Deuteronomy 27
International Standard Version
Stone Memorials
27 Moses and the elders of Israel gave these orders to the people: “Observe all of the commandments[a] that I’m giving[b] you today. 2 On the day you cross over the Jordan River to the land that the Lord your God is about to give you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 Then inscribe on them all the words of this Law when you’ve crossed over into the land that the Lord your God is about to give you—a land flowing with milk and honey—just as the Lord God of your ancestors promised you.
4 “When you have crossed the Jordan River, set up these stones about which I’m commanding you today on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster. 5 Then build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones that hasn’t been worked with iron tools. 6 Build the altar to the Lord your God with uncut stones, then offer a burnt offering to him.[c] 7 Offer a burnt offering there, then eat and rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God. 8 Inscribe on the stones plainly and distinctly[d] all the words of this Law.”
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to Israel. They said, “Be quiet and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Listen to his voice[e] and carry out his commands and statutes that I’m giving[f] you today.”
Penalties for Disobedience
11 Moses gave the people these commands that day:
12 “When you cross the Jordan River, these tribes[g] are to stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people—Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 The tribes of[h] Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali are to stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curse. 14 The descendants of Levi are to declare in a loud voice to every Israeli:
15 “‘Cursed is the one[i] who makes a sculptured or cast image—a detestable thing to the Lord, the work of a craftsman—and sets it up secretly.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
16 “‘Cursed is the one who treats his father and mother with dishonor.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
17 “‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
18 “‘Cursed is the one who misleads a blind person on the road.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
19 “‘Cursed is the one who perverts justice due the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
20 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his father’s wife, because he has disgraced his father.’[j]
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
21 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with any animal.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
22 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his sister, the daughter of his father or mother.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
23 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
24 “‘Cursed is one who strikes his neighbor secretly.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
25 “‘Cursed is one who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
26 “‘Cursed is the one who doesn’t uphold the words of this Law and observe them.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:1 So LXX. MT reads commandment
- Deuteronomy 27:1 Lit. commanding
- Deuteronomy 27:6 Lit. the Lord your God
- Deuteronomy 27:8 Lit. and make good
- Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit. voice of the Lord your God
- Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit. commanding
- Deuteronomy 27:12 The Heb. lacks tribes
- Deuteronomy 27:13 The Heb. lacks the tribes of
- Deuteronomy 27:15 Lit. man; and so through v. 26
- Deuteronomy 27:20 Lit. has uncovered his father’s garment
Deuteronomy 27
Lexham English Bible
Ceremonies
27 Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying,[a] “Keep all of the commandment that I am commanding you today.[b] 2 And then on the day that you cross the Jordan to the land that Yahweh your God is giving to you, then you shall set up for yourselves[c] large stones, and you shall paint[d] them with lime, 3 and you shall write on them all the words of this law at your crossing, so that you may come into the land that Yahweh your God is giving to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your ancestors,[e] promised[f] to you. 4 And when you cross the Jordan,[g] you shall set up these stones that I am commanding you about today[h] on Mount Ebal, and you shall paint[i] them with lime. 5 And you shall build an altar there for Yahweh your God, an altar of stone, but[j] you shall not use an iron tool to shape the stones.[k] 6 You must build the altar of your God with unhewn stones, and you shall sacrifice on it burnt offerings to Yahweh your God. 7 And you shall sacrifice fellowship offerings, and you shall eat them there, and you shall rejoice before[l] Yahweh your God. 8 You shall write on the stone all of the words of this law very clearly.”
9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying,[m] “Be silent and hear, Israel, for this day you have become a people[n] for Yahweh your God. 10 And listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and observe his commandments and his rules that I am commanding you today.”[o]
Blessings and Curses
11 And Moses charged the people on that day, saying,[p] 12 “These tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people when you cross[q] the Jordan: Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin. 13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for delivering the curse: Reuben, Gad and Asher and Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali. 14 And the Levites shall declare,[r] and they shall say to each man of Israel with a loud voice, 15 ‘Cursed be the man that makes a divine image or a cast image, which is a detestable thing for Yahweh, the work of the hand of a skilled craftsman, and then sets it in a hiding place.’[s] And all the people shall respond,[t] ‘Amen.’
16 ‘Cursed be the one who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all of the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
17 ‘Cursed be the one who moves the boundary marker of his neighbor.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
18 ‘Cursed be the one who misleads a blind person on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
19 ‘Cursed be the one who deprives the alien, the orphan, and the widow of justice.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
20 ‘Cursed be the one who lies with the wife of his father, because he has dishonored his father’s bed.’[u] And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
21 ‘Cursed be the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
22 ‘Cursed be the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
23 ‘Cursed be the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
24 ‘Cursed be the one who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
25 ‘Cursed be the one who takes a bribe to murder an innocent person.’[v] And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
26 ‘Cursed be the one who does not keep[w] the words of this law, to observe them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:1 Literally “to say”
- Deuteronomy 27:1 Literally “the day”
- Deuteronomy 27:2 Literally “for you”
- Deuteronomy 27:2 Or “coat/cover them”
- Deuteronomy 27:3 Or “fathers”
- Deuteronomy 27:3 Literally “spoke”
- Deuteronomy 27:4 Literally “at/in your crossing the Jordan”
- Deuteronomy 27:4 Literally “the day”
- Deuteronomy 27:4 Or “coat/cover”
- Deuteronomy 27:5 Or “and”
- Deuteronomy 27:5 Literally “and you shall not wave to and fro over them an iron tool”
- Deuteronomy 27:7 Literally “to the face of”
- Deuteronomy 27:9 Literally “to say”
- Deuteronomy 27:9 Literally “for a people”
- Deuteronomy 27:10 Literally “the day”
- Deuteronomy 27:11 Literally “to say”
- Deuteronomy 27:12 Literally “at/in crossing your”
- Deuteronomy 27:14 Literally “they shall answer the Levites”
- Deuteronomy 27:15 Or “a secret place”
- Deuteronomy 27:15 Literally “and they shall answer all of the people”
- Deuteronomy 27:20 Literally “because he uncovered the hem of his father”
- Deuteronomy 27:25 Literally “to strike down an individual person in blood”
- Deuteronomy 27:26 Literally “who not keeps”
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