner) which is the best manner of hearing. They rise up to our confusion. (Theodoret, q. 19.) (Worthington)
The oriental writers delight in these strong figurative expressions, which are not confined to poetry. Jesus Christ says, that if the children were silent, the stones would cry out, Luke xix. 40. See Numbers xiii. 33., and Genesis iv. 10. (Calmet)
Lest. Hebrew, "it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest you deny your God "or literally, "lie unto your Elohim. "(Haydock)
The expression often means to revolt and prove faithless, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 29.
