Deuteronomy 27:4-14

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.

6 You must build the altar of the Lord your God of unhewn stones. Then offer up burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God,

7 make sacrifices of well-being, and eat them there, rejoicing before the Lord your God.

8 You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very clearly.

9 Then Moses and the levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying: Keep silence and hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of the Lord your God.

10 Therefore obey the Lord your God, observing his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today.

11 The same day Moses charged the people as follows:

12 When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim for the blessing of 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 Then the Levites shall declare in a loud voice to all the Israelites:

Deuteronomy 27:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 27

In this chapter the people of Israel are ordered to write the law on plastered stones, and set them on Mount Ebal, De 27:1-4; where they are bid to erect an altar, and offer sacrifices on it, De 27:5-8; and are charged by Moses and the priests to obey the Lord, and keep his commandments, De 27:9,10; and a direction is given to each tribes which should stand and bless, and which curse, and where, De 27:11-13; and the curses which the Levites should pronounce with a loud voice, and the people should say Amen to, are recited, De 27:14-25; and the whole is concluded with a curse on all who in general do not perform the whole law, De 27:26.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb [whole]