Deuteronomy 27:8-18

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

9 Moshe and the Kohanim the Levites spoke to all Yisra'el, saying, Keep silence, and listen, Yisra'el: this day you are become the people of the LORD your God.

10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, and do his mitzvot and his statutes, which I command you this day.

11 Moshe charged the people the same day, saying,

12 These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you are passed over the Yarden: Shim`on, and Levi, and Yehudah, and Yissakhar, and Yosef, and Binyamin.

13 These shall stand on Mount `Eval for the curse: Re'uven, Gad, and Asher, and Zevulun, Dan, and Naftali.

14 The Levites shall answer, and tell all the men of Yisra'el with a loud voice,

15 Cursed be the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret. All the people shall answer and say, Amein.

16 Cursed be he who sets light by his father or his mother. All the people shall say, Amein.

17 Cursed be he who removes his neighbor's landmark. All the people shall say, Amein.

18 Cursed be he who makes the blind to wander out of the way. All the people shall say, Amein.

Deuteronomy 27:8-18 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.