Deuteronomy 27:11 - Meaning and Application

When the law was written so all people could see and read it, its warnings also had to be announced. To finish the solemn covenant with God, the people were to declare openly that they accepted his law. They had already been told to do this (Deuteronomy 11:29-30), so this command here begins a little suddenly in Deuteronomy 27:12.

It seems that in Canaan, in the part that later belonged to Ephraim, Joshua’s tribe, there were two mountains close together with a valley between them. One was called Gerizim and the other Ebal. The tribes were to stand on the sides of these two mountains, six on one side and six on the other, so that they faced each other across the valley. In that way, the priests standing between them could be heard by those nearest them on both sides.

When silence was called for and everyone was paying attention, one of the priests, or perhaps several spaced apart, would speak one of the curses in a loud voice. All the people on the side and foot of Mount Ebal would answer, “Amen.” The same would happen when the blessing was spoken, “Blessed is the one who does not do this or that,” and then those on the side and foot of Mount Gerizim would answer, “Amen.” This would deeply impress on them the blessings and curses, the promises and warnings, of the law. It would also teach the whole nation, not just hear the words, but apply them to themselves.

One thing to notice about this solemn ceremony is that it was to be done only once, not repeated, though it would be remembered by later generations. God chose which tribes would stand on Gerizim and which on Ebal (Deuteronomy 27:12-13), so there would be no dispute if the tribes had chosen for themselves. The six tribes appointed for blessing were all children of the free women, because the promise belongs to such as these (Galatians 4:31). Levi is included here with the others, to teach ministers to apply to themselves the blessing and the curse they preach to others, and by faith to say their own “Amen” to it.

The tribes who were to answer the blessings are said to “stand to bless the people,” but the others are said to “stand to curse,” without mentioning the people. That may be because Scripture is careful not to suppose that any of God’s own people would willingly place themselves under the curse. Or it may mean that there was really only one blessing pronounced over Israel as a whole, a happy people if they obeyed, and the tribes on Gerizim were to answer “Amen” to that. Then the curses came in as exceptions to that general rule. Israel was a blessed people, but anyone among them who did the things named here would have no share in that blessing and would be under a curse. This shows how willing God is to give blessing. If anyone falls under the curse, they bring it on themselves.

The Levites, or priests, were to pronounce the curses as well as the blessings. They had been appointed to bless (Deuteronomy 10:8), and the priests did this daily (Numbers 6:23). But they also had to make a clear difference between what is precious and what is worthless. They must not speak blessing as if it belonged to everyone without distinction. In the same way, ministers today must preach the terrors of the law as well as the comforts of the gospel. They must not only draw people toward duty with promises of blessing, but also warn them with the threat of a curse.

The curses are written out here, but not the blessings. That is because as many as were under the law were under the curse. It was a honor saved for Christ to bless us, and to do for us what the law could not do, since the law was powerless. In Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, which was the true Mount Gerizim, we find blessings only (Matthew 5:3 and following).

The people were to answer “Amen” to each curse. It is easy to see what “Amen” means after a blessing. The Jews had a saying to encourage people to say “Amen” to public prayers, that whoever answers “Amen” after the one who blesses is like the one who blesses. But how could they say “Amen” to curses? First, it was a confession that these warnings were true. They were not tricks to scare children or foolish people. They were real statements of God’s wrath against human sin, and none of them would fail. Second, it was an admission that the curses were fair. By saying “Amen,” they were saying not only, “It will surely happen,” but also, “It is right that it should happen.” Those who do such things deserve to fall under the curse.

Third, it was a kind of self-imposed oath against those sins. It strongly bound them to have nothing to do with the evil practices that brought on the curse. In effect, they were saying, “Let God’s anger fall on us if we ever do such things.” We read of people who “entered into a curse” to walk in God’s law (Nehemiah 10:29), and that is the usual form of a solemn oath among us. The Jews even say, as Bishop Patrick notes, that all the people, by saying “Amen,” bound one another to keep God’s laws. Each person was to do what he could to keep his neighbor from breaking them, and to warn those who had sinned, so they would not bear the guilt and curse for others.

