Deuteronomy27
New American Standard
1Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments which I am commanding you today.
2So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime
3and write on them all the words of this Law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.
4So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime.
5Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you shall not wield an iron tool on them.
6You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God;
7and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the Lord your God.
8You shall write on the stones all the words of this Law very clearly.”
9Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, Israel! This day you have become a people for the Lord your God.
10So you shall obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today.”
11Moses also commanded the people on that day, saying,
12“When you cross the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
13For the curse, these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14The Levites shall then respond and say to all the people of Israel with a loud voice,
15‘Cursed is the person who makes a carved image or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall reply and say, ‘Amen.’
16‘Cursed is one who treats his father or mother contemptuously.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
17‘Cursed is one who displaces his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
18‘Cursed is one who misleads a person who is blind on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
19‘Cursed is one who distorts the justice due a stranger, an orphan, or a widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
20‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s garment.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
21‘Cursed is one who has sexual intercourse with any animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
22‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
23‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
24‘Cursed is he who attacks his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
25‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to attack an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
26‘Cursed is anyone who does not fulfill the words of this Law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 27.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The law to be written on stones in the promised land. (1–10). The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal. (11–26).
vv1-10
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set up any altar besides that at the tabernacle; yet, by the appointment of God, they might, upon special occasion. This altar must be made of unhewn stones, such as they found upon the field. Christ, our Altar, is a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, refused by the builders, as having no form or comeliness, but accepted of God the Father, and made the Head of the corner. In the Old Testament the words of the law are written, with the curse annexed; which would overcome us with horror, if we had not, in the New Testament, an altar erected close by, which gives consolation. Blessed be God, the printed copies of the Scriptures among us, do away the necessity of such methods as were presented to Israel. The end of the gospel ministry is, and the end of preachers ought to be, to make the word of God as plain as possible. Yet, unless the Spirit of God prosper such labours with Divine power, we shall not, even by these means, be made wise unto salvation: for this blessing we should therefore daily and earnestly pray.
vv11-26
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the threatenings of a curse, by declaring that a curse would be upon those who do such things. To each of the curses the people were to say, Amen. It professed their faith, that these, and the like curses, were real declarations of the wrath of God against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, not one jot of which shall fall to the ground. It was acknowledging the equity of these curses. Those who do such things deserve to fall, and lie under the curse. Lest those who were guilty of other sins, not here mentioned, should think themselves safe from the curse, the last reaches all. Not only those who do the evil which the law forbids, but those also who omit the good which the law requires. Without the atoning blood of Christ, sinners can neither have communion with a holy God, nor do any thing acceptable to him; his righteous law condemns every one who, at any time, or in any thing, transgresses it. Under its awful curse we remain as transgressors, until the redemption of Christ is applied to our hearts. Wherever the grace of God brings salvation, it teaches the believer to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, consenting to, and delighting in the words of God's law, after the inward man. In this holy walk, true peace and solid joy are to be found.
Key Words
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
זָקֵן: old
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
צָוָה: (intensively) to constitute, enjoin
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שָׁמַר: properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
מִצְוָה: a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
Cross References
Deuteronomy 27Joshua writes a copy of the law of Moses on the stones in Israel's presence.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Joshua fulfills the command by building an altar to God on Mount Ebal.
Supported by John Calvin
Joshua builds the altar of unhewn stones upon which no man lifted an iron tool.
Supported by John Calvin
The tribes stand over against Gerizim and Ebal for the blessings and curses as commanded.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicitly quotes Deuteronomy 27:26 to show that all under the law are under a curse.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Christ redeems us from the law's curse by being made a curse for us.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The original law forbidding the use of hewn stones and iron tools on God's altars.
The prior command to put the blessing on Gerizim and the curse on Ebal.
Jotham speaks from Mount Gerizim, referencing its geographic and symbolic placement.
Supported by JFB
The explicit legal prohibition against removing a neighbor's landmark.
The holiness code forbidding putting a stumblingblock before the blind.
The specific holiness code forbidding sexual relations with a father's wife.
Echoes the covenant curse on anyone who does not obey the words of this covenant.
Prophetic parallel of writing God's words plainly on tablets so observers can run.
The penal law pronouncing death for anyone cursing father or mother.