Deuteronomy 27:1-28:14

The Message

27 ^1-3Moses commanded the leaders of Israel and charged the people: Keep every commandment that I command you today. On the day you cross the Jordan into the land that God, your God, is giving you, erect large stones and coat them with plaster. As soon as you cross over the river, write on the stones all the words of this Revelation so that you’ll enter the land that God, your God, is giving you, that land flowing with milk and honey that God, the God-of-Your-Fathers, promised you.

^4-7So when you’ve crossed the Jordan, erect these stones on Mount Ebal. Then coat them with plaster. Build an Altar of stones for God, your God, there on the mountain. Don’t use an iron tool on the stones; build the Altar to God, your God, with uncut stones and offer your Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it to God, your God. When you sacrifice your Peace-Offerings you will also eat them there, rejoicing in the Presence of God, your God.

⁸Write all the words of this Revelation on the stones. Incise them sharply.

^9-10Moses and the Levitical priests addressed all Israel: Quiet. Listen obediently, Israel. This very day you have become the people of God, your God. Listen to the Voice of God, your God. Keep his commandments and regulations that I’m commanding you today.

^11-13That day Moses commanded: After you’ve crossed the Jordan, these tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these will stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

^14-26The Levites, acting as spokesmen and speaking loudly, will address Israel:

God’s curse on anyone who carves or casts a god-image—an abomination to God made by a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who demeans a parent.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who moves his neighbor’s boundary marker.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who misdirects a blind man on the road.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who interferes with justice due the foreigner, orphan, or widow.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who has sex with his father’s wife; he has violated the woman who belongs to his father.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who has sex with an animal.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who has sex with his sister, the daughter of his father or mother.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who has sex with his mother-in-law.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who kills his neighbor in secret.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on anyone who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

God’s curse on whoever does not give substance to the words of this Revelation by living them.

All respond: Yes. Absolutely.

* * *

28 ^1-6If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God:

God’s blessing inside the city,
God’s blessing in the country;
God’s blessing on your children,
    the crops of your land,
    the young of your livestock,
    the calves of your herds,
    the lambs of your flocks.
God’s blessing on your basket and bread bowl;
God’s blessing in your coming in,
God’s blessing in your going out.

⁷God will defeat your enemies who attack you. They’ll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads.

⁸God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he’ll bless you in the land that God, your God, is giving you.

⁹God will form you as a people holy to him, just as he promised you, if you keep the commandments of God, your God, and live the way he has shown you.

¹⁰All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe.

^11-14God will lavish you with good things: children from your womb, offspring from your animals, and crops from your land, the land that God promised your ancestors that he would give you. God will throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land on schedule and bless the work you take in hand. You will lend to many nations but you yourself won’t have to take out a loan. God will make you the head, not the tail; you’ll always be the top dog, never the underdog, as you obediently listen to and diligently keep the commands of God, your God, that I am commanding you today. Don’t swerve an inch to the right or left from the words that I command you today by going off following and worshiping other gods.

Deuteronomy 27:1-28:14

New International Version

The Altar on Mount Ebal

27 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands^(A) that I give you today. ²When you have crossed the Jordan^(B) into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones^(C) and coat them with plaster.^(D) ³Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(E) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. ⁴And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal,^(F) as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. ⁵Build there an altar^(G) to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool^(H) on them. ⁶Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. ⁷Sacrifice fellowship offerings^(I) there, eating them and rejoicing^(J) in the presence of the Lord your God.^(K) ⁸And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones^(L) you have set up.”^(M)

Curses From Mount Ebal

⁹Then Moses and the Levitical^(N) priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.^(O) ¹⁰Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”

¹¹On the same day Moses commanded the people:

¹²When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim^(P) to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,^(Q) Joseph and Benjamin.^(R) ¹³And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal^(S) to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.

¹⁴The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:

¹⁵“Cursed is anyone who makes an idol^(T)—a thing detestable^(U) to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”^(V)

¹⁶“Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.”^(W)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁷“Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.”^(X)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁸“Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.”^(Y)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁹“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner,^(Z) the fatherless or the widow.”^(AA)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁰“Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.”^(AB)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²¹“Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal.”^(AC)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²²“Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.”^(AD)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²³“Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.”^(AE)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁴“Cursed is anyone who kills^(AF) their neighbor secretly.”^(AG)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁵“Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.”^(AH)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁶“Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”^(AI)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”^(AJ)

Blessings for Obedience

28 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow^(AK) all his commands^(AL) I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.^(AM) ²All these blessings will come on you^(AN) and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

³You will be blessed^(AO) in the city and blessed in the country.^(AP)

⁴The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.^(AQ)

⁵Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

⁶You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.^(AR)

⁷The Lord will grant that the enemies^(AS) who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.^(AT)

⁸The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless^(AU) you in the land he is giving you.

⁹The Lord will establish you as his holy people,^(AV) as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands^(AW) of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. ¹⁰Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name^(AX) of the Lord, and they will fear you. ¹¹The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock^(AY) and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.^(AZ)

¹²The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse^(BA) of his bounty,^(BB) to send rain^(BC) on your land in season and to bless^(BD) all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.^(BE) ¹³The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow^(BF) them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.^(BG) ¹⁴Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left,^(BH) following other gods and serving them.

The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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