“‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Deuteronomy 27:25
What does Deuteronomy 27:25 mean?
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Deuteronomy 27:25
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This verse highlights a specific crime – taking a bribe to shed innocent blood – but it's crucial to see it as an example of a broader principle. The text doesn't just condemn this one act, but points to the corruption of justice itself, where someone's life can be forfeited not for actual guilt, but for personal gain.
“‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a dramatic public ceremony where Moses instructs the Israelites, divided into two groups, to pronounce curses on those who disobey God's law. Following curses against idolatry and disrespect for parents, this passage specifically targets the corruption of justice, highlighting the severity of taking a bribe to cause an innocent person's death, which the entire nation would affirm with "Amen." This solemn pronouncement, coming after a series of specific transgressions, underscores the absolute commitment to justice and integrity required within the covenant community.
Why does the Bible single out bribery to kill the innocent? It’s not just about murder, but about the corruption of justice itself.
This curse hits hard because it targets a specific, insidious betrayal. Taking a bribe to spill innocent blood means twisting a position of authority or trust into a tool of destruction.
Corrupting Justice
This wasn't just about a hired killer. It could refer to judges who accepted payment to condemn the guiltless, or false witnesses who sold their testimony for gain. The bribe poisons the very systems meant to protect the vulnerable.
A Universal Threat
While the context is ancient Israel, the principle is timeless. Any society that allows money to dictate life-or-death decisions is vulnerable to this curse. When justice can be bought, everyone, especially the weak, is at risk.
Imagine standing before God and agreeing with a curse. What does that powerful declaration truly mean?
The repeated 'Amen' from all the people is crucial. It’s not just a passive agreement; it's an active, public affirmation of God's standards and judgment.
Owning the Law
By saying 'Amen' to each curse, the Israelites were publicly acknowledging the righteousness of God's law and His judgment against those who violated it. They were, in essence, agreeing that such actions deserved God's condemnation.
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Collective Responsibility
This communal 'Amen' signifies that the entire nation stood behind these pronouncements. It was a powerful way to instill a shared understanding of right and wrong, and to remind everyone that sin had serious consequences, even those that might be hidden from human eyes.
Understand the original words
shochad · Hebrew Noun
A gift, present, or payment given to influence someone's judgment, usually in a legal or official capacity; in Scripture, it is consistently condemned when used to pervert justice.
naqi · Hebrew Adjective
Refers to a person who has committed no crime worthy of death or who has not violated the law; the shedding of such blood is classified by God as a severe injustice and an abomination.
This curse highlights the critical importance of justice and integrity in the legal system, especially as the Israelites were about to enter and settle the Promised Land, a place where maintaining God's righteous standards was paramount for their survival and blessing.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Law at Sinai
God delivers the Ten Commandments and the full corpus of Mosaic Law to the Israelites through Moses, establishing a covenant relationship based on obedience.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin the military campaign to possess the Promised Land, a land with established legal and social structures.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Rite of Curses at Mount Ebal
As commanded by Moses, the Israelites perform a solemn ceremony on Mount Ebal, where the Levites proclaim curses against specific sins, and the people affirm 'Amen' to each.
c. 1406 BC
Joshua's Farewell Address
Before his death, Joshua reminds the people of God's faithfulness and their covenant responsibilities, urging them to choose obedience to the Law.
c. 1375 BC - 1045 BC
Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel experiences cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance, highlighting the consequences of failing to uphold the Law.
This passage warns against accepting bribes, especially those that would condemn the innocent, echoing the strong condemnation in Deuteronomy 27:25.
1 Samuel 12:3Samuel directly confronts the people about bribery, highlighting its corrupting influence on justice and leadership, which is a core concern of the curse in Deuteronomy.
Ezekiel 22:12This prophetic oracle speaks of rulers who take bribes to shed blood, directly paralleling the specific sin cursed in Deuteronomy 27:25 and showing its persistent danger.
Proverbs 17:15This proverb starkly contrasts justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous, showing that taking a bribe for such an outcome is an abomination, reinforcing the gravity of the curse.
Matthew 27:4Judas, after betraying Jesus, laments, 'I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,' demonstrating the profound guilt and curse associated with shedding innocent blood, especially for personal gain.
cambridgeDeuteronomy 27:25: "Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen."
25 . Cp. Deuteronomy 16:19 , and E, Exodus 23:8 , both against all bribes; Ezekiel 22:1-2 , bribes to shed blood .
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 highlights a specific crime – taking a bribe to shed innocent blood – but it's crucial to see it as an example of a broader principle. The text doesn't just condemn this one act, but points to the corruption of justice itself, where someone's life can be forfeited not for actual guilt, but for personal gain.
This verse is part of a dramatic public ceremony where Moses instructs the Israelites, divided into two groups, to pronounce curses on those who disobey God's law. Following curses against idolatry and disrespect for parents, this passage specifically targets the corruption of justice, highlighting the severity of taking a bribe to cause an innocent person's death, which the entire nation would affirm with "Amen." This solemn pronouncement, coming after a series of specific transgressions, underscores the absolute commitment to justice and integrity required within the covenant community.
This verse is part of a dramatic public ceremony where Moses instructs the Israelites, divided into two groups, to pronounce curses on those who disobey God's law. Following curses against idolatry and disrespect for parents, this passage specifically targets the corruption of justice, highlighting the severity of taking a bribe to cause an innocent person's death, which the entire nation would affirm with "Amen." This solemn pronouncement, coming after a series of specific transgressions, underscores the absolute commitment to justice and integrity required within the covenant community.
"“‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’" — This verse highlights a specific crime – taking a bribe to shed innocent blood – but it's crucial to see it as an example of a broader principle. The text doesn't just condemn this one act, but point…
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Last reviewed October 2026