Deuteronomy 27:3

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 27:3

And thou shall write upon them all the words of this law ,.... Not the whole book of Deuteronomy, as some think, at least not the historical part of it, only what concerns the laws of God; and it may be only a summary or abstract of them, and perhaps only the ten commandments. Josephus F17 Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 44. is of opinion that the blessings and the curses after recited were what were written on them: when thou art passed over ; that is, the river Jordan: that thou... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 27:3

All the words of this law - After all that has been said by ingenious critics concerning the law ordered to be written on these stones, some supposing the whole Mosaic law to be intended, others, only the decalogue, I am fully of opinion that the ( תורה torah ) law or ordinance in question simply means the blessings and curses mentioned in this and in the following chapter; and indeed these contained a very good epitome of the whole law in all its promises and threatenings, in reference... 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:1-10

Law-abiding people. We have here a direction about writing, upon great stones in Mount Ebal, the words of the Divine Law. Whether this meant only the blessings and curses, as Josephus thinks, or an abstract of Deuteronomy, or only the ten commandments, we cannot tell. But the idea implied is similar to the writing of the Decalogue in stone; it was to render fixed the Law on which the national policy was to rest. In other words, it was a symbolic way of declaring that Israel will be a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 27:3

All the words of this law ; i . e . all the purely legislative parts of the Mosaic institute. By the "Law" here cannot be intended merely the blessings and the curses afterwards mentioned ( Deuteronomy 27:14-26 ); nor is there any reason why this term should be restricted to the precepts of this Book of Deuteronomy, as if they only were to be inscribed on the stones: the term must be extended so as to cover all that Moses had at any time delivered to Israel as a law from God. It is not... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 27:3

All the words of this law - i. e. all the laws revealed from God to the people by Moses, regarded by the Jews as 613 (compare Numbers 15:38 note). The exhibition of laws in this manner on stones, pillars, or tables, was familiar to the ancients. The laws were probably graven in the stone (“very plainly,” Deuteronomy 27:8 is by some rendered “scoop it out well”), as are for the most part the Egyptian hieroglyphics, the “plaister” being afterward added to protect the inscription from the weather. read more

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