Deuteronomy 27:5-6
And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You shall wield no iron tool on them; you shall build an altar to the LORD your God of uncut stones. And you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The command not to use iron tools on the altar stones is more than just about preserving their natural state; it signifies that this altar, unlike those built with human craft, is meant to be a raw, unadulterated symbol of God's direct presence and authority, reminding Israel that their obedience and relationship with Him weren't a product of human ingenuity but of His own sovereign decree. This emphasis on natural, unworked stones points to the ruggedness and unpolished reality of the covenant itself, a covenant that would require God's power, not human perfection, to uphold.
Right after entering the Promised Land, Moses instructs the Israelites to build a significant altar on Mount Ebal. This altar, made of natural, unworked stones, is to be a public place for worship, contrasting with the monumental stones that will bear the law. It’s meant to be a place for sacrifices, underscoring both God’s covenant and the people’s commitment to obedience as they stand on the brink of their new life.
Why would God forbid using iron tools on stones for an altar? What does this seemingly small detail reveal about approaching Him?
This command in Deuteronomy 27:5 is profound. Building an altar of unhewn stones, untouched by iron tools, wasn't about aesthetics; it was about purity and holiness.
Divine Standards
Iron, a tool of war and civilization, was seen as potentially 'polluting' in this sacred context. It represented human craft and intervention. God's instructions emphasize that His presence and the approach to Him require a distinct standard – one of natural, unadulterated materials, reflecting His own perfect holiness. This echoes the earlier command at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:25).
A Symbol of Christ
This speaks volumes about how we are to approach God. No human effort or 'smoothing over' of our sin can make us acceptable. Only the perfect, unblemished sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the 'stone cut out without hands' (Daniel 2:45), can bridge the gap between our flawed humanity and God's perfect holiness.
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Imagine thousands of Israelites gathered. What was the purpose of this altar, and why was its construction so carefully prescribed?
The altar commanded in Deuteronomy 27 was not just a place for sacrifice; it was a public monument and a pedagogical tool.
A Visible Reminder
Built in a significant location (likely Mount Ebal, as per Joshua 8:30), this altar served as a tangible reminder of God's covenant with His people. It stood as a visible testament to their commitment and God's faithfulness, especially as they entered the Promised Land.
The Covenant's Foundation
Along with the stones inscribed with the law (Deuteronomy 27:2-4), the altar solidified the foundational principles of their relationship with God. It represented both the 'elementary worship needed for sinful men' and the 'peace offerings' that celebrated their covenant relationship. It was a place where God's law and God's provision for obedience (and disobedience) were made manifest.
Understand the original words
mizbēaḥ · Hebrew Noun
A place of sacrifice or offering, representing the meeting point between God and man where atonement is made and worship is offered. Altars serve as memorials of divine encounter and covenantal commitment.
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
A place or structure designed for the presentation of sacrifices and offerings to God. It symbolizes the meeting place between God and humanity, often signifying worship, atonement, or covenant renewal.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name for the God of Israel (Yahweh). It signifies His self-existence, eternal nature, and personal relationship with His covenant people.
olah · Hebrew Noun
An offering completely consumed by fire, symbolizing the total dedication and surrender of the worshiper to God. It is often associated with atonement and propitiation.
The command to build the altar with unhewn stones, a practice also seen at Mount Sinai, emphasizes that worship and obedience should be based on God's pure and unaltered word, not human artifice or smoothing over of difficult truths.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites are liberated from slavery in Egypt under Moses' leadership, marking the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC
Covenant at Mount Sinai
God establishes a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them the Law, including instructions for building altars. The prohibition against using iron tools on altars is first given here.
c. 1406 BC
Israelites Enter Canaan
After forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, cross the Jordan River and begin their conquest of the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Ai
Following a setback at Ai due to sin, the Israelites eventually conquer the city. This victory precedes the ceremony at Mount Ebal.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Altar Built and Law Read
On Mount Ebal, Joshua builds an altar of whole stones according to God's command and the people hear the Law read, with curses proclaimed.
This passage directly parallels the command in Deuteronomy, stating that if an altar is made of stones, it should be of whole stones, and no iron tool should be used, highlighting the theme of maintaining the natural purity of the materials used for worship.
Joshua 8:30-31This passage describes Joshua building an altar of unhewn stones on Mount Ebal, just as commanded in Deuteronomy, demonstrating the obedience of Israel to this specific instruction upon entering the Promised Land.
1 Kings 18:31Elijah rebuilt the altar of the LORD that was broken down, using twelve stones according to the number of the tribes, echoing the principle of using stones to represent Israel in worship and connecting it to a significant moment of national rededication.
Matthew 7:24-27Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders, who built their houses on rock versus sand, highlights the foundational importance of obedience to God's word. The unhewn altar in Deuteronomy represents building on the solid, uncompromised truth of God's commands, just as the wise builder built on rock.
ellicottDeuteronomy 27:5: "And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them."
(5) An altar of stones. —Rashi propounds the theory that these stones were taken from Jordan. But there is nothing to countenance this theory in the words of the text.
gillDeuteronomy 27:5: "And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them."
And there shall thou build an altar to the Lord thy God,.... On the same mountain, though not of the same stones. Jarchi's note is,"after that (the setting up of the plastered stones) thou shalt bring from thence (from Jordan) others, and build of them an altar on Mount Ebal;''but Josephus (t) places this altar not on Mount Ebal, but between that and…
The command not to use iron tools on the altar stones is more than just about preserving their natural state; it signifies that this altar, unlike those built with human craft, is meant to be a raw, unadulterated symbol of God's direct presence and authority, reminding Israel that their obedience and relationship with Him weren't a product of human ingenuity but of His own sovereign decree. This emphasis on natural, unworked stones points to the ruggedness and unpolished reality of the covenant itself, a covenant that would require God's power, not human perfection, to uphold.
Right after entering the Promised Land, Moses instructs the Israelites to build a significant altar on Mount Ebal. This altar, made of natural, unworked stones, is to be a public place for worship, contrasting with the monumental stones that will bear the law. It’s meant to be a place for sacrifices, underscoring both God’s covenant and the people’s commitment to obedience as they stand on the brink of their new life.
Right after entering the Promised Land, Moses instructs the Israelites to build a significant altar on Mount Ebal. This altar, made of natural, unworked stones, is to be a public place for worship, contrasting with the monumental stones that will bear the law. It’s meant to be a place for sacrifices, underscoring both God’s covenant and the people’s commitment to obedience as they stand on the brink of their new life.
"And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You shall wield no iron tool on them; you shall build an altar to the LORD your God of uncut stones. And you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your Go…" — The command not to use iron tools on the altar stones is more than just about preserving their natural state; it signifies that this altar, unlike those built with human craft, is meant to be a raw,…
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