Deuteronomy 27

Verse 1. Ancients, particularly the priests, verse 9. Bible.—These exhorted the people to observe diligently, what they had all heard from the mouth of Moses. Calmet. 5:1. Calmet.

Verse 2. Stones. The Latin translation of the Sam. copy, defines the number to be two, (Exodus 20:18,) and shews that the law, which was to be written upon them, was no other than the decalogue, to which the curses and blessings here recorded have a direct reference. When no number is specified, the dual is commonly understood. Bible. Leviticus 12:5, and so forth—Two large stones would be sufficient to contain the words of the decalogue, and they would more strikingly represent the two tables written with the finger of God. They were probably first polished, and the letters raised upon them in relievo, as the Arabic marbles in the University of Oxford are done. The white plaster being then used to fill up the interstices between the letters of black marble, the words would appear very plainly. Kennicott, Dis. 2.—Others think that a high and durable monument was raised both for an altar and for the inscription, though some would allow four others for this purpose. Calmet.—Plaster. The Hebrew does not specify all over; and Houbigant supposes, that the cement was only used to join the stones together. Neither do the Hebrew or Septuagint intimate that the plaster was laid on for the purpose of writing more easily.

Verse 3. That, and so forth Hebrew and Septuagint “And thou shalt write upon them (stones) all the words of,” and so forth Bible.—This law, the decalogue, (Masius in Jos. viii. 32,) or all the laws of Moses, leaving out the historical parts of his work, or the 20th and three following chapters of Exodus, or the discourses of Moses in this book, and so forth Josue, in effect, wrote upon stones the Deuteronomy of the law of Moses, which Josephus explains of the curses and blessings inscribed upon the two sides of the monument, as an abridgment of the whole law. Calmet.—The Jordan is not in Hebrew expressly, but in the Septuagint After the Israelites had crossed this river, they were thus to make a solemn profession of their adherence to the law of God, ( Bible.) as they did (verse 12,) after they had taken Hai; though Josephus insinuates, that they deferred for five years the accomplishment of what is here required. Bible.

Verse 5. Stones: the same as those which composed the monument, ( Calmet.) or rather different from them, ( Menochius.) as those were polished, verse 2.

Verse 6. Polished. Hebrew simply, “of whole stones.”

Verse 8. And clearly. Hebrew “very plainly;” ( Bible.) so that they might be easily read. Some Rabbins say that Josue wrote them in 70 different languages, that all nations might read them. Happy expedient! Calmet.

Verse 12. Garizim. The children of Jacob, by Lia and Rachel, have the more honourable function of blessing, while those of the handmaids, with Ruben and Zabulon, the first and the sons of Lia, at their head, on Hebal, have to answer to the various curses which were to be proclaimed by the priests and Levites, verse 14. These were stationed with the ark, between the two mountains; and when they pronounced, for example, “Blessed is he that maketh not a graven or molten thing,” and so forth those on Garizim answered Amen; and when they turned towards those on Hebal, and said, Cursed, and so forth they replied in like manner. In the mean time, the body of the Levites might be with the other five tribes on Mount Garizim, though the priests, and those of greater dignity, might remain beside the ark, to perform this sacred function; as we read in Josue that they were stationed between the two divisions of the army. Bonfrere.—Some think that Levi is placed with the rest only according to the order of his birth, and that Joseph stands for two tribes. Vatab.—Josephus asserts, that the whole army was divided into two parts, as well as the tribe of Levi, part of which stood on each of the mountains. Then the tribes on Garizim prayed that God would bless the observers of his law; and those on Hebal answered, Amen; and after they had repeated the same blessings, those on Garizim made a similar acclamation. In like manner they repeated the curses one after another. Calmet.—But this would make both the mountains equal in dignity. He places the altar likewise, with the inscription of blessings and curses on each side of it, in the midst of the valley, or rather nearer to Garizim; as he says it was not far from Sichem, which was built at the foot of that mountain, on the north side, while Hebal lay still farther to the north of the city, and being scorched with the sun-beams, was rendered fruitless and unpleasant. Bible.—If Josephus afterwards (Ant. verse 1) say that the altar was on Hebal, we must either acknowledge that his work has been there interpolated, or that he contradicts himself. Kennicott also takes notice of a strange mistake in the grand edition of S. Ephrem, in the Latin translation, by Benedict; which, in opposition to the Syriac, has (verse 13,) “these shall rise to curse on Mount Garizim,” though Hebal is universally allowed to be the mount of cursing.

