Deuteronomy 27:2

2 And then on the day that you cross the Jordan to the land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you, then you shall set up {for yourselves} large stones, and you shall paint them with lime,

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 the people, {saying}, "Keep all of the commandment that I [am] commanding you {today}.

2 And then on the day that you cross the Jordan to the land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you, then you shall set up {for yourselves} large stones, and you shall paint them with lime,

3 and you shall write on them all the words of this law at your crossing, so that you may come into the land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, {promised} to you.

4 And {when you cross the Jordan}, you shall set up these stones that I [am] commanding you [about] {today} on Mount Ebal, and you shall paint them with lime.

5 And you shall build an altar there for Yahweh your God, an altar of stone, but {you shall not use an iron tool to shape the stones}.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "for you"
• [b] Or "coat/cover them"