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Again Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying: “Keep all the commandments that I command you today.
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And on the day you cross over the Jordan River into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and plaster them with lime.
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Then you shall write on them all the words of this law, after you have crossed over, so that you may enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you.
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And when you have crossed over the Jordan River, you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and plaster them with lime.
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There you shall also build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones that you shall not shape with iron tools.
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You shall build the altar of the LORD your God from uncut stones, and on it you shall offer burnt offerings to the LORD your God.
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You shall also offer peace offerings, eat them there, and rejoice before the LORD your God.
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And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly and clearly.”
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Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying: “Be silent and listen, O Israel. Today you have become the people of the LORD your God.
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Therefore you shall obey the voice of the LORD your God and do His commandments and statutes, which I command you today.”
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On that day Moses gave this command to the people:
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“When you have crossed over the Jordan River, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
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And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
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Then the Levites shall speak and say to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:
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‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved image or a cast image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of a craftsman’s hands, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer, ‘Amen!’
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‘Cursed is the one who dishonors his father and his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
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‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
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‘Cursed is the one who leads a blind person astray on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
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Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due to the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. And all the people shall say: Amen!
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Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, for he has uncovered his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say: Amen!
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Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal. And all the people shall say: Amen!
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Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say: Amen!
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Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say: Amen!
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Cursed is the one who kills his fellow man in secret. And all the people shall say: Amen!
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Cursed is the one who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person. And all the people shall say: Amen!
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Cursed is the one who does not uphold the words of this law by doing them. And all the people shall say: Amen!”
🪨📜⚠️ Summary of Deuteronomy 27 – The Law Is Established and the Curse Declared
Deuteronomy 27 marks the beginning of the confirmation of the covenant between God and the people of Israel, as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The Lord commanded that His laws be written permanently on stones, and that blessings and curses be proclaimed openly to emphasize the seriousness of obedience.
📌 1. The Writing of the Law on Mount Ebal (verses 1–8)
- After crossing the Jordan River, Israel was commanded to:
Set up large stones and write the whole law of Moses on them.
Build an altar of uncut stones, and offer burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Rejoice before the Lord.
🎯 The Lord wanted His law to be at the center of His people’s life, and written plainly and visibly.
📌 2. The Division of the Mountains for Blessing and Curse (verses 11–13)
- Six tribes stood on Mount Gerizim to bless:
(Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin) - Six tribes stood on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curse:
(Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali)
🎯 This action symbolizes that the choice between blessing and curse is real and open to everyone.
📌 3. 12 Curses for Violations of the Law (verses 14–26)
The Levites pronounced a curse upon those who:
- Make an image or idol.
- Dishonor their parents.
- Move a neighbor’s boundary marker.
- Lead the blind astray.
- Pervert justice for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.
- Commit adultery with his father’s wife.
- Have sexual relations with an animal.
- Commit adultery with a half-sister.
- Commit adultery with a mother-in-law.
- Kill a fellow person in secret.
- Accept a bribe to kill an innocent person.
- Do not uphold the law of the Torah.
🔊 Each curse was followed by the response of the whole nation: “Amen!”
🎯 God’s people must openly and actively acknowledge that violating God’s law is serious and sinful.
📖 Main Teaching
- The Lord’s law must be written and kept — not only in the heart, but also visibly within the community.
- Worship and obedience go hand in hand.
- Human choices will determine whether one receives blessing or curse.
- The Lord does not look only at outward worship, but also at social justice, morality, and personal integrity.
- The shared response (“Amen”) shows the community’s collective responsibility to live rightly.
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
- Galatians 3:10 quotes Deuteronomy 27:26:
“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things written in the book of the law.”
- But then Paul says in Galatians 3:13:
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”
🎯 Under the New Covenant, we are saved not by our own effort to keep the law perfectly, but by the fulfillment of the law in Christ.
Yet, obedience remains the evidence of living faith.
“Hear, O Israel… Write this law clearly.” – Deuteronomy 27:1–3
“Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by doing them. And all the people shall say: Amen!” – Deuteronomy 27:26
