Deuteronomy 27
New King James Version
The Law Inscribed on Stones
27 Now Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying: “Keep all the commandments which I command you today. 2 And it shall be, on the day (A)when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that (B)you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. 3 You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, (C)‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ just as the Lord God of your fathers promised you. 4 Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that (D)on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime. 5 And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; (E)you shall not use an iron tool on them. 6 You shall build with [a]whole stones the altar of the Lord your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and (F)rejoice before the Lord your God. 8 And you shall (G)write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law.”
9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, “Take heed and listen, O Israel: (H)This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.”
Curses Pronounced from Mount Ebal
11 And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, 12 “These shall stand (I)on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; 13 and (J)these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 “And (K)the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: 15 (L)‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, [b]an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’
(M)“And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’
16 (N)‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
17 (O)‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
18 (P)‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
19 (Q)‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
20 (R)‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
21 (S)‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
22 (T)‘Cursed is 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 (U)‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
24 (V)‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
25 (W)‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
26 (X)‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ ”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:6 uncut
- Deuteronomy 27:15 a detestable thing
Deuteronomy 27
Living Bible
27 Then Moses and the elders of Israel gave the people these further instructions to obey:[a]
2-4 “When you cross the Jordan River and go into the Promised Land—a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’—take out boulders from the river bottom and immediately pile them into a monument on the other side, at Mount Ebal. Face the stones with a coating of lime[b] and then write the laws of God in the lime. 5-6 And build an altar there to the Lord your God. Use uncut boulders, and on the altar offer burnt offerings to the Lord your God. 7 Sacrifice peace offerings upon it also, and feast there with great joy before the Lord your God. 8 Write all of these laws plainly upon the monument.[c]”
9 Then Moses and the Levite-priests addressed all Israel as follows: “O Israel, listen! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God, 10 so today you must begin to obey all of these commandments I have given you.”
11 That same day Moses gave this charge to the people:
12 “When you cross into the Promised Land, the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to proclaim a blessing, 13 and the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali shall stand upon Mount Ebal to proclaim a curse. 14 Then the Levites standing between[d] them shall shout to all Israel,
15 “‘The curse of God be upon anyone who makes and worships an idol, even in secret, whether carved of wood or made from molten metal—for these handmade gods are hated by the Lord.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
16 “‘Cursed is anyone who despises his father or mother.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
17 “‘Cursed is he who moves the boundary marker between his land and his neighbor’s.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
18 “‘Cursed is he who takes advantage of a blind man.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
19 “‘Cursed is he who is unjust to the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
20 “‘Cursed is he who commits adultery with one of his father’s wives, for she belongs to his father.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
21 “‘Cursed is he who has sexual intercourse with an animal.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
22 “‘Cursed is he who has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether she be a full sister or a half sister.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
23 “‘Cursed is he who has sexual intercourse with his widowed[e] mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
24 “‘Cursed is he who secretly slays another.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
25 “‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
26 “‘Cursed is anyone who does not obey these laws.’ And all the people shall reply, ‘Amen.’
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:1 gave the people these further instructions to obey, literally, “Keep all the commandments I enjoin on you today.”
- Deuteronomy 27:2 with a coating of lime, literally, “plaster them with plaster.”
- Deuteronomy 27:8 upon the monument, implied; see vv. 1-4.
- Deuteronomy 27:14 Then the Levites standing between, implied.
- Deuteronomy 27:23 widowed, implied. If she were still married, no special law would be needed to prohibit adultery.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.