Chapter 27
Altar on Mount Ebal.[a][b] 1 Moses and the elders of Israel said to the people: Observe all of the commandments that I give you today. 2 When you cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord, your God, has given you, set up some large stones for yourselves and plaster them over. 3 When you cross over to enter the land that the Lord, your God, has promised you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, write all of these laws on them. 4 When you have crossed over the Jordan, I command you today, you are to set them up on Mount Ebal and plaster them over. 5 Build an altar there to the Lord, your God, an altar of stone. Do not use any iron tool upon them. 6 Build an altar of unhewn stones there to the Lord, your God. You shall offer your burnt offerings to the Lord, your God, there. 7 You are also to offer up peace offerings and eat them there, rejoicing in the presence of the Lord, your God. 8 You will write all of the words of the law upon these stones in a very clear manner.
9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, said to all of Israel: Take heed, O Israel, and listen, for today you have become the people of the Lord, your God. 10 Obey the command of the Lord, your God, and observe the commandments and the statutes that I give you today.
11 On the same day Moses said to the people: 12 When you cross over the Jordan, these are the ones who will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 These are the ones who will stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 The Twelve Curses.[c] The Levites will proclaim to all of the people of Israel,
15 “Cursed be the person who carves or casts an idol, an abomination to the Lord, the work of human hands, and sets it up in secret.” Then all of the people will proclaim, “Amen.”[d] 16 “Cursed is the one who dishonors father or mother.” All of the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
17 “Cursed is the one who moves a neighbor’s boundary stone.” All of the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
18 “Cursed is the one who leads a blind person astray on the road.” All of the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
19 “Cursed is the one who withholds justice from the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow.” All of the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
20 “Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father’s wife, dishonoring his father’s bed.” All the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
21 “Cursed is the one who has sex with an animal.” All the people will proclaim, “Amen.” 22 “Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, either the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.” All the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
23 “Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother-in-law.” All of the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
24 “Cursed is the one who kills a neighbor in secret.” All of the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
25 “Cursed is the one who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.” All the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
26 “Cursed is the one who does not uphold the words of this law and observe them.” All the people will proclaim, “Amen.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:1 In new discourses, usually called the third (27:1—28:68) and fourth (28:69—30:1), Moses dictates the regulations and ceremonies that are to mark the beginning of observance of the law on entrance into Palestine.
- Deuteronomy 27:1 The carrying out of these orders is described in Jos 8:30-32.
- Deuteronomy 27:14 For the carrying out of these prescriptions see Jos 8:33-35.
- Deuteronomy 27:15 Amen: “so be it!” The Hebrew word passed into Christian use.