Deuteronomy 27:5-15

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

6 You are to make the altar of the Lord your God of uncut stones; offering on it burned offerings to the Lord your God:

7 And you are to make your peace-offerings, feasting there with joy before the Lord your God.

8 And put on the stones all the words of this law, writing them very clearly.

9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, said to all Israel, Be quiet and give ear, O Israel; today you have become the people of the Lord your God.

10 For this cause you are to give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, and do his orders and his laws which I give you this day.

11 That same day Moses said to the people,

12 These are to take their places on Mount Gerizim for blessing the people when you have gone over Jordan: Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin;

13 And these are to be on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 Then the Levites are to say in a loud voice to all the men of Israel,

15 Cursed is the man who makes any image of wood or stone or metal, disgusting to the Lord, the work of man's hands, and puts it up in secret. And let all the people say, So be it.

Deuteronomy 27:5-15 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.