“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Deuteronomy 27:23
What does Deuteronomy 27:23 mean?
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Deuteronomy 27:23
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This verse, nestled within a list of severe curses, highlights a specific, abhorrent act of incest that was forbidden by Mosaic Law. The immediate "Amen" from the entire populace signifies not just their agreement with the judgment, but their collective embrace of God's righteous standards and their rejection of such wickedness. It's a powerful public declaration of communal accountability, underscoring that even hidden or taboo sins are exposed before God and subject to His curse.
“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a dramatic ceremony where the Israelites, newly arrived in the promised land, publicly affirm God's covenant. After setting up stones and inscribing the law, half the tribes proclaim blessings for obedience, while the other half pronounce curses for disobedience, with the entire assembly responding "Amen" to seal their commitment. This specific curse targets incest, particularly the violation of familial boundaries with a mother-in-law, which was explicitly forbidden in the Law given earlier.
Why would God specifically call out this particular offense with a curse? This verse highlights a deep concern for the integrity of family structures.
The curses in Deuteronomy 27 weren't random; they addressed specific sins that threatened the fabric of Israelite society and their relationship with God.
The command for 'all the people' to say 'Amen' is more than just an affirmation; it's a public covenantal commitment.
This communal 'Amen' serves a vital purpose in the covenant relationship between God and Israel.
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This verse is part of a dramatic public ceremony where the Israelites, upon entering the Promised Land, ritually affirmed the curses associated with breaking God's Law. It underscores that covenant faithfulness required not just belief, but obedience to specific moral and social standards.
~1446 BC
Israel Enters the Promised Land
After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, crossed the Jordan River and began conquering the land of Canaan. This marked a new era of settlement and covenant renewal.
~1446 BC
Giving of the Law at Sinai
God established His covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them the Law, which included detailed instructions for moral and ceremonial living.
~1446 BC— this verse
The Curses and Blessings Proclaimed
Upon entering the land, the Israelites were commanded to assemble on Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim to hear and affirm the curses for disobedience and blessings for obedience to the Law.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest and Settlement of Canaan
The Israelites gradually conquered and settled the land of Canaan. This period was characterized by tribal divisions and the ongoing implementation of the Mosaic Law.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy Established
Under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon, the tribes were unified, establishing a kingdom. This period saw a greater centralization of religious and political life.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After Solomon's death, the united monarchy split into two kingdoms: Israel (North) and Judah (South), leading to increased political instability and religious compromise.
This passage directly prohibits sexual relations with a father's wife or mother-in-law, establishing the sin that Deuteronomy 27:23 pronounces a curse upon.
Leviticus 20:14This verse reiterates the prohibition from Leviticus 18 and mandates the death penalty for incestuous relations, including with a mother-in-law, reinforcing the severity of the sin.
Galatians 3:10Paul quotes Deuteronomy and applies it broadly, stating that 'all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse,' highlighting that any failure to keep God's law, including prohibitions against incest, brings condemnation.
Romans 1:26-27This passage describes sexual immorality and unnatural desires, including those between men, as a consequence of rejecting God, paralleling the deep perversion of relationships condemned in Deuteronomy.
1 Corinthians 5:1Paul confronts the Corinthian church about a severe case of sexual immorality—a man having relations with his father's wife—demonstrating that such egregious sins continued to be a major concern in the early church and were met with strong condemnation.
gillDeuteronomy 27:23: "Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen."
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law,.... See Leviticus 18:7 . All these incestuous or brutal copulations may well be supposed to be done in secret: and all the people shall say Amen; as abhorring such incest.
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…
This verse, nestled within a list of severe curses, highlights a specific, abhorrent act of incest that was forbidden by Mosaic Law. The immediate "Amen" from the entire populace signifies not just their agreement with the judgment, but their collective embrace of God's righteous standards and their rejection of such wickedness. It's a powerful public declaration of communal accountability, underscoring that even hidden or taboo sins are exposed before God and subject to His curse.
This verse is part of a dramatic ceremony where the Israelites, newly arrived in the promised land, publicly affirm God's covenant. After setting up stones and inscribing the law, half the tribes proclaim blessings for obedience, while the other half pronounce curses for disobedience, with the entire assembly responding "Amen" to seal their commitment. This specific curse targets incest, particularly the violation of familial boundaries with a mother-in-law, which was explicitly forbidden in the Law given earlier.
This verse is part of a dramatic ceremony where the Israelites, newly arrived in the promised land, publicly affirm God's covenant. After setting up stones and inscribing the law, half the tribes proclaim blessings for obedience, while the other half pronounce curses for disobedience, with the entire assembly responding "Amen" to seal their commitment. This specific curse targets incest, particularly the violation of familial boundaries with a mother-in-law, which was explicitly forbidden in the Law given earlier.
"“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’" — This verse, nestled within a list of severe curses, highlights a specific, abhorrent act of incest that was forbidden by Mosaic Law. The immediate "Amen" from the entire populace signifies not just t…
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Last reviewed October 2026