Joshua called for all Israel - There are four degrees of civil distinction mentioned here:
- זקנים zekenim , the elders or senate, the Princes of the tribes.
ראשים rashim or rashey aboth , the Chiefs or Heads of families. שפטים shophetim , the Judges who interpreted and decided according to the law. שטרים shoterim , the Officers, serjeants, etc., who executed the decisions of the judges. Whether this assembly was held at Timnath-serah, where Joshua lived, or at Shiloh, where the ark was, or at Shechem, as in
Joshua 24:1 , we cannot tell. Some think that the meaning here, and that mentioned in
Joshua 24:1 , were the same, and if so, Shechem was the place of assembling; but it is more likely that the two chapters treat of two distinct assemblies, whether held at the same place or not.
