Deuteronomy 27:5-15

5 And there thou shalt build an altar to thy Lord God, of stones which iron touched not, (And thou shalt build an altar there to the Lord thy God, out of stones which iron hath not touched,)

6 and of stones unformed and unpolished; and thou shalt offer thereon burnt sacrifices to thy Lord God; (yea, of unformed and unpolished stones; and thou shalt offer burnt sacrifices on it to the Lord thy God;)

7 and thou shalt offer peaceable sacrifices, and thou shalt eat there, and thou shalt make feast before thy Lord God. (and thou shalt offer peace offerings, and thou shalt eat them there, and thou shalt make a feast before the Lord thy God.)

8 And thou shalt write plainly and clearly on the stones all the words of this law. (And thou shalt write all the words of this law, clearly and plainly upon those stones.)

9 And Moses and the priests of the kindred of Levi said to all Israel, Israel, take heed thou, and hear; today thou art made the people of thy Lord God; (And Moses and the levitical priests said to all Israel, O Israel, take heed thou, and listen; today thou art made the people of the Lord thy God;)

10 thou shalt hear his voice, and thou shalt do the commandments, and his rightwisenesses, which I command to thee today. (thou shalt listen to his voice, and thou shalt do his commandments, and his statutes, which I command to thee today.)

11 And Moses commanded to the people in that day, and said,

12 These men shall stand upon the hill of Gerizim to bless the Lord, when (the) Jordan they have over-passed; Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. (These tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim, when ye have crossed over the Jordan River, and the blessings be proclaimed upon the people; Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.)

13 And even against, these men shall stand in the hill of Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. (And opposite them, these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal, when the curses be proclaimed; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.)

14 And the deacons shall pronounce, and shall say with high voice to all the men of Israel, (And then the Levites shall pronounce, and shall say with a loud voice to all the Israelites,)

15 Cursed is the man that maketh a graven image and molten, abomination of the Lord, the work of the hands of craftsmen, and shall set it in a privy place; and all the people shall answer, and say, Amen! (Cursed is anyone who maketh a carved or a cast idol, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of craftsmen, and then shall set it up in a secret place; and all the people shall answer, and say, Amen!)

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.