Deuteronomy 27
1599 Geneva Bible
27 2 They are commanded to write the law upon stones for a remembrance. 5 Also to build an altar. 13 The cursings are given on mount Ebal.
1 Then Moses with the Elders of Israel [a]commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments, which I command you this day.
2 And when ye shall pass (A)over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster,
3 [b]And shalt write upon them all the words of this Law, when thou shalt come over, that thou mayest go into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: a land that floweth with milk and honey, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
4 Therefore when ye shall pass over Jordan, ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.
5 (B)And there shalt thou build unto the Lord thy God an altar, even an altar of stones: thou shalt lift none [c]iron instrument upon them.
6 Thou shalt make the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones, and offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God.
7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there and rejoice before the Lord thy God:
8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this Law, [d]well and plainly.
9 ¶ And Moses and the Priests of the Levites, spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed and hear, O Israel: this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.
10 Thou [e]shalt hearken therefore unto the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments and his ordinances, which I command thee this day.
11 ¶ And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim, to bless the people when ye shall pass over Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and [f]Joseph, and Benjamin.
13 And these shall stand upon mount Ebal, to [g]curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 And the Levites shall answer and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,
15 ¶ Cursed be the man that shall make any carved or molten [h]image, which is an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place: And all the people shall answer and say: So be it.
16 Cursed be he that [i]curseth his father and his mother: And all the people shall say: So be it.
17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbor’s [j]mark: And all the people shall say: So be it.
18 Cursed be he that maketh the [k]blind go out of the way: And all the people shall say: So be it.
19 Cursed be he that hindereth the right of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow: And all the people shall say: So be it.
20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife: for he hath uncovered his father’s [l]skirt: And all the people shall say: So be it.
21 Cursed be he that lieth with any beast: And all the people shall say: So be it.
22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother: And all the people shall say: So be it.
23 Cursed be he that lieth with his [m]mother-in-law: And all the people shall say: So be it.
24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor [n]secretly: And all the people shall say: So be it.
25 (C)Cursed be he that taketh a reward to put to death innocent blood: And all the people shall say: So be it.
26 (D)Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law, to do them: And all the people shall say: So be it.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:1 As God’s minister and charged with the same.
- Deuteronomy 27:3 God would that his Law should be set up in the borders of the land of Canaan, that all that looked thereon might know that the land was dedicated to his service.
- Deuteronomy 27:5 The altar should not be curiously wrought, because it should continue but for a time: for God would have but one altar in Judah.
- Deuteronomy 27:8 That everyone may well read it, and understand it.
- Deuteronomy 27:10 This condition hath bound thee unto, that if thou wilt be his people, thou must keep his laws.
- Deuteronomy 27:12 Meaning, Ephraim and Manasseh.
- Deuteronomy 27:13 Signifying, that if they would not obey God for love, they should be made to obey for fear.
- Deuteronomy 27:15 Under this he containeth all the corruptions of God’s service, and the transgression of the first Table.
- Deuteronomy 27:16 Or, contemneth: and this appertaineth to the second Table.
- Deuteronomy 27:17 He condemneth all injuries and extortions.
- Deuteronomy 27:18 Meaning, that helpeth not and counselleth not his neighbor.
- Deuteronomy 27:20 In committing villiany against him, Lev. 20:11; Deut. 22:30; Ezek. 22:10.
- Deuteronomy 27:23 Meaning, his wife’s mother.
- Deuteronomy 27:24 For God that seeth in secret, will revenge it.
Deuteronomy 27
English Standard Version
The Altar on Mount Ebal
27 Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep the whole commandment that I command you today. 2 And on the day (A)you cross over the Jordan to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and plaster them with plaster. 3 (B)And you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, (C)a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, (D)on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster. 5 And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. (E)You shall wield no iron tool on them; 6 you shall build an altar to the Lord your God of uncut[a] stones. And you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God, 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and (F)shall eat there, and you (G)shall rejoice before the Lord your God. 8 And (H)you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly.”
Curses from Mount Ebal
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: (I)this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.”
11 That day Moses charged the people, saying, 12 “When you have crossed over the Jordan, (J)these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 And (K)the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:
15 (L)“‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ (M)And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
16 (N)“‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
17 (O)“‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor's landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
18 (P)“‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
19 (Q)“‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
20 (R)“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father's wife, because he has (S)uncovered his father's nakedness.’[b] And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
21 (T)“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
22 (U)“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
23 (V)“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
24 (W)“‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
25 (X)“‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
26 (Y)“‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:6 Hebrew whole
- Deuteronomy 27:20 Hebrew uncovered his father's skirt
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.

