Back to Deuteronomy 27

Deuteronomy 27:2-6

It shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set yourself up great stones, and coat them with plaster. You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have passed over, that you may go in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you. It shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall coat them with plaster. There you shall build an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones. You shall not use any iron tool on them. You shall build Yahweh your God’s altar of uncut stones. You shall offer burnt offerings on it to Yahweh your God.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Deuteronomy 27:2-6 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandment which I command you today. It shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set yourself up great stones, and coat them with plaster. You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have passed over, that you may go in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you. It shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall coat them with plaster. There you shall build an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones. You shall not use any iron tool on them. You shall build Yahweh your God’s altar of uncut stones. You shall offer burnt offerings on it to Yahweh your God. You shall sacrifice peace offerings, and shall eat there. You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God. You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly.”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    It shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set yourself up great stones, and coat them with plaster.

    You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have passed over, that you may go in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you.

    It shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall coat them with plaster.

    There you shall build an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones. You shall not use any iron tool on them.

    You shall build Yahweh your God’s altar of uncut stones. You shall offer burnt offerings on it to Yahweh your God.

  • KJV King James Version

    And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:

    And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

    Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.

    And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.

    Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God:

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over the Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster.

    And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over; that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath promised thee.

    And it shall be when ye are passed over the Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.

    And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones; thou shalt lift up no iron tool upon them.

    Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of unhewn stones; and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God.

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Cross-references (32)

  • Exodus 20:25 (v5) If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.
  • Joshua 8:32 (v3) He wrote there on the stones a copy of Moses’ law, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
  • Deuteronomy 26:9 (v3) and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
  • Exodus 24:4 (v5) Moses wrote all Yahweh’s words, then rose up early in the morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve pillars for…
  • Numbers 13:27 (v3) They told him, and said, “We came to the land where you sent us. Surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
Show all 32 cross-references
  • Numbers 14:8 (v3) If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us: a land which flows with milk and honey.
  • Deuteronomy 11:29-30 (v4) It shall happen, when Yahweh your God brings you into the land that you go to possess, that you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim,…
  • Joshua 4:1 (v2) When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,
  • Joshua 5:6 (v3) For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were…
  • Joshua 8:31 (v2) as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of uncut…
  • Jeremiah 31:31-33 (v3) “Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according…
  • Ezekiel 11:19 (v2) I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a…
  • Ezekiel 36:26 (v2) I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will…
  • 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 (v3) You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men, being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written…
  • Hebrews 10:16 (v3) “This is the covenant that I will make with them: ‘After those days,’ says the Lord, ‘I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write…
  • Leviticus 1:1-17 (v6) Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When anyone of…
  • Leviticus 20:24 (v3) But I have said to you, “You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am…
  • Deuteronomy 6:1 (v2) Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in…
  • Deuteronomy 6:8 (v3) You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.
  • Deuteronomy 9:1 (v2) Hear, Israel! You are to pass over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and…
  • Deuteronomy 11:31 (v2) For you are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and you shall possess it and dwell in it.
  • Deuteronomy 26:1 (v2) It shall be, when you have come in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, possess it, and dwell in it,
  • Deuteronomy 27:3 (v2) You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have passed over, that you may go in to the land which Yahweh your God gives…
  • Joshua 1:11 (v2) “Pass through the middle of the camp, and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare food; for within three days you are to pass over this…
  • Joshua 4:5-24 (v2) Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on…
  • Joshua 8:30-33 (v4) Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as…
  • 1 Kings 18:31-32 (v5) Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom Yahweh’s word came, saying, “Israel shall be…
  • Jeremiah 11:5 (v3) that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as it is today.” Then I…
  • Jeremiah 32:22 (v3) and gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.
  • Ephesians 5:2 (v6) Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
  • Hebrews 8:6-10 (v3) But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has…
  • Joshua 8:30-31 (v5) Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv3, 5 God would that his Law should be set up…

God would that his Law should be set up in the borders of the land of Canaan, that all that looked thereon might know that the land was dedicated to his service.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5 Deu 27:2 And it shall be on the day…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 6 On that day, i.e. about that time, for it…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–6 And it shall be, on the day when you…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 6 On that day - About that time, for it…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2–4 Verse 2. Thou shalt set thee up great stones]…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv2, 6 Deu 27:2-3. On the day — Here it is…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv2–4 The stones here named are not those of which…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2–6 Stones. The Latin translation of the Samaritan copy, defines…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv3, 5 thou shalt write upon them all the words of…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv2–5 2. The day when ye shall pass over Jordan…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5, 6 2. on the day on which ye shall pass…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv5–6 (5) An altar of stones.—Rashi propounds the theory that…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2–5 On the day when ye shall pass over Jordan;…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v2 That thou shalt set up great stones.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv4, 6 General Information:
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv3–5 27:3 this whole body of instruction (literally all the…
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