Deuteronomy 27
New English Translation
The Assembly at Shechem
27 Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Pay attention to all the commandments[a] I am giving[b] you today. 2 When you cross the Jordan River[c] to the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must erect great stones and cover[d] them with plaster. 3 Then you must inscribe on them all the words of this law when you cross over, so that you may enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors,[e] said to you. 4 So when you cross the Jordan you must erect on Mount Ebal[f] these stones about which I am commanding you today, and you must cover them with plaster. 5 Then you must build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones—do not use an iron tool on them. 6 You must build the altar of the Lord your God with whole stones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 Also you must offer fellowship offerings and eat them there, rejoicing before the Lord your God. 8 You must inscribe on the stones all the words of this law, making them clear.”
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: “Be quiet and pay attention, Israel. Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 You must obey him[g] and keep his commandments and statutes that I am giving you today.” 11 Moreover, Moses commanded the people that day: 12 “The following tribes[h] must stand to bless the people on Mount Gerizim when you cross the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these other tribes must stand for the curse on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
The Covenant Curses
14 “The Levites will call out to every Israelite[i] with a loud voice: 15 ‘Cursed is the one[j] who makes a carved or metal image—something abhorrent[k] to the Lord, the work of the craftsman[l]—and sets it up in a secret place.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’[m] 16 ‘Cursed[n] is the one who disrespects[o] his father and mother.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 17 ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 18 ‘Cursed is the one who misleads a blind person on the road.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 19 ‘Cursed is the one who perverts justice for the resident foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 20 ‘Cursed is the one who goes to bed with[p] his father’s former wife,[q] for he dishonors his father.’[r] Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 21 ‘Cursed is the one who commits bestiality.’[s] Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 22 ‘Cursed is the one who goes to bed[t] with his sister, the daughter of either his father or mother.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 23 ‘Cursed is the one who goes to bed[u] with his mother-in-law.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 24 ‘Cursed is the one who kills[v] his neighbor in private.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 25 ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 26 ‘Cursed is the one who refuses to keep the words of this law.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:1 tn Heb “the whole commandment.” See note at 5:31.
- Deuteronomy 27:1 tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I enjoin on you today” (likewise in v. 10).
- Deuteronomy 27:2 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Deuteronomy 27:2 tn Heb “plaster” (so KJV, ASV; likewise in v. 4). In the translation “cover” has been used for stylistic reasons.
- Deuteronomy 27:3 tn Heb “fathers.”
- Deuteronomy 27:4 tc Smr reads “Mount Gerizim” for the MT reading “Mount Ebal” to justify the location of the Samaritan temple there in the postexilic period. This reading is patently self-serving and does not reflect the original. In the NT when the Samaritan woman of Sychar referred to “this mountain” as the place of worship for her community she obviously had Gerizim in mind (cf. John 4:20).
- Deuteronomy 27:10 tn Heb “listen to the voice of the Lord your God.” Here “listen” (NAB “hearken”) means “obey” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
- Deuteronomy 27:12 tn The word “tribes” has been supplied here and in the following verse in the translation for clarity.
- Deuteronomy 27:14 tn Heb “Israelite man.”
- Deuteronomy 27:15 tn Heb “man,” but in a generic sense here.
- Deuteronomy 27:15 tn The Hebrew term translated here “abhorrent” (תּוֹעֵבָה, toʿevah) speaks of attitudes and/or behaviors so vile as to be reprehensible to a holy God. See note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.
- Deuteronomy 27:15 tn Heb “craftsman’s hands.”
- Deuteronomy 27:15 tn Or “So be it!” The term is an affirmation expressing agreement with the words of the Levites.
- Deuteronomy 27:16 tn The Levites speak again at this point; throughout this pericope the Levites pronounce the curse and the people respond with “Amen.”
- Deuteronomy 27:16 tn The Hebrew term קָלָה (qalah) means to treat with disdain or lack of due respect (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV “dishonors”; NLT “despises”). It is the opposite of כָּבֵד (kaved, “to be heavy,” that is, to treat with reverence and proper deference). To treat a parent lightly is to dishonor him or her and thus violate the fifth commandment (Deut 5:16; cf. Exod 21:17).
- Deuteronomy 27:20 tn Heb “lies down with.” The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) “to lie down” can be a euphemism for going to bed for sexual relations (cf. NASB, NRSV “who lies with”; NIV “who sleeps with”; NLT “who has sexual intercourse with”).
- Deuteronomy 27:20 tn See note at Deut 22:30.
- Deuteronomy 27:20 tn Heb “he uncovers his father’s skirt” (NASB similar). See note at Deut 22:30.
- Deuteronomy 27:21 tn Heb “lies down with any animal.” The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) “to lie down” can be a euphemism for going to bed for sexual relations, the perversion in this case being bestiality.
- Deuteronomy 27:22 tn Heb “lies down with.” See note at v. 20.
- Deuteronomy 27:23 tn Heb “lies down with.” See note at v. 20.
- Deuteronomy 27:24 tn Or “strikes down” (so NRSV).
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.
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