Deuteronomy 27:1-10

Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged all the people as follows: “Keep the entire commandment¹ that I am commanding you today. On the day that you cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and cover them with plaster. You shall write on them all the words of this law² when you have crossed over, to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you,³ a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I am commanding you today, on Mount Ebal,⁴ and you shall cover them with plaster.⁵ And you shall build an altar there to the Lord your God,⁶ an altar of stones on which you have not used an iron tool. You must build the altar of the Lord your God of unhewn stones. Then offer up burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God, make sacrifices of well-being, and eat them there, rejoicing before the Lord your God.⁷ You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very clearly.⁸

Then Moses and the levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying: “Keep silence and hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of the Lord your God.⁹ Therefore obey the Lord your God, observing his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today.”¹⁰

1 “Keep these commandments” repeated for the 1,294^th time in Deuteronomy.

2 The entire law written on plaster-covered stones!

3 Again reminding them of God's part in the bargain.

4 Strangely, Deuteronomy 11:24 says they shall set the curse upon Mt. Ebal. How do the words of the law relate to the “curse”? Study Bible notes that the Samaritan text says “Gericim” here, hard to know which version is original.

5 If really done that would be a fantastic sight. Is there a replication of this made anywhere?

6 Interesting – even in the promised land there are additional alters. Doesn't that contradict the instructions in Deuteronomy 12?

7 Perhaps this alter is only for one-time use?

8 Really making this point clear.

9 In what way were they not the people of God already?

10 Obey his commandments. Obey his commandments.

Take-home: A special ceremony is given to mark obedience of the commandments at the moment of entry into the land God is giving them, clearly tying together God's gift of provision with their responsibility to obedience.