Deuteronomy 27:4-14

4 And it shall be as soon as ye are gone over Jordan, ye shall set up these stones, which I command thee this day, on mount Gaebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.

5 And thou shalt build there an altar to the Lord thy God, an altar of stones; thou shalt not lift up iron upon it.

6 Of whole stones shalt thou build an altar to the Lord thy God, and thou shalt offer upon it whole-burnt-offerings to the Lord thy God.

7 And thou shalt there offer a peace-offering; and thou shalt eat and be filled, and rejoice before the Lord thy God.

8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all this law very plainly.

9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spoke to all Israel, saying, Be silent and hear, O Israel; this day thou art become a people to the Lord thy God.

10 And thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and shalt do all his commands, and his ordinances, as many as I command thee this day.

11 And Moses charged the people on that day, saying,

12 These shall stand to bless the people on mount Garizin having gone over Jordan; Symeon, Levi, Judas, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

13 And these shall stand for cursing on mount Gaebal; Ruben, Gad, and Aser, Zabulon, Dan, and Nephthali.

14 And the Levites shall answer and say to all Israel with a loud voice,

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.