And Moses charged the people the same ,.... That he gave the above orders to set up stones, and plaster them, and write the law on them, and build an altar in the same place, and offer sacrifices when come into the land of Canaan: saying ; as follows. read more
These shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people , widen ye are come over Jordan ,.... Which was a mountain in Samaria opposite to Mount Ebal, a valley of a furlong broad lay between them F25 Vid. Maundrel's Journey from Aleppo, &c.; p. 59,62. ; and, according to Hillerus F26 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 168. , had its name from being broken off from that, they being, as it should seem, originally one mountain, and now two tops of the same; so Burchard; but others think it... read more
And these shall stand upon Mount Ebal curse ,.... Which was dry and rocky, barren and fruitful, and like the earth, that bears briers and thorns, is rejected and nigh unto cursing, and so a proper place to curse, and a fit emblem of those to be cursed; see Hebrews 6:8 , Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali ; four of these appointed for cursing were the children of the handmaids, Gad, Asher, Dan, and Naphtali; and since two were wanting, as Aben Ezra observes, and the... read more
And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel ,.... Rather, "answer F5 ענו "respondebunt", Montanus. and say"; not the whole tribe of Levi, for that stood on Mount Gerizim to bless, Deuteronomy 27:12 ; but the priests of that tribe who were placed in the valley, between the two mountains, and pronounced both the blessings and the curses in the hearing of all the tribes of Israel, to which they were to answer Amen; and that they might plainly hear, they expressed... read more
Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image ,.... The blessings and the form of them are not recorded, because they were not to be had from the law, and through obedience to it; and therefore there is a profound silence about them, to put men upon seeking for them elsewhere, and which are only to be had in Christ, especially spiritual ones; but we may suppose they were delivered in the same form, and respecting the same things as the curses, only just the reverse of them;... read more
Cursed be he that setteth light by his father, or his mother ,.... That secretly despises them in his heart, and by looks and gestures mocks at them in a private manner, unseen by others, Proverbs 30:17 ; for if he publicly cursed them, that was cognizable by the civil magistrate, and he was to be put to death, Leviticus 20:9 . This follows next, as in the order of the ten commands, to that which respects the fear and worship of God; honouring parents being next to the glorifying of... read more
Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark ,.... Removes it backward, and steals ground, as Jarchi explains it; this is commonly done secretly; see Deuteronomy 19:14 , and all the people shall say Amen ; See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:15 ; See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:16 . read more
Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way ,.... By directing him wrong knowingly, or laying a stumbling block in his way, Leviticus 19:14 . The Targum of Jonathan is,"that maketh a traveller wander out of the way, who like a blind man;'who knows his way no more than a blind man does. Jarchi interprets it,"that blinds in anything, and gives evil counsel;'which leads men to take wrong steps, whether in things civil, or moral, or religious; all which are usually done... read more
Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger , fatherless, and widow ,.... Who have none to assist them, and take their part, and therefore judges may be tempted to do an unjust thing; but God is the patron of them, and takes notice of every injury done them, and is the avenger of all such: and all the people shall say Amen ; See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:15 ; See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:16 . read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:11-26
When the law was written, to be seen and read by all men, the sanctions of it were to be published, which, to complete the solemnity of their covenanting with God, they were deliberately to declare their approbation of. This they were before directed to do (Deut. 11:29, 30), and therefore the appointment here begins somewhat abruptly, Deut. 27:12. There were, it seems, in Canaan, that part of it which afterwards fell to the lot of Ephraim (Joshua's tribe), two mountains that lay near together,... read more