1Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all the commandments I am giving you today.
2And on the day you cross the Jordan into the land that the LORDyour God is giving you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster. 3Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land that the LORDyour God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster.
5Moreover, you are to build there an altarto the LORDyour God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them. 6You shall build the altarof the LORDyour God with uncut stones and offer upon it burnt offeringsto the LORDyour God. 7There you are to sacrifice your peace offerings, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORDyour God. 8And you shall write distinctly upon these stones all the words of this law.”
9Then Mosesand the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the LORDyour God. 10You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORDyour God and follow His commandments and statutes I am giving you today.”
Curses Pronounced from Ebal
11On that day Moses commanded the people:
ⓘMount Gerizim lies just west of Mount Ebal...
Mount Gerizim lies just west of Mount Ebal (27:4), and Shechem lies in the valley between (see 11:29; Josh 8:30–35).
proclaim a blessing: The tribes or their representatives were carefully placed so that as the Levites (Deut 27:14) read the covenant from the valley below, the other tribes antiphonally proclaimed their adherence to its terms by shouting Amen, a Hebrew term that means “May it be so.”
12“When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizimto bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14Then the Levites shall proclaim in a loud voice to every Israelite:
15‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idolor molten image—an abominationto theLORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
16‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
17‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
18‘Cursed is he who lets a blind man wander in the road.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
19‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
20‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’†
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
21‘Cursed is he who lies with any animal.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
22‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
23‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
24‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
25‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’
And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
26NT‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’†
this whole body of instruction (literally all the words of this torah): This phrase could refer to the entire book of Deuteronomy, but considering the small surface (27:2) on which the text was to be inscribed, it probably just refers to the Ten Commandments.
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:4
The covenant ceremony was to take place at Mount Ebal, a mountain east of Shechem (see Josh 8:30–35). The Samaritan Pentateuch reads “Mount Gerizim” here, an obvious attempt to justify the existence of the Samaritan temple on that mountain (see Deut 11:29).
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:5
natural, uncut stones: Archaeological research has uncovered a number of Canaanite altars, all built of hewn blocks. In contrast to this practice, the Israelites were to build their altars only of rough field stones (Exod 20:22–26; see “Altars” Theme Note).
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:7
Some offerings atoned for sins and trespasses; others affirmed that all was well between the Lord and the donor. For example, peace offerings (sometimes called fellowship offerings) testified to wholeness in the divine–human relationship (see Lev 3:1–16).
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:9
Today: The Israelites were already the Lord’s people prior to this moment, but each time Israel affirmed itself to be God’s people and renewed the covenant (as here), they became God’s people in a fresh, new way. Recommitment to the Lord is like beginning a new relationship with him.
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:13
proclaim a curse: By invoking curses on themselves if they disobeyed the terms of the covenant, these tribes served as witnesses and judges of their own future disobedience.
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:14
The Levites as a group were stationed on Mount Gerizim (27:12). The Ark of the Covenant accompanied them, and they offered sacrifices (Josh 8:30–35). It was part of the Levites’ role to teach and proclaim the Torah (Deut 33:10; see study note on 6:8; see also Lev 10:11).
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:15
carves or casts an idol: Such behavior would strike at the very heart of the covenant ideal by violating the second commandment (see 5:7–10).
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:16
dishonors father or mother: In the various spheres of human relationships, duty to parents ranked just below duty to God (see 5:16). To disrespect and disobey parents was just short of disrespecting God.
Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:17
Moving a boundary marker to one’s own advantage is tantamount to theft and clearly violates the eighth commandment (see 5:19; 19:14).
blind person: This curse would apply to treatment of physically disabled or disadvantaged people in general. Such a mean and callous act was not fitting of a member of the covenant community, in which all were to be treated alike.
whether . . . the daughter of his father or his mother: Though this instruction concerns a relationship with a half sister or foster sibling, it precludes a sexual relationship with one’s full sibling as well (see Lev 18:9; 20:17).