Deuteronomy 27, Ceremony on Mounts Ebal and Gerizim

Moses has reviewed the Law, listing a variety of decrees that appear to come out of principles undergirding the Ten Commandments.  Now comes a passage, says Currid, that elaborates on the sanctions, both blessings and curses, that follow from obedience and disobedience to the covenant. 

Deuteronomy 27: 1-8, Set up a pile of stones

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: "Keep all these commands that I give you today.

When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the LORD your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. 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, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. Build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool upon them. Build the altar of the LORD your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God.

Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God. And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up."

The Israelites are to create a pile of stones on Mount Ebal, on which the words of the covenant will be written. The command to not use tools on the stones may be related to Canaan altars, which involved finished stones, or, says Currid, the command might prevent one from working the stones into some type of idol.  The final form of the stones is not the issue here.

Deuteronomy 27: 9-10, Now the covenant is in effect

Then Moses and the priests, who are Levites, said to all Israel, "Be silent, O Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the LORD your God. Obey the LORD your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today."

This moment marks the beginning of the covenant.  Currid sees in this chapter the standard ceremony for ratifying an ancient Near East covenant between a king and his people. This ceremony will eventually take place after the conquest of the land, see Joshua 8: 30-35.

Deuteronomy 27: 11-13, Mount Gerizim

On the same day Moses commanded the people: When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin. And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.

The people, once in Canaan, are to stand on Mount Gerizim and Ebal (above Shechem) and recite the following:

Deuteronomy 27: 14-25, Cursed is the man

The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:

"Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol--a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman's hands--and sets it up in secret." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
 

"Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or his mother." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
  

"Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor's boundary stone." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
 

"Cursed is the man who leads the blind astray on the road." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

"Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
 

"Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father's wife, for he dishonors his father's bed." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

"Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

"Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

"Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother-in-law." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

"Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

"Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

The people are to agree that these violations, all of which were listed previously, will bring curses on the people who commit the violations. The word "Amen" indicates agreement and affirmation.

Deuteronomy 27: 26, Uphold the words of the Law!

"Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." 

Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

This last vow summarizes the previous ones.  The total number of curses is twelve; some have called this section of curses the Dodecalogue (the twelve words) in analogy with the Decalogue. There is considerable overlap here with the Ten Commandments, but, of course, the emphasis is negative, on things one should not do and the curses that might follow.