Deuteronomy 27:6-16

6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones, and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God.

7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.

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

9 And Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke unto all Israel, saying, "Take heed and hearken, O Israel: This day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.

10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day."

11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,

12 "These shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people when ye have come over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin.

13 And these shall stand upon Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice:

15 "`Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place.' And all the people shall answer and say, `Amen.'

16 "`Cursed be he that treateth lightly his father or his mother.' And all the people shall say, `Amen.'

Deuteronomy 27:6-16 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.