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.”

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.’

The Blessings at Mount Gerizim

28 (U)Now it shall be, if you diligently [h]obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I am commanding you today, that the Lord your God (V)will put you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come to you and (W)reach you if you [i]obey the Lord your God:

“Blessed will you be in the city, and blessed will you be (X)in the [j]country.

“Blessed will be the [k]children of your womb, the [l]produce of your ground, and the [m]offspring of your animals: the newborn of your herd and the young of your flock.

“Blessed will be your basket and your kneading bowl.

“Blessed will you be (Y)when you come in, and blessed will you be when you go out.

“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be [n]defeated by you; they will go out against you one way and will flee at your presence seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing for you in your [o]barns and in (Z)everything that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. (AA)The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that [p](AB)you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. 11 (AC)And the Lord will give you more than enough prosperity, in the [q]children of your womb, in the [r]offspring of your livestock, and in the [s]produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless every work of your hand; and (AD)you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 (AE)And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will only be above, and not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God which I am commanding you today, to [t]follow them carefully, 14 and (AF)do not turn aside from any of the words which I am commanding you today, to the right or the left, to pursue other gods to serve them.

Consequences of Disobedience

15 (AG)But it shall come about, if you do not [u]obey the Lord your God, to be careful to [v]follow all His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

16 (AH)Cursed will you be in the city, and cursed will you be in the [w]country.

17 (AI)Cursed will be your basket and your kneading bowl.

18 (AJ)Cursed will be the [x]children of your womb, the [y]produce of your ground, the newborn of your herd, and the offspring of your flock.

19 (AK)Cursed will you be when you come in, and cursed will you be when you go out.

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
  6. Deuteronomy 27:19 Or fatherless
  7. Deuteronomy 27:20 Idiom for violated his father’s marriage
  8. Deuteronomy 28:1 Lit listen to the voice of
  9. Deuteronomy 28:2 Lit listen to the voice of
  10. Deuteronomy 28:3 Lit field
  11. Deuteronomy 28:4 Lit fruit
  12. Deuteronomy 28:4 Lit fruit
  13. Deuteronomy 28:4 Lit fruit
  14. Deuteronomy 28:7 Lit struck
  15. Deuteronomy 28:8 Or storehouses
  16. Deuteronomy 28:10 Lit the name of the Lord is called upon you
  17. Deuteronomy 28:11 Lit fruit
  18. Deuteronomy 28:11 Lit fruit
  19. Deuteronomy 28:11 Lit fruit
  20. Deuteronomy 28:13 Lit be careful and to perform
  21. Deuteronomy 28:15 Lit listen to the voice of
  22. Deuteronomy 28:15 Lit perform
  23. Deuteronomy 28:16 Lit field
  24. Deuteronomy 28:18 Lit fruit
  25. Deuteronomy 28:18 Lit fruit

Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.

Aleph

119 Blessed are those whose way is [a](A)blameless,
Who (B)walk in the Law of the Lord.
Blessed are those who (C)comply with His [b]testimonies,
And (D)seek Him (E)with all their heart.
They also (F)do no injustice;
They walk in His ways.
You have [c](G)ordained Your precepts,
[d]That we are to keep them diligently.
Oh that my (H)ways may be established
To (I)keep Your statutes!
Then I (J)will not be ashamed
When I look at all Your commandments.
I will (K)give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
I will keep Your statutes;
Do not utterly (L)abandon me!

Beth

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By (M)keeping it according to Your word.
10 With (N)all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me (O)wander from Your commandments.
11 I have (P)treasured Your word in my heart,
So that I may not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, Lord;
(Q)Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have (R)told of
All the (S)ordinances of Your mouth.
14 I have (T)rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
[e]As much as in all riches.
15 I will (U)meditate on Your precepts
And [f]regard (V)Your ways.
16 I shall [g](W)delight in Your statutes;
I will (X)not forget Your word.

Gimel

17 (Y)Deal generously with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your Law.
19 I am a (Z)stranger on the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed [h](AA)with longing
For Your ordinances at all times.
21 You (AB)rebuke the arrogant, [i]the (AC)cursed,
Who (AD)wander from Your commandments.
22 (AE)Take disgrace and contempt away from me,
For I (AF)comply with Your testimonies.
23 Even though (AG)rulers sit and speak against me,
Your servant (AH)meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my (AI)delight;
They are [j]my advisers.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 119:1 Lit complete; or having integrity
  2. Psalm 119:2 Or provisions, and so throughout the Psalm
  3. Psalm 119:4 Lit commanded
  4. Psalm 119:4 Lit To keep
  5. Psalm 119:14 Lit As over all
  6. Psalm 119:15 Or look at
  7. Psalm 119:16 Lit delight myself
  8. Psalm 119:20 Lit for
  9. Psalm 119:21 Or Cursed are those who wander...
  10. Psalm 119:24 Lit the men of my counsel

Bible Gateway Recommends