Bible Study Reader
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Deuteronomy 27

Introduction

Deuteronomy 27 marks a dramatic shift in the book's structure. After the long exposition of laws in chapters 12-26, Moses now commands a covenant ceremony to be performed when Israel crosses the Jordan into the promised land. The chapter has three parts: instructions to erect inscribed stones and an altar on Mount Ebal (vv. 1-8), a solemn declaration that Israel has become the LORD's people (vv. 9-10), and a series of twelve curses to be proclaimed from Mount Ebal, each answered by the people's "Amen" (vv. 11-26). This ceremony transforms the law from written text into communal oath: by saying "Amen" to each curse, every Israelite personally accepts the consequences of disobedience.

The choice of Mount Ebal -- the mountain of cursing rather than the mountain of blessing -- for the altar and inscribed stones has puzzled interpreters. It may suggest that atonement and sacrifice are needed precisely where the curse falls, or that the law's demands, honestly faced, reveal the community's need for grace. Paul cites the final curse (v. 26) in Galatians 3:10 to argue that no one can be justified by works of the law, since no one perfectly keeps every commandment.

The Inscribed Stones and Altar on Mount Ebal (vv. 1-8)

1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: "Keep all the commandments I am giving you today. 2 And on the day you cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster. 5 Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them. 6 You shall build the altar of the LORD your God with uncut stones and offer upon it burnt offerings to the LORD your God. 7 There you are to sacrifice your peace offerings, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God. 8 And you shall write distinctly upon these stones all the words of this law."

1 Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, "Keep the whole commandment that I command you today. 2 And on the day you cross over the Jordan to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 And you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over to 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. 4 And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with plaster. 5 And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You shall not wield an iron tool on them. 6 You shall build the altar of the LORD your God of uncut stones and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God. 7 And you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God. 8 And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly."

Notes

The command involves two distinct monuments: inscribed stones bearing the text of the law, and an altar for sacrifice. The stones are to be אֲבָנִים גְּדֹלוֹת ("large stones") coated with שִׂיד ("plaster, lime"), a common writing surface in the ancient Near East. Plastered stone inscriptions have been found at Tell Deir Alla in the Jordan Valley, confirming the historical plausibility of this practice. The law is to be written בַּאֵר הֵיטֵב ("very plainly," literally "making clear well") -- legibility and accessibility are essential. The Torah is not a hidden text for an elite but a public document for all Israel.

The altar is built of אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת ("whole/uncut stones"), with no iron tool used on them. This requirement echoes Exodus 20:25, which explains that wielding a tool on the stones would "profane" them. The uncut stones represent the unmediated, natural creation -- the altar is not a human artistic achievement but a simple platform for encounter with God.

Mount Ebal is located near Shechem, in the heart of the land, opposite Mount Gerizim. The fulfillment of this command is recorded in Joshua 8:30-35, where Joshua builds the altar and reads the law after the conquest of Ai. The location is significant: Shechem was where Abraham first received the promise of the land (Genesis 12:6-7) and where Jacob bought land and built an altar (Genesis 33:18-20). The covenant ceremony thus takes place at the site where the promise of the land was first given.

Israel Becomes the LORD's People (vv. 9-10)

9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: "Be silent, O Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God and follow His commandments and statutes I am giving you today."

9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, "Be silent and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today."

Notes

The command הַסְכֵּת וּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ("Be silent and hear, O Israel") uses the rare verb הסכת ("be silent, pay attention"), which occurs only here in the Pentateuch. Combined with שְׁמַע ("hear"), it creates a doubled summons to attentive listening. The declaration הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִהְיֵיתָ לְעָם לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ ("this day you have become the people of the LORD your God") marks a formal moment of covenant constitution. Though Israel had been God's people since the exodus, this declaration renews and ratifies the relationship on the threshold of the promised land. The word נִהְיֵיתָ ("you have become") uses the Niphal of היה, suggesting a transformation or coming-into-being.

The Twelve Curses (vv. 11-26)

11 On that day Moses commanded the people: 12 "When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 Then the Levites shall proclaim in a loud voice to every Israelite:

15 'Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image -- an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman -- and sets it up in secret.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

16 'Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

17 'Cursed is he who moves his neighbor's boundary stone.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

18 'Cursed is he who lets a blind man wander in the road.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

19 'Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

20 'Cursed is he who sleeps with his father's wife, for he has violated his father's marriage bed.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

21 'Cursed is he who lies with any animal.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

22 'Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

23 'Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

24 'Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

25 'Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

26 'Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

11 Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 12 "When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:

15 'Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast image, an abomination to the LORD, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' And all the people shall answer and say, 'Amen.'

16 'Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

17 'Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor's boundary marker.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

18 'Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

19 'Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

20 'Cursed be anyone who lies with his father's wife, for he has uncovered his father's skirt.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

21 'Cursed be anyone who lies with any animal.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

22 'Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

23 'Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

24 'Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

25 'Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

26 'Cursed be anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Notes

The ceremony involves the twelve tribes divided between two mountains: six tribes on Mount Gerizim for blessing (the tribes descended from Leah and Rachel, the full wives of Jacob) and six on Mount Ebal for cursing (the tribes descended from the handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah, plus Reuben who lost his firstborn status and Zebulun, Leah's youngest). The Levites, standing in the valley between, proclaim the curses.

The twelve curses form a carefully structured series. Each begins with אָרוּר ("cursed"), the passive participle of אָרַר ("to curse"), and each is affirmed by the people's אָמֵן ("Amen," from the root אמן, meaning "firm, established, trustworthy"). By saying "Amen," every Israelite personally accepts the consequences stated in the curse. This is covenant self-imprecation: the people voluntarily invoke divine judgment upon themselves should they commit these sins.

A striking feature of many of these curses is their focus on בַּסֵּתֶר ("in secret"): the secret idol (v. 15), the secret murder (v. 24). The curses target offenses that might escape human detection -- sins committed behind closed doors where no witnesses are present. The message is clear: even where human courts cannot reach, God's curse does.

The curses can be grouped thematically:

The final curse (v. 26) is the most sweeping: אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָקִים אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם ("Cursed be anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out"). This curse encompasses the entire Torah, not just the eleven specific cases above. It is this verse that Paul cites in Galatians 3:10: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things written in the book of the law, to do them." Paul's argument is that since no one perfectly keeps every commandment, everyone falls under this curse -- and therefore justification must come by faith in Christ, who bore the curse on behalf of his people (Galatians 3:13, citing Deuteronomy 21:23).

Interpretations

The relationship between the Deuteronomic curse and Paul's gospel of justification by faith has been interpreted in various ways. Reformed theology typically reads this passage as establishing the "covenant of works" principle: perfect obedience yields blessing, any disobedience yields curse, and since all have sinned, the curse falls on everyone -- creating the need for Christ's substitutionary atonement. Lutheran theology similarly emphasizes the law's condemning function (usus elenchticus): the law reveals sin and drives the sinner to Christ for mercy. New Perspective scholars like N.T. Wright argue that the curse of the law refers specifically to Israel's national exile as the consequence of covenant unfaithfulness, and that Christ's death ended Israel's exile by absorbing the curse. In all these readings, the "Amen" of Deuteronomy 27 stands as a sober acknowledgment that the law's demands are absolute, and that human failure to meet those demands is the precondition for the gospel of grace.