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. (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 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. 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. 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. 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; and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and (E)rejoice before the Lord your God. You shall write on the [d]stones all the words of this Law very clearly.”

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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 27:3 Lit spoke to
  2. Deuteronomy 27:4 Lit which
  3. Deuteronomy 27:6 Lit intact
  4. Deuteronomy 27:8 I.e., stones coated with lime, cf. v 4
  5. Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit listen to the voice of

The Law Written on Stones

27 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, “Keep every command I am giving you today. At the time you cross the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must set up large stones and cover them with plaster.(A) Write all the words of this law on the stones after you cross to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,(B) as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you. When you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to cover them with plaster. Build an altar of stones there to the Lord your God—you must not use any iron tool on them.(C) Use uncut stones to build the altar of the Lord your God and offer burnt offerings to the Lord your God on it. There you are to sacrifice fellowship offerings, eat, and rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God. Write clearly all the words of this law on the plastered stones.”

The Covenant Curses

Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow His commands and statutes I am giving you today.”

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