| Summary: | Moses along with the elders of Israel, commanded the Israelites, saying:"Obey all of the commandments that I give to you today. When you pass over the Jordan River and into the land which the Lord your God has given you, you shall set up large stones and plaster them together with mortar. Upon these stones you shall write the words of this law, when you have crossed the Jordan River, that you may enter the land which the Lord your God has given you - a land that flows with milk and honey, just as the God of your forefathers had promised you. Therefore it shall be when you have crossed the Jordan River, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with mortar.
"There you shall also build an altar to the Lord your God - an altar of stones, but you shall use no iron tools upon those stones. You shall build the altar of the Lord your God with whole uncut stones, and upon the altar you shall offer burnt offerings to the Lord your God, and peace offerings that you shall eat there an rejoice before the Lord your God. You shall write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly." Moses and the Levite priests spoke to all of the Israelites, saying:"Take heed, and listen, O Israel. This day you will become the people of the Lord your God. You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, and obey his commandments and statutes, which I command you this day." Moses ordered the people the same day, saying:"The tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin are to stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali are to stand upon Mount Ebal and proclaim a curse. The Levites shall then speak loudly unto all the men of Israel saying:- 'Cursed be the man who makes any graven or molten image and attempts to hide it. This is an abomination to the Lord, the work of the craftsmen.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that dishonors his father or mother.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that moves his neighbor's property marker.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that leads the blind to wander out of his way.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that twists judgment against a stranger, an orphan, or a widow.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that sleeps with his father's wife, for he has uncovered his father's skirt.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that has sex with any type of animal.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that sleeps with his sister - the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that sleeps with his mother-in-law.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that secretly kills his neighbor.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that accepts a reward to kill an innocent person.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
- 'Cursed be the man that does not obey these laws.' The people are to answer this by saying 'Amen'.
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| Thoughts: | Moses begins the chapter by instructing the Israelites to construct a monument out of uncut stones plastered together once they enter the "promised land". The Israelites are to write God's laws upon these stones and they are to be set upon Mount Ebal along with an altar where the people are to offer animal sacrifices and eat beside the stone altar. However, Moses states that no iron tools are to be used in shaping these stones.
Next Moses revisits a strange command that he first touched upon in Deuteronomy: Chapter 11, concerning offering a blessing off of one mountain and a curse off of another. Here, he orders the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin to stand upon Mount Gerizim to give a blessing to the people, and the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali to stand upon Mount Ebal to proclaim curses.
Moses doesn't say anything about what the tribes upon Mount Gerizim should say in their blessing, but he has a lot to say about the curses that the Levite priests have to say on behalf of the tribes upon Mount Ebal.
They are to curse the following:- Anyone who makes a graven or molten image and tries to hide it
- Anyone who dishonors his mother or father
- Anyone who moves his neighbor's property marker
- Anyone who leads the blind in the wrong direction
- Anyone who twists judgment against a stranger, orphan, or widow.
- Any man who sleeps with his father's wife.
- Any man who commits bestiality.
- Any man who sleeps with his sister - regardless if she's the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. (I suppose Abraham should be cursed then too.)
- Any man who sleeps with his mother-in-law.
- Anyone who secretly kills his neighbor. (Kind of like what Moses did in Exodus 2:12)
- Anyone who takes a reward to kill an innocent person - A hitman.
- Anyone who does not obey these laws.
Each curse has to be answered by an "amen", which initially I thought may have been the first instance of this word in the bible, but apparently I overlooked its appearance in the 'Law of Jealousies' from Numbers: Chapter 5. |
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