The Altar on Mount Ebal

27 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands(A) that I give you today. When you have crossed the Jordan(B) into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones(C) and coat them with plaster.(D) Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,(E) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal,(F) as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. Build there an altar(G) to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool(H) on them. Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. Sacrifice fellowship offerings(I) there, eating them and rejoicing(J) in the presence of the Lord your God.(K) And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones(L) you have set up.”(M)

Curses From Mount Ebal

Then Moses and the Levitical(N) priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.(O) 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”

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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. 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. 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.

“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. Then build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones that hasn’t been worked with iron tools. Build the altar to the Lord your God with uncut stones, then offer a burnt offering to him.[c] Offer a burnt offering there, then eat and rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God. Inscribe on the stones plainly and distinctly[d] all the words of this Law.”

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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 27:1 So LXX. MT reads commandment
  2. Deuteronomy 27:1 Lit. commanding
  3. Deuteronomy 27:6 Lit. the Lord your God
  4. Deuteronomy 27:8 Lit. and make good
  5. Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit. voice of the Lord your God
  6. Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit. commanding