Deuteronomy 27
1 Moses/I, along with the other Israeli leaders, said this to the people: “Obey all the commandments that I am giving to you today.
Then Moses and the elders of Israel instructed the people, saying: “Keep each commandment that I instruct to you this day.
2 [Soon] you will cross the Jordan [River] and enter the land that Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped], promised to give to you. There, in that very fertile [IDM] land on the [west] side of the Jordan [River], set up some large stones [on Ebal Mountain], and cover them with plaster. Then write on those stones all these laws and teachings/instructions.
And when you have crossed over the Jordan, into the land which the Lord your God will give to you, you shall erect immense stones, and you shall coat them with plaster,
so that you may be able to write upon them all the words of this law, when you have crossed the Jordan so as to enter into the land which the Lord your God will give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as he swore to your fathers.
Therefore, when you have crossed over the Jordan, erect the stones, just as I instruct you to do this day, on Mount Ebal. And you shall coat them with plaster,
5 And build a stone altar there to offer sacrifices to Yahweh, but do not cut those stones with iron tools.
and you shall build, in that place, an altar to the Lord your God out of stones which have not been touched by iron,
6 The altar that you make to burn sacrifices to Yahweh our God must be made with uncut stones.
out of stones which have not been hewn or polished. And you shall offer holocausts on it to the Lord your God.
7 And there you must sacrifice offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh, and you must eat [your share of those offerings] and rejoice/celebrate in the presence of Yahweh.
And you shall immolate peace victims. And you shall eat and feast in that place, in the sight of the Lord your God.
8 And, when you write these laws on those stones, you must write them very clearly.”
And you shall write upon the stones all the words of this law, plainly and clearly.”
9 Then Moses/I, along with the priests, said to all the Israeli people, “You Israeli people, be quiet and listen [to what I am saying]. Today you have become the people who belong to Yahweh, our God.
And Moses and the priests of Levitical stock said to all of Israel: “Attend and listen, O Israel! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God.
10 So, you must do what he tells you, and obey all the rules and regulations that I am giving to you today.”
You shall listen to his voice, and you shall do the commandments and justices, which I am entrusting to you.”
11 On that same day Moses/I said to the Israeli people,
And Moses instructed the people in that day, saying:
12 “After you have crossed over the Jordan [River], the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin must stand on Gerizim Mountain and [request Yahweh to] bless the people.
“These shall stand upon Mount Gerizim, as a blessing to the people, when you will have crossed the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
13 And the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali must stand on Ebal Mountain and listen to the things that Yahweh will do when he curses the people.
And in the opposite region, there shall stand upon Mount Ebal, as a curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 The descendants of Levi must shout these words loudly:
And the Levites shall pronounce and declare to all the men of Israel, with an exalted voice:
15 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who makes an idol of stone, or of wood, or of metal, and secretly sets it up [and worships it]. Yahweh considers that those things, made by humans [SYN], are detestable/disgusting.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be the man who makes a graven or molten idol, an abomination to the Lord, a work of the hands of its maker, and who puts it in a secret place. And all the people shall respond by saying: Amen.
16 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who does not honor his father and mother. And all the people shall say: Amen.
17 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who removes someone else’s markers of property boundaries.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who removes his neighbor’s landmarks. And all the people shall say: Amen.
18 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who leads a blind person to go (in the wrong direction/where that person does not want to go).’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who causes the blind to go astray on a journey. And all the people shall say: Amen.
19 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who deprives foreigners or orphans or widows of the things that the laws state must be done for them.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who subverts the judgment of the new arrival, the orphan, or the widow. And all the people shall say: Amen.
20 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who (shows no respect for/disgraces his father) by having sex with [EUP] any of his father’s wives.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who lies with his father’s wife, and so exposes the covering of his bed. And all the people shall say: Amen.
21 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who has sex [EUP] with any animal.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who lies with any beast. And all the people shall say: Amen.
22 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who has sex with his sister or with his half-sister.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or of his mother. And all the people shall say: Amen.
23 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who has sex with [EUP] his mother-in-law.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say: Amen.
24 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who secretly murders someone else.’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who secretly strikes down his neighbor. And all the people shall say: Amen.
25 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who accepts a bribe to murder someone who (is innocent/has not done something that is wrong.)’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’
Cursed be he who accepts gifts in order to strike down the life of innocent blood. And all the people shall say: Amen.
26 ‘Yahweh will curse anyone who disobeys these laws and refuses to declare that these laws [are good].’ And all the people must reply, ‘(Amen/We want that to happen).’”
Cursed be he who does not remain in the words of this law, and does not carry them out in deed. And all the people shall say: Amen.”
