Deuteronomy 27

New American Standard Bible

The Curses at Mount Ebal

27 Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments which I am commanding you today. ²^(A)So 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, ^(B)a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, ^[a]promised you. ⁴So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up these stones ^(C)on Mount Ebal, ^[b]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 ^(D)shall not wield an iron tool on them. ⁶You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of ^[c]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 ^(E)rejoice before the Lord your God. ⁸You shall write on the ^[d]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 ^[e]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 ^(F)Mount Gerizim to bless the people: ^(G)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 ^(H)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 ^(I)all the people shall reply and say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁶‘^(J)Cursed is one who treats his father or mother contemptuously.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁷‘^(K)Cursed is one who displaces his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁸‘^(L)Cursed is one who misleads a person who is blind on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁹‘^(M)Cursed is one who distorts the justice due a stranger, an ^[f]orphan, or a widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁰‘^(N)Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, because he has ^[g]uncovered his father’s garment.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²¹‘^(O)Cursed is one who has sexual intercourse with any animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²²‘^(P)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‘^(Q)Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁴‘^(R)Cursed is he who attacks his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁵‘^(S)Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to attack an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁶‘^(T)Cursed is anyone who does not fulfill the words of this Law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Footnotes

Deuteronomy 27:3 Lit spoke to
Deuteronomy 27:4 Lit which
Deuteronomy 27:6 Lit intact
Deuteronomy 27:8 I.e., stones coated with lime, cf. v 4
Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit listen to the voice of
Deuteronomy 27:19 Or fatherless
Deuteronomy 27:20 Idiom for violated his father’s marriage

Deuteronomy 27

Common English Bible

Stones of the Instruction

27 Then Moses and Israel’s elders commanded the people:

Keep all of the commandment that I am giving you right now. ²The same day you cross the Jordan River to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up large stones and cover them with plaster. ³Once you have crossed over, write on the stones all the words of this Instruction because you will have entered^[a] the land the Lord your God is giving to you—a land full of milk and honey—exactly as the Lord, your ancestors’ God, promised you. ⁴Once you have crossed over the Jordan River, set up these stones that I’m telling you about right now on Mount Ebal. Cover them with plaster ⁵and build an altar there for the Lord your God—an altar of stones that haven’t been cut with iron tools. ⁶(You must build the Lord your God’s altar with uncut stones.) Then offer up on that altar entirely burned sacrifices to the Lord your God. ⁷Offer up well-being sacrifices and eat them there, celebrating in the Lord your God’s presence. ⁸Make sure to write all the words of this Instruction on the stones plainly and clearly. ⁹Then Moses and the levitical priests said to all Israel: Quiet down and listen, Israel! This very moment you have become the people of the Lord your God. ¹⁰So obey the Lord your God’s voice. Do his commandments and his regulations that I’m giving you right now.

Ceremony on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal

¹¹That same day Moses commanded the people: ¹²Once you have crossed over the Jordan River, the following tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. ¹³And these are the tribes that will stand on Mount Ebal for the cursing: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴The Levites will address every individual Israelite with a loud voice:

¹⁵“Cursed is anyone who makes an idol or an image—things detestable to the Lord, made by artisans—and sets it up secretly.”

All the people will reply: “We agree!”^[b]

¹⁶“Cursed is anyone who belittles their father or mother.”