The Altar on Mount Ebal
Deuteronomy 27Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments which I command y’all today. On the day when y’all pass over the Jordan to the land which YHWH your God is giving you, that you are to set up great stones and coat them with plaster. You are to write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over, so that you may enter into the land that YHWH your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as YHWH, the God of your fathers, has promised you. When y’all have crossed over the Jordan, y’all are to set up these stones, as I command y’all today, on Mount Ebal, and you are to coat them with plaster. There you will build an altar to YHWH your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them. You are to build the altar of YHWH your God from uncut stones and offer burnt offerings on it to YHWH your God. You are to sacrifice peace offerings, eat there, and rejoice before YHWH your God. You are to write clearly all the words of this law on the stones.”
Curses for Breaking the Covenant
Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of YHWH your God. You are to obey the voice of YHWH your God, and follow ʜɪꜱ commandments and statutes, which I command you today.”
The same day Moses commanded the people, saying, “When y’all have crossed over the Jordan, these will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. These will stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. The Levites will say to all the people of Israel in a loud voice, ‘Cursed is the person who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to YHWH, the work of the hands of the artisan, and sets it up in secret.’
All the people will answer and say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who removes their neighbor’s boundary marker.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he dishonors his father’s bed.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who lies with his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who secretly kills their neighbor.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’
‘Cursed is anyone who doesn’t uphold the words of this law by doing them.’
All the people will say, ‘Amen.’”