Daily Bread

TWO MOUNTAINS AND A CHOICE

Passage: Deuteronomy 27:1~26

Key verse: 10

The Altar on Mount Ebal

27 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands^(A) that I give you today. ²When you have crossed the Jordan^(B) into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones^(C) and coat them with plaster.^(D) ³Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(E) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. ⁴And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal,^(F) as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. ⁵Build there an altar^(G) to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool^(H) on them. ⁶Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. ⁷Sacrifice fellowship offerings^(I) there, eating them and rejoicing^(J) in the presence of the Lord your God.^(K) ⁸And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones^(L) you have set up.”^(M)

Curses From Mount Ebal

⁹Then Moses and the Levitical^(N) priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.^(O) ¹⁰Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”

¹¹On the same day Moses commanded the people:

¹²When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim^(P) to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,^(Q) Joseph and Benjamin.^(R) ¹³And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal^(S) to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.

¹⁴The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:

¹⁵“Cursed is anyone who makes an idol^(T)—a thing detestable^(U) to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”^(V)

¹⁶“Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.”^(W)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁷“Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.”^(X)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁸“Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.”^(Y)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁹“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner,^(Z) the fatherless or the widow.”^(AA)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁰“Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.”^(AB)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²¹“Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal.”^(AC)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²²“Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.”^(AD)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²³“Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.”^(AE)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁴“Cursed is anyone who kills^(AF) their neighbor secretly.”^(AG)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁵“Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.”^(AH)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁶“Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”^(AI)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”^(AJ)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

1. 'Write all the words of this law' (1-8)

After crossing the Jordan river and arriving in the promised land, the first thing Israel was to do was write the words of God on stones and set them up with an altar on Mount Ebal. The word of God was the basis of their relationship with God as his covenant people. Similarly, Jesus said to us, 'The words I have spoken to you-they are full of the Spirit and life' (John 6:63b).

2. Curses for disobedience (9-26)

Next, the twelve tribes were to split into two groups of six, with one group standing on Mount Gerizim to pronounce blessings for obeying the law and the other group standing Mount Ebal to pronounce curses for disobedience. The Levites read curses, with the people responding 'Amen' after each one. The people needed to understand that their choice to obey or disobey the words of God made the difference between a blessed or cursed life.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us your words of life. Help me make them the foundation of my life.

One Word: God's words free us from a cursed life

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Bible Resource Data Base

Deuteronomy 1:1~34:12

Deuteronomy - Remember What God Has Done and Said , Sarah Barry
Deuteronomy 1:1~34:12

Hear, O Israel, LA UBF