Verse 14. Pronounce. Hebrew “answer,” as the older Protestant editions, 1540, and so forth had it; though “our last translators, 1613, says Kennicott, in this, as in several other instances, altered for the worse,” shall speak. A select company of Levites in the valley repeated what had been declared from Hebal.

Verse 15. Thing. Protestant, any … image. They insert the word any, and translate image, as they almost constantly do where idols are meant, to make the ignorant believe, that all images are to be rejected with the utmost abhorrence, as cursed things. Why then do they not observe the injunction themselves? Calmet. 16:22. Bible.—Secret. The magistrates had to punish all acts of public idolatry with the utmost severity. But God will not suffer those to escape who do such things even in the most private manner.—Amen, truly; ( Calmet.) so be it.

Verse 16. Honoureth not. Hebrew “curseth.” Septuagint “despiseth.” See Leviticus 20:9.—“Exodus 21:17. Moses proclaimed, He that curseth his father or (Hebrew and) mother, shall die the death.” But here he goes still farther and denounces a curse on those who make light of (Hebrew makle, vilipendit) their parents; or, as the Carthusian expresses it not amiss, on him “who does not honour, by shewing them obedience in due time, or by not relieving their wants as far as possible; and chiefly, if instead of honouring, he curses and uses opprobrious language towards them.” “I have made this remark, says Amama, (p. 376,) “in order to admonish the Germans and the Dutch that this passage has been translated by Luther with too great carelessness, curseth, as if the same Hebrew word, kalal, were here used as in the text of Exodus. But those who are not too brazen, will confess that the Hebrew text, and the more accurate versions, require greater reverence to be shewn to parents. Etiam illi judicabunt qui nondum ære lavantur.” This author, in his animadversions upon the Vulg. often takes occasion to mention the blunders “of B. Luther,” as well as of the Septuagint and other interpreters; for he seems to be satisfied with no version which has hitherto been published. Bible.

Verse 17. Landmarks, contrary to the prohibition, Calmet. 19:14. The Rabbins say that Cain first adopted such distinctions. The ancient Greeks placed little pillars at the end of their fields, with the name of the owner engraven upon them. Pollux, iii. 9.—All Thrace was divided in this manner. Xenophon, Anab.

Verse 18. Blind; or, according to the Rabbins and Grotius, those who are on a journey, and do not know the road. “Cursed, said Diphilis, is the man who does not tell the right road.” Those who lead the simple astray, are no less blameable. Leviticus 19:14. Calmet.

that is, has sexual relations with

Verse 23. Mother. Some copies of the Septuagint have “daughter-in-law;” and some Latin MSS. add, “Cursed is he who sleepeth with his neighbour’s wife; and all the people shall say, Amen.” Calmet.

Verse 24. Secretly, as is commonly the case; though such as committed murder in public were equally if not more guilty. Bible.—Assassins, traitors, and those guilty of calumny, and so forth are to be abhorred.

Verse 26. In the. The Sam. Septuagint and Saint Paul (Galatians 3:10) read, in all the words, and so forth which must probably be understood of the principal points of the law, specified in the preceding verses. Calmet. See verse 4.—The Jews could derive no advantage from the omission of the word all, as the general proposition would be equivalent. Capellus.—Some are of opinion, that the blessings which Moses ordered to be proclaimed, were the reverse of these curses, verse 12. But, is that man truly blessed who observes one point of the law, while he perhaps is transgressing the rest? At this rate, the same man might be blessed and cursed at the same time. Kennicott.—They are more probably, therefore, expressed in the following chapter, where the observance of all the commandments is previously required. The curses are denounced indefinitely, to imply that those who transgress the law, must stand before an unerring Judge, to receive an adequate punishment in eternity for their crying sins against the law, which was given on Mount Horeb. Calmet. 29:1. Against such criminals the preceding curses are levelled. But those recorded in the ensuing chapter, are of a temporary nature, and to be publicly inflicted without delay upon those who refuse to adhere to the service of the Lord. “God had made such a covenant with the Israelites, says Houbigant, that he would so long uphold their republic as they should worship the true God.” Bible.—The foregoing curses may thus refer to the ten commandments; verse 15, denounces vengeance against all who transgress the first table of the law, which relates to God; verse 16, sanctions the honour due to parents; verse 18, 24, and 25, condemn those who injure or kill; as verse 20–1–2–3, do those who are guilty of impurity; verse 17, curseth those who steal; and verse 19, those who bear false witness; verse 26, is intended as a general sanction of the law, as the two last commandments secure the observance of it most effectually, by forbidding even the thought or desire of doing evil. See Kennicott, Dis. ii. p. 86. Bible.