Deuteronomy 27:2

2 And on the day when you go over Jordan into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, put up great stones, coating them with building-paste,

Deuteronomy 27:2 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 27:2

And it shall be, on the day when you shall pass over Jordan,
&c.] Not the precise day exactly, but about that time, a little after they passed that river, as soon as they conveniently could; for it was not till after Ai was destroyed that the following order was put in execution; indeed as soon as they passed over Jordan, they were ordered to take twelve stones, and did; but then they were set up in a different place, and for a different purpose; see ( Joshua 4:3 Joshua 4:8 Joshua 4:9 ) ( 8:31 ) ;

unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set
thee up great stones;
not in Jordan, as Jarchi, but on Mount Ebal, ( Deuteronomy 27:4 ) ; nor had the stones set up in Jordan any such inscription as what is here ordered to be set on these:

and plaster them with plaster:
that so words might be written upon them, and be more conspicuous, and more easily read.

Deuteronomy 27:2 In-Context

1 Then Moses and the responsible men of Israel gave the people these orders: Keep all the orders which I have given you this day;

2 And on the day when you go over Jordan into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, put up great stones, coating them with building-paste,

3 And writing on them all the words of this law, after you have gone over; so that you may take the heritage which the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has said.

4 And when you have gone over Jordan, you are to put up these stones, as I have said to you today, in Mount Ebal, and have them coated with building-paste.

5 There you are to make an altar to the Lord your God, of stones on which no iron instrument has been used.