Deuteronomy 27:11-13
That day Moses charged the people, saying, “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just Moses giving instructions; it marks a pivotal moment where the entire nation actively agrees to the consequences of God's law. By dividing into two groups to pronounce blessings and curses, and responding with a unified "Amen," they weren't just hearing the law, they were binding themselves to its terms, acknowledging God's justice and their own accountability.
Fresh off the command to set up stones and write God's law on them in the promised land, Moses now gathers the entire nation for a momentous ceremony. He divides them, with six tribes on Mount Gerizim and six on Mount Ebal, to publicly declare the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience that he had previously outlined. This dramatic public affirmation seals their commitment to God's covenant as they stand on the very threshold of their new home.
Imagine standing on a mountainside, hearing a solemn declaration of God's law. What would your response be? This passage shows Israel's powerful, unified response.
Deuteronomy 27 describes a pivotal moment where Moses, on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, institutes a dramatic ceremony. The people were divided, with six tribes on Mount Gerizim and six on Mount Ebal. From one side, the blessings for obedience were to be proclaimed, and from the other, the curses for disobedience.
Every single curse was followed by the entire congregation's resounding "Amen." This wasn't just a passive agreement; it was an active, corporate assent to God's judgment. It signified their understanding and acceptance that these curses were just consequences for breaking God's law. It was a public, vocal commitment to acknowledging the reality of God's judgment against sin.
Why focus so heavily on curses? This wasn't just about punishment; it was about profound spiritual instruction for Israel.
The detailed list of curses in Deuteronomy 27 serves a crucial purpose beyond mere condemnation.
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A Mirror to God's Holiness
These curses highlight the severity and breadth of God's law. They cover everything from idolatry (First Commandment) to disrespecting parents (Fifth Commandment) and perverting justice. Even secret sins and hidden crimes are exposed, showing that no sin escapes God's notice.
Revealing Universal Sin
The final curse, stating "Cursed is he who does not confirm all the words of this law by doing them," is a summary. It makes it clear that no one, not even the most outwardly religious person, could perfectly uphold the entire law. This was meant to drive home the reality of Israel's (and by extension, humanity's) pervasive sinfulness.
Paving the Way for Grace
By making the people fully aware of their inability to meet God's standards and the inescapable penalty of the curse, this ceremony prepared them to grasp the immense value of God's promised blessing and the ultimate solution found in Messiah.
This verse marks a pivotal moment as the Israelites are poised to enter the Promised Land. The charged instructions set the stage for a public reaffirmation of their covenant with God, directly linking their future blessings and curses to their obedience to the Law, a theme that would echo throughout their history.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Enter the Promised Land
Following 40 years of wandering in the desert after their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites, led by Joshua, crossed the Jordan River into the land of Canaan.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Ceremony
Moses, before his death, instructs the tribes of Israel to perform a solemn ceremony upon entering Canaan. Six tribes pronounce blessings from Mount Gerizim, while six pronounce curses from Mount Ebal, with all the people responding 'Amen'.
c. 1446 BC
Writing the Law on Stones
As part of the same ceremony, large stones are set up on Mount Ebal, plastered over, and inscribed with the Law of Moses, serving as a public declaration and reminder of God's commands.
c. 1406 BC
Joshua's Conquest of Canaan
Joshua leads the Israelites in a military campaign to conquer the land of Canaan, distributing it among the twelve tribes.
c. 1300-1050 BC
Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel enters a period where they are governed by a series of judges, often marked by cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance.
This passage describes Joshua fulfilling Moses' command in Deuteronomy, where all Israel, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the Ark of the Covenant, with the Levites carrying it, signifying a unified commitment to the Law, echoing the solemnity initiated by Moses' charge.
Galatians 3:10Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26 (which follows Moses' charge) to explain that 'all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse.' This passage highlights the universal consequence of not perfectly obeying the Law, underscoring the gravity of the curses Moses proclaimed.
Luke 11:28Jesus states, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.' This verse offers the counterpoint to the curses Moses announced, emphasizing that true blessedness comes not from mere acknowledgment, but from obediently hearing and living by God's Word.
James 2:10James powerfully illustrates the point made in Deuteronomy 27's curses: 'For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.' This emphasizes that even one transgression incurs the curse, highlighting the impossibility of achieving righteousness through perfect law-keeping alone.
calvinDeuteronomy 27:11-26: "And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,"
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.
Maledictus vir ille qui fecerit sculptile, et conflatile, abominationem Jehovae, opus manuum artificis, et posuerit in abscondito: et respondebunt universus populus, ac dicent, Amen.
Cursed be he that…
cambridgeDeuteronomy 27:11: "And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,"
11–13. Appointment of Tribes to Bless and to Curse Ch. Deuteronomy 11:29 ( q.v. ) commands that the blessing for obedience be set on Mt Gerizim, the curse for disobedience on Mt ‘Ebal. Set (lit. give ) implies some solemn rite, and this is now defined. Six tribes shall stand on Gerizim to bless, and six on ‘Ebal for the curse. The former are all sons of Leah or Rachel, Jacob’s wives, the latter the sons of their maids, Gad,…
This verse isn't just Moses giving instructions; it marks a pivotal moment where the entire nation actively agrees to the consequences of God's law. By dividing into two groups to pronounce blessings and curses, and responding with a unified "Amen," they weren't just hearing the law, they were binding themselves to its terms, acknowledging God's justice and their own accountability.
Fresh off the command to set up stones and write God's law on them in the promised land, Moses now gathers the entire nation for a momentous ceremony. He divides them, with six tribes on Mount Gerizim and six on Mount Ebal, to publicly declare the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience that he had previously outlined. This dramatic public affirmation seals their commitment to God's covenant as they stand on the very threshold of their new home.
Fresh off the command to set up stones and write God's law on them in the promised land, Moses now gathers the entire nation for a momentous ceremony. He divides them, with six tribes on Mount Gerizim and six on Mount Ebal, to publicly declare the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience that he had previously outlined. This dramatic public affirmation seals their commitment to God's covenant as they stand on the very threshold of their new home.
"That day Moses charged the people, saying, “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the cur…" — This verse isn't just Moses giving instructions; it marks a pivotal moment where the entire nation actively agrees to the consequences of God's law. By dividing into two groups to pronounce blessin…
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