Deuteronomy 27
Big idea: The covenant is to be written where everyone can read it. Great stones coated with plaster, set up on Mount Ebal, with all the words of this law written on them very plainly — and an altar of uncut stones beside them, where Israel sacrifices peace offerings and rejoices. Then the ceremony: six tribes on Gerizim for the blessing, six on Ebal for the curse, and the Levites calling out twelve curses to which the whole nation answers Amen. What the twelve have in common is that almost all of them describe things done where nobody can see — an image set up in secret, a landmark quietly moved, a blind man misdirected, a bribe taken to kill. The people say Amen to the ones they could get away with.
Chapter 27 has the people say Amen to twelve curses. Chapter 28 unrolls both roads in full — first the blessings, then a curse that runs to sixty-eight verses.
27:1–10 — Written on the stones very plainly
Instructions for a ceremony to be held after the crossing, and its centrepiece is public text. Great stones, plastered, with the law written on them VERY PLAINLY — legible to anyone walking past. Beside them an altar of stones that no iron tool has touched, so the only worked surface at the site is the one carrying words.
1 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandment which I command you today. 2 It shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set yourself up great stones, and coat them with plaster. 3 You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have passed over, that you may go in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 It shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall coat them with plaster. 5 There you shall build an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones. You shall not use any iron tool on them. 6 You shall build Yahweh your God’s altar of uncut stones. You shall offer burnt offerings on it to Yahweh your God. 7 You shall sacrifice peace offerings, and shall eat there. You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God. 8 You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly.” 9 Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of Yahweh your God. 10 You shall therefore obey Yahweh your God’s voice, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.”
27:11–26 — And all the people shall say, Amen
The ceremony itself: six tribes on Gerizim, six on Ebal, Levites in the valley between, and twelve curses read out to which the whole nation answers AMEN. What the twelve have in common is the striking part — nearly every one is a sin done in SECRET, where no court could reach. The people are made to pronounce judgment on what only they and God would know.
11 Moses commanded the people the same day, saying, 12 “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 These shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 With a loud voice, the Levites shall say to all the men of Israel, 15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to Yahweh, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’ 16 ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 17 ‘Cursed is he who removes his neighbor’s landmark.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 18 ‘Cursed is he who leads the blind astray on the road.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 19 ‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, fatherless, and widow.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 20 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he dishonors his father’s bed.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any kind of animal.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 24 ‘Cursed is he who secretly kills his neighbor.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 25 ‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 26 ‘Cursed is he who doesn’t uphold the words of this law by doing them.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).