Now we should notice the particular sins against which these curses are spoken. First are sins against the second commandment. This warning sword is placed there first (Deuteronomy 27:15). Those are cursed not only who worship images, but also those who make them or keep them, if they are the kind used by idolaters in worship. It makes no difference whether it is a carved image or a cast image. It is still hateful to the Lord, even if it is not set up publicly, but hidden away in a secret place. Even if it is not actually worshiped, and even if no one says it is meant for worship, keeping it there shows respect for it and becomes a constant temptation. A person may escape human punishment, but he cannot escape God’s curse.

Second are sins against the fifth commandment, in Deuteronomy 27:16. Disrespect for parents is so serious that it is placed right after disrespect for God himself. If a person abused his parents, whether in words or actions, he came under the judgment of the magistrate and was to be put to death (Exodus 21:15, 21:17).

But hiding contempt for parents in the heart was something a magistrate could not judge. So this sin is placed under God’s curse, because he knows the heart. Children who act proudly and disrespectfully toward their parents are cursed children.

3. Against the eighth commandment. God’s curse is also placed on several forms of injustice. It falls on the dishonest neighbor who moves a boundary marker, (Deuteronomy 27:17; Deuteronomy 19:14). It also falls on the dishonest adviser who is asked for counsel, but secretly leads his friend into harm. That is like making a blind man wander off the road while pretending to guide him, and nothing could be more cruel or more treacherous, (Deuteronomy 27:18). Those who lead others away from God’s commands and lure them into sin bring this curse on themselves, as our Savior explained, (Matthew 15:14), “The blind lead the blind, and both will fall into the ditch.”

The curse also falls on the unjust judge who twists justice for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, (Deuteronomy 27:19). These people were usually poor and had no one to defend them. A judge might be tempted to side with their enemies because there seemed to be nothing to gain from helping them and nothing to lose from hurting them. But such judges are cursed.

4. Against the seventh commandment. Incest is a cursed sin, whether with a sister, a father’s wife, or a mother-in-law, (Deuteronomy 27:20, Deuteronomy 27:22, Deuteronomy 27:23). These sins exposed people not only to punishment from the magistrate, (Leviticus 20:11), but, even more seriously, to God’s anger. Bestiality is also cursed, (Deuteronomy 27:21).

5. Against the sixth commandment. Two of the worst kinds of murder are named here. First is secret murder, when a man does not face his neighbor openly as an equal, giving him a chance to defend himself, but strikes him in secret, (Deuteronomy 27:24). This could happen through poison or some other hidden means, when the victim does not even know who is hurting him. See (Psalm 10:8-9). Even if such murders are never uncovered or punished by people, God’s curse will still follow them.

Second is murder done under color of law, which is a great insult to God, because it uses one of his own ordinances to protect wickedness. It is also a great wrong to the neighbor, because it destroys both his honor and his life. So cursed is the one who takes a bribe, or sells his service, to accuse, convict, or condemn an innocent person and so put him to death, (Deuteronomy 27:25). See (Psalm 15:5).

6. The ceremony ends with a general curse on anyone who does not confirm, or, as it can be read, does not carry out, all the words of this law by doing them, (Deuteronomy 27:26). By obeying the law, we put our seal on it and confirm it. By disobeying it, we do what we can to cancel it, (Psalm 119:126). The apostle, following the older versions, reads it this way, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue,” (Galatians 3:10). This final curse keeps anyone with other sins from thinking they are safe just because their particular sin was not named here. It reaches everyone, not only those who do the evil the law forbids, but also those who fail to do the good the law requires. To this we must all say Amen, confessing that we are under this curse and have rightly deserved it. We would surely have perished under it forever if Christ had not redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.