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 3 and 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. 4 So 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. 5 Moreover, 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. 6 You 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; 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and (E)rejoice before the Lord your God. 8 You shall write on the [d]stones all the words of this Law very clearly.”
9 Then 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. 10 So you shall [e]obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today.”
11 Moses 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. 13 For the curse, these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 The 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
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
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