The Call For Commitment (Deuteronomy 29:9; Deuteronomy 29:12-13) and The Description of the Responders (Deuteronomy 29:10-15).
Thus in the light of this they were now to prove themselves genuine people of faith, genuine responders.
Analysis using the words of Moses:
a Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do (Deuteronomy 29:9).
b You have taken your stand this day all of you before Yahweh your God; your chiefs, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and your resident alien who is in the midst of your camps, from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water, that you may enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God, and into His oath, which Yahweh your God makes with you this day (Deuteronomy 29:10-12).'
b That He may establish you this day to Himself for a people, and that He may be to you a God, as He spoke to you, and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Deuteronomy 29:13).
a Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath, but with him who stands here with us this day before Yahweh our God, and also with him who is not here with us this day (Deuteronomy 29:14-15).
Note in ‘a' they are commanded to keep the words of His covenant and do them, and in the parallel this is applied to those both present and absent. In ‘b' they have taken their stand before Yahweh their God to enter into the covenant, and to enter into His oath, and in the parallel this was so that He might establish them in the covenant and be their God as He has sworn to their fathers from of old.
‘ Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you (ye) may prosper in all that you (ye) do.'
They were to keep in their hearts and keep in their lives the words of ‘this covenant', the covenant in Chapter s Deuteronomy 1:5 to Deuteronomy 29:1. It had to be that covenant which is referred to, for ‘the blessings' mentioned in Deuteronomy 30:1 had only been connected with that covenant. They were ‘to do them' (an emphasis echoed by Jesus in Matthew 7:21; Matthew 7:24). And the result would then be that they would prosper in all that they did. Believing is fine, but in the end true faith is only revealed by doing.
‘ You (ye) have taken your stand this day all of you (ye) before Yahweh your (of ye) God; your (of ye) chiefs, your (of ye) tribes, your (of ye) elders, and your (of ye) officers, even all the men of Israel, your (of ye) little ones, your (of ye) wives, and your (thy) resident alien who is in the midst of your (thy) camps, from the hewer of your (thy) wood to the drawer of your (thy) water, that you (thou) may enter into the covenant of Yahweh your (thy) God, and into his oath, which Yahweh your (thy) God makes with you (thee) this day,'
For that is why they were there, all of them, having taken their stand before Yahweh around His Sanctuary. It was in order to enter into His covenant and His oath that He was making with them this day. And it was not only a covenant, it was a covenant sworn to their fathers, and therefore doubly safe. The statement that they had ‘taken their stand' suggests that there had been some positive response to Moses' words.
Some translate ‘oath' as ‘curse'. It can mean either. Then the idea would be that by entering into the oath they had, as it were put themselves under the curse which would result from failure.
All were included. Their chiefs, their tribes, their elders, their administrative officials, these four comprising all the men of Israel, their little ones, their wives, and even the resident aliens, the lowly hewers of wood and the drawers of water. Drawing water was very much a woman slave's occupation.
We note the movement downwards, chiefs, male tribal members including elders and administrators, children (partly male), women, non-covenant members. Like the ox and the ass who always led the sheep and the goats, the men did the heavier work, and the fighting.
‘ That he may establish you (thee) this day to himself for a people, and that he may be to you (thee) a God, as he spoke to you (thee), and as he swore unto your (thy) fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.'
And they were stood there that they might be established that day (or ‘at that time') by Yahweh as a people (Deuteronomy 27:9), and that He might be their God as He had already promised, and as He had sworn to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (compare Deuteronomy 1:8; Deuteronomy 6:10; Deuteronomy 9:5; Deuteronomy 9:27). This was Yahweh's constant condescension towards and plea with His people, “you shall be My people and I will be your God” (compare Exodus 6:7; Hosea 2:23; Jeremiah 31:33; Zechariah 8:8; Zechariah 13:9; see also Genesis 17:7-8; Exodus 29:45; Leviticus 22:32-33).
‘ Neither with you (ye) only do I make this covenant and this oath, but with him who stands here with us this day before Yahweh our God, and also with him who is not here with us this day,'
This may signify two alternatives, that this covenant was not only with them (him who stands here with us this day), it was with them and with all who would follow them, their children, and their children's children (him who is not here with us this day). Alternately it may signify them, other parties who were present who desired to come within the covenant, and the soldiers still fighting in Bashan.