Deuteronomy 27
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Inscribed Stones and Altar on Mount Ebal
27 Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged all the people as follows: “Keep the entire commandment that I am commanding you today. 2 On the day that you cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and cover them with plaster.(A) 3 You shall write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over, to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.(B) 4 So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones about which I am commanding you today on Mount Ebal, and you shall cover them with plaster. 5 And you shall build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones on which you have not used an iron tool.(C) 6 You must build the altar of the Lord your God of unhewn[a] stones. Then offer up burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God; 7 make sacrifices of well-being, and eat them there, rejoicing before the Lord your God. 8 You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very clearly.”
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of the Lord your God.(D) 10 Therefore obey the Lord your God, observing his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today.”
Twelve Curses
11 The same day Moses charged the people as follows: 12 “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.(E) 13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 Then the Levites shall declare in a loud voice to all the Israelites,
15 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who makes an idol or casts an image, anything abhorrent to the Lord, the work of an artisan, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall respond, saying, ‘Amen!’(F)
16 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors father or mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(G)
17 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who moves a neighbor’s boundary marker.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(H)
18 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind person on the road.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(I)
19 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who deprives an alien, an orphan, or a widow of justice.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(J)
20 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has violated his father’s rights.’[b] All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(K)
21 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any animal.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(L)
22 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(M)
23 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(N)
24 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down a neighbor in secret.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(O)
25 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(P)
26 “ ‘Cursed be anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by observing them.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’(Q)
Deuteronomy 27
Revised Standard Version
The Inscribed Stones and Altar on Mount Ebal
27 Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandment which I command you this day. 2 And on the day you pass over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall set up large stones, and plaster them with plaster; 3 and you shall write upon them all the words of this law, when you pass over to enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 And when you have passed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you this day, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster. 5 And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you shall lift up no iron tool upon them. 6 You shall build an altar to the Lord your God of unhewn[a] stones; and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God; 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings, and shall eat there; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God. 8 And you shall write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.”
9 And Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you this day.”
Twelve Curses
11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 12 “When you have passed over the Jordan, these shall stand upon Mount Ger′izim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Is′sachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these shall stand upon Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zeb′ulun, Dan, and Naph′tali. 14 And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel with a loud voice:
15 “‘Cursed be the man who makes a graven or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
16 “‘Cursed be he who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
17 “‘Cursed be he who removes his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
18 “‘Cursed be he who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
19 “‘Cursed be he who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
20 “‘Cursed be he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered her who is his father’s.’[b] And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
21 “‘Cursed be he who lies with any kind of beast.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
22 “‘Cursed be he who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
23 “‘Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
24 “‘Cursed be he who slays his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
25 “‘Cursed be he who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
26 “‘Cursed be he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:6 Heb whole
- Deuteronomy 27:20 Heb uncovered his father’s skirt
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.