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Deuteronomy 27:1-28:19
New American Standard Bible
Deuteronomy 27:1-28:19
New American Standard Bible
The Curses at Mount Ebal
27 Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments which I am commanding you today. 2 (A)So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime 3 and write on them all the words of this Law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, (B)a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, [a]promised you. 4 So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up these stones (C)on Mount Ebal, [b]as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. 5 Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you (D)shall not wield an iron tool on them. 6 You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of [c]uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God; 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and (E)rejoice before the Lord your God. 8 You shall write on the [d]stones all the words of this Law very clearly.”
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, Israel! This day you have become a people for the Lord your God. 10 So you shall [e]obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today.”
11 Moses also commanded the people on that day, saying, 12 “When you cross the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on (F)Mount Gerizim to bless the people: (G)Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 For the curse, these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 The Levites shall then respond and say to all the people of Israel with a loud voice,
15 ‘Cursed is the person who makes (H)a carved image or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And (I)all the people shall reply and say, ‘Amen.’
16 ‘(J)Cursed is one who treats his father or mother contemptuously.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
17 ‘(K)Cursed is one who displaces his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
18 ‘(L)Cursed is one who misleads a person who is blind on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
19 ‘(M)Cursed is one who distorts the justice due a stranger, an [f]orphan, or a widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
20 ‘(N)Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, because he has [g]uncovered his father’s garment.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
21 ‘(O)Cursed is one who has sexual intercourse with any animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
22 ‘(P)Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
23 ‘(Q)Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
24 ‘(R)Cursed is he who attacks his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
25 ‘(S)Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to attack an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
26 ‘(T)Cursed is anyone who does not fulfill the words of this Law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
The Blessings at Mount Gerizim
28 “(U)Now it shall be, if you diligently [h]obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I am commanding you today, that the Lord your God (V)will put you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings will come to you and (W)reach you if you [i]obey the Lord your God:
3 “Blessed will you be in the city, and blessed will you be (X)in the [j]country.
4 “Blessed will be the [k]children of your womb, the [l]produce of your ground, and the [m]offspring of your animals: the newborn of your herd and the young of your flock.
5 “Blessed will be your basket and your kneading bowl.
6 “Blessed will you be (Y)when you come in, and blessed will you be when you go out.
7 “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be [n]defeated by you; they will go out against you one way and will flee at your presence seven ways. 8 The Lord will command the blessing for you in your [o]barns and in (Z)everything that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 9 (AA)The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that [p](AB)you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. 11 (AC)And the Lord will give you more than enough prosperity, in the [q]children of your womb, in the [r]offspring of your livestock, and in the [s]produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless every work of your hand; and (AD)you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 (AE)And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will only be above, and not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God which I am commanding you today, to [t]follow them carefully, 14 and (AF)do not turn aside from any of the words which I am commanding you today, to the right or the left, to pursue other gods to serve them.
Consequences of Disobedience
15 “(AG)But it shall come about, if you do not [u]obey the Lord your God, to be careful to [v]follow all His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
16 “(AH)Cursed will you be in the city, and cursed will you be in the [w]country.
17 “(AI)Cursed will be your basket and your kneading bowl.
18 “(AJ)Cursed will be the [x]children of your womb, the [y]produce of your ground, the newborn of your herd, and the offspring of your flock.
19 “(AK)Cursed will you be when you come in, and cursed will you be when you go out.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 27:3 Lit spoke to
- Deuteronomy 27:4 Lit which
- Deuteronomy 27:6 Lit intact
- Deuteronomy 27:8 I.e., stones coated with lime, cf. v 4
- Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit listen to the voice of
- Deuteronomy 27:19 Or fatherless
- Deuteronomy 27:20 Idiom for violated his father’s marriage
- Deuteronomy 28:1 Lit listen to the voice of
- Deuteronomy 28:2 Lit listen to the voice of
- Deuteronomy 28:3 Lit field
- Deuteronomy 28:4 Lit fruit
- Deuteronomy 28:4 Lit fruit
- Deuteronomy 28:4 Lit fruit
- Deuteronomy 28:7 Lit struck
- Deuteronomy 28:8 Or storehouses
- Deuteronomy 28:10 Lit the name of the Lord is called upon you
- Deuteronomy 28:11 Lit fruit
- Deuteronomy 28:11 Lit fruit
- Deuteronomy 28:11 Lit fruit
- Deuteronomy 28:13 Lit be careful and to perform
- Deuteronomy 28:15 Lit listen to the voice of
- Deuteronomy 28:15 Lit perform
- Deuteronomy 28:16 Lit field
- Deuteronomy 28:18 Lit fruit
- Deuteronomy 28:18 Lit fruit
Deuteronomy 27:1-28:19
New International Version
Deuteronomy 27:1-28:19
New International Version
The Altar on Mount Ebal
27 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands(A) that I give you today. 2 When you have crossed the Jordan(B) into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones(C) and coat them with plaster.(D) 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,(E) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal,(F) as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. 5 Build there an altar(G) to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool(H) on them. 6 Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 Sacrifice fellowship offerings(I) there, eating them and rejoicing(J) in the presence of the Lord your God.(K) 8 And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones(L) you have set up.”(M)
Curses From Mount Ebal
9 Then Moses and the Levitical(N) priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.(O) 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”
11 On the same day Moses commanded the people:
12 When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim(P) to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,(Q) Joseph and Benjamin.(R) 13 And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal(S) to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.
14 The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:
15 “Cursed is anyone who makes an idol(T)—a thing detestable(U) to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.”
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”(V)
16 “Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.”(W)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
17 “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.”(X)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
18 “Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.”(Y)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
19 “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner,(Z) the fatherless or the widow.”(AA)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
20 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.”(AB)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
21 “Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal.”(AC)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
22 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.”(AD)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
23 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.”(AE)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
24 “Cursed is anyone who kills(AF) their neighbor secretly.”(AG)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
25 “Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.”(AH)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
26 “Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”(AI)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”(AJ)
Blessings for Obedience
28 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow(AK) all his commands(AL) I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.(AM) 2 All these blessings will come on you(AN) and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:
3 You will be blessed(AO) in the city and blessed in the country.(AP)
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.(AQ)
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.(AR)
7 The Lord will grant that the enemies(AS) who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.(AT)
8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless(AU) you in the land he is giving you.
9 The Lord will establish you as his holy people,(AV) as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands(AW) of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name(AX) of the Lord, and they will fear you. 11 The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock(AY) and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.(AZ)
12 The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse(BA) of his bounty,(BB) to send rain(BC) on your land in season and to bless(BD) all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.(BE) 13 The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow(BF) them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.(BG) 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left,(BH) following other gods and serving them.
Curses for Disobedience
15 However, if you do not obey(BI) the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today,(BJ) all these curses will come on you and overtake you:(BK)
16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.(BL)
17 Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.(BM)
18 The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.(BN)
19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.(BO)
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