The Torah · Old Testament

Deuteronomy 27

Written stones and a people answering Amen

General context

Moses and the elders command Israel to write the law on plastered stones after crossing the Jordan. On Mount Ebal they are to build an altar of whole stones untouched by iron tools, offer sacrifices, eat and rejoice. Moses and the Levitical priests call the people to hear and obey. Six tribes are assigned to Mount Gerizim for blessing and six to Mount Ebal for curse. The Levites are then to proclaim twelve curses, each answered by the people's Amen. These name secret images, contempt for parents, moved boundaries, misleading the blind, corrupted justice, forbidden sexual relations, hidden killing, payment to kill the innocent, and failure to uphold the law in practice.

Cited passages: Deuteronomy 27:1, Deuteronomy 27:2, Deuteronomy 27:3, Deuteronomy 27:4, Deuteronomy 27:5, Deuteronomy 27:6, Deuteronomy 27:7, Deuteronomy 27:8, Deuteronomy 27:9, Deuteronomy 27:10, Deuteronomy 27:11, Deuteronomy 27:12, Deuteronomy 27:13, Deuteronomy 27:14, Deuteronomy 27:15, Deuteronomy 27:16, Deuteronomy 27:17, Deuteronomy 27:18, Deuteronomy 27:19, Deuteronomy 27:20, Deuteronomy 27:21, Deuteronomy 27:22, Deuteronomy 27:23, Deuteronomy 27:24, Deuteronomy 27:25, Deuteronomy 27:26

Deuteronomy 27 (KJV)

¹And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.

²And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:

³And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

⁴Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.

⁵And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.

⁶Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God:

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

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

⁹And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.

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

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

¹²These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:

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

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

¹⁵Cursed 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.

¹⁶Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

¹⁷Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

¹⁸Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.

¹⁹Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

²⁰Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

²¹Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.

²²Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

²³Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

²⁴Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

²⁵Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

²⁶Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

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Historical context

The setting is an instruction before the crossing, with the stones and ceremony still ahead. The chapter names Ebal for both the inscribed stones and the altar, specifies plaster and whole stones, and prohibits the use of iron on the altar stones. It does not supply the dimensions of the inscription or an account of its completion. Levi appears among the six tribes assigned to Gerizim, while the Levites also receive the speaking role in verse 14; no additional seating or travel arrangement is explained. Blessing and curse groups are named, but this chapter gives the wording of the curses and responses rather than a parallel spoken list of blessings.

Cited passages: Deuteronomy 27:2, Deuteronomy 27:3, Deuteronomy 27:4, Deuteronomy 27:5, Deuteronomy 27:6, Deuteronomy 27:7, Deuteronomy 27:8, Deuteronomy 27:11, Deuteronomy 27:12, Deuteronomy 27:13, Deuteronomy 27:14, Deuteronomy 27:15, Deuteronomy 27:26

Literary context

Writing very plainly and speaking with a loud voice make the law visible and audible. Several offences depend on concealment or an unequal ability to resist: a hidden image, misleading a blind person, distorted justice for the vulnerable and a secret attack. The repeated communal Amen brings these acts into a public declaration. The last curse broadens the list from particular wrongs to failure to confirm the law by doing it.

Cited passages: Deuteronomy 27:8, Deuteronomy 27:14, Deuteronomy 27:15, Deuteronomy 27:16, Deuteronomy 27:17, Deuteronomy 27:18, Deuteronomy 27:19, Deuteronomy 27:24, Deuteronomy 27:25, Deuteronomy 27:26

Key moments

Write the words plainly (Deuteronomy 27:8). The law is to be written clearly on the prepared stones.
Two mountains, assigned tribes (Deuteronomy 27:12). Moses names the tribes that will stand on Gerizim to bless after the crossing.
Justice for the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 27:19). The curse condemns perverting the judgment of the stranger, orphan and widow.
An answer tied to action (Deuteronomy 27:26). The final Amen answers a curse on failing to uphold the law by doing it.

For reflection

Some wrongs in this list can be hidden from those with power. What does a community's public agreement mean if it does not lead to attention to the people most easily overlooked?

People in this chapter

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