Deuteronomy 27:4-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:1-10

Here is, I. A general charge to the people to keep God's commandments; for in vain did they know them, unless they would do them. This is pressed upon them, 1. With all authority. Moses with the elders of Israel, the rulers of each tribe (Deut. 27:1), and again, Moses and the priests the Levites (Deut. 27:9); so that the charge is given by Moses who was king in Jeshurun, and by their lords, both spiritual and temporal, in concurrence with him. Lest they should think that it was Moses only, an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:4

And therefore it shall be, when ye be gone over Jordan ,.... Some time after they had passed that river: that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal ; a mountain near Shechem in Samaria, and was, as Benjamin of Tudela says F18 Itinerar. p. 40. , dry as stones and rocks itself, and perhaps had its name, as some think F19 Reland. Dissert. 3. de Monte Gerizim, p. 128. See Castel. Lexic. Heptaglott col 2642. , from the root in the Arabic... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:5

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 F20 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 44.) places this altar not on Mount Ebal, but between that and Gerizim. This altar, he says, was ordered to be built towards the rising sun, not far from the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:6

Thou shall build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones ,.... And of such Joshua did build it, Joshua 8:31 , and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God ; and very likely sin offerings too; for these frequently went together, the one to make atonement for sin, and the other as a gift, and by way of thankfulness for the acceptance of the former; and both typical of Christ, the true sacrifice, and the antitype of all the legal sacrifices. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 27:4

Set up these stones - in Mount Ebal - So the present Hebrew text, but the Samaritan has Mount Gerizim. Dr. Kennicott has largely defended the reading of the Samaritan in his second dissertation on the present state of the Hebrew text, and Dr. Parry has defended the Hebrew against the Samaritan in his Case between Gerizim and Ebal fairly stated. So has J. H. Verschuir, in his Dissert. Critica. Many still think Dr. Kennicott's arguments unanswerable, and have no doubt that the Jews have here... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 27:5

Verse 5 5And there shalt thou build an altar. At their first entrance into the land, God commands that a sacrifice of thanksgiving should be offered to Him; and this Joshua performed, as is related in Joshua 8:30 "Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron." First of all, then, this testimony of their gratitude is required, that the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:1-8

PART III .— THIRD DISCOURSE OF MOSES . THE COVENANT RENEWED . CHAPTERS 27-30. EXPOSITION Deuteronomy 27:1-26 . INSTRUCTIONS AS TO THE PUBLISHING OF THE LAW IN CANAAN . HAVING set forth the laws and rights of Israel with special reference to the settlement of the people in Canaan, Hoses proceeds to dwell more particularly on the sanctions by which obedience to the Divine institute was enforced. Before entering on these, however, he gives... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:1-8

The stones on Ebal. This chapter is significant, as letting in light on the design of the Law, and on the nature of the Jewish covenant. We see from it: 1. That the Law could not give life. 2. That it was not designed to give life. 3. That its real aim was to convince of sin, and so to shut men up to the faith that would afterwards be revealed ( Galatians 3:23 ). Three topics in these verses— I. THE ERECTION OF THE STONES . ( Deuteronomy 27:2 , Deuteronomy... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:1-10

Very plainly. These words, "very plainly," suggest three lines of thought. I. THEY SHOW SOMETHING THAT WAS ORDERED TO BE , viz. that the Law of God was to be written very plainly, as the permanent, standard expression of right, to which the people might appeal. It was not to be left to a floating tradition. To no such risks would God expose his teaching. There was no priesthood in Israel which had any monopoly of knowledge. The words were to be so clearly and accurately... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:1-10

Safeguards for obedience. The enthusiasm of Moses for God's Law is admirable, and no less admirable is his earnest desire for Israel's prosperity. That self-forgetful zeal for others' good was one main qualification in Moses to be the vehicle of God's revealed will. With singular sagacity, Moses presses into the earliest service, for the promulgation of Divine Law, the people themselves. The very stones of Canaan were to be written over with the substance of the Law, and in this way were... read more

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