Joshua 8:34-35 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
An important part of the Joshua-led worship and thanksgiving response to the recent victory of the Lord was to read the Word of God, the Torah, the laws of Moses, to all the people. He was sure to include the women and children and the strangers living among them; the Word is for everyone. It may be that all the words refers particularly to the chapters dealing with “blessings and curses.” Law and Gospel is the essence of Scripture and the lens through which we understand God.
We understand this reading event to be a reading aloud of the words of God in a public gathering. Since most of the people could not read, the knowledge of God and faith in the Gospel came through hearing the Word. Illiterate people are actually better at listening and remembering the spoken word than we who are dependent on written words on paper (or computer).
But the concept of hearing applies to receiving both the spoken and the written word. When we read silently our brain is hearing. So the word reading applies to both aloud or silent. Either way, it is the hearing that is the significant response to the news of the victory and salvation of the Lord. Faith is brought by hearing, which increases the desire to hear the Word again and again. Thus the Christian responds by going to church to hear the public proclamation of the Gospel, which increases the desire hear the words daily in our alone with God time.