Deuteronomy 27

New King James Version

The Law Inscribed on Stones

27 Now Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying: “Keep all the commandments which I command you today. ² And it shall be, on the day ^(A)when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that ^(B)you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. ³ You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, ^(C)‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ just as the Lord God of your fathers promised you. ⁴ Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that ^(D)on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime. ⁵ And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; ^(E)you shall not use an iron tool on them. ⁶ You shall build with ^[a]whole stones the altar of the Lord your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. ⁷ You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and ^(F)rejoice before the Lord your God. ⁸ And you shall ^(G)write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law.”

⁹ Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, “Take heed and listen, O Israel: ^(H)This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. ¹⁰ Therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.”

Curses Pronounced from Mount Ebal

¹¹ And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, ¹² “These shall stand ^(I)on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; ¹³ and ^(J)these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

¹⁴ “And ^(K)the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: ^15 (L)‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, ^[b]an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’

^(M)“And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’

^16 (N)‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^17 (O)‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^18 (P)‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^19 (Q)‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^20 (R)‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^21 (S)‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^22 (T)‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^23 (U)‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^24 (V)‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^25 (W)‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

^26 (X)‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ ”