Deuteronomy 27:2

2 On the day that you cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and cover them with plaster.

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 elders of Israel charged all the people as follows: Keep the entire commandment that I am commanding you today.

2 On the day that you cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and cover them with plaster.

3 You shall write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over, to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

4 So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I am commanding you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall cover them with plaster.

5 And you shall build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones on which you have not used an iron tool.