King James Version
Deuteronomy 27
26 verses with commentary
The Altar on Mount Ebal
And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.</strong> Moses and the elders jointly command comprehensive obedience - <em>Keep all the commandments</em>, not selective compliance with preferred portions. Covenant faithfulness requires complete submission to God's revealed will.<br><br>The involvement of <em>elders ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
XXVII.
THE LAW TO BE ESTABLISHED IN CANAAN AS THE LAW OF THE LAND.
(1) **Moses with the elders.**—Here joined in exhortation for the first time in this book.
**Keep.**—Literally, *to keep. *Possibly we are intended to connect the two verses. In order to keep them, ye shall write them.
Deuteronomy 27:2-4
(2) **Set . . . up great stones, and plaister them with plaister.**—The idea is to make a smoot...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →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:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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 up thee great stones, and plaister them with plaister.</strong> The command to erect memorial stones immediately upon entering Canaan demonstrates that covenant commitment must mark the beginning of inheritance. Before enjoying the land's benefits, Israel must pub...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 19 De 19:1-13. Of the Cities of Refuge.
**2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land--**Goelism, or the duty of the nearest kinsmen to avenge the death of a slaughtered relative, being the customary law of that age (as it still is among the Arabs and other people of the East), Moses incorporated it in an improved form with his legislative code. For the protectio...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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.</strong> Writing <em>all the words of this law</em> creates public record of covenant requirements. This is not selective quotation but compre...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way--**The roads leading to them were to be kept in good condition and the brooks or rivers to be spanned by good bridges; the width of the roads was to be thirty-two cubits; and at all the crossroads signposts were to be erected with the words, Mekeleth, Mekeleth, "refuge, refuge," painted on them.
**divide the coasts of thy land ... into three parts--**the whole ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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.</strong> Mount Ebal's designation as the location for the law inscription is significant - this mountain would bear the curses (verse 13), while Mount Gerizim would bear the blessings. Writing the law on the curse mou...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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.</strong> The altar of unhewn stones demonstrates that human craftsmanship must not alter what God uses for worship. Uncut stones represent unmodified divine creation, while iron tools represent human manipulation and improvement.<br><br>The prohibition against iron...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **An altar of stones.**—Rashi propounds the theory that these stones were taken from Jordan. But there is nothing to countenance this theory in the words of the text.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →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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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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.</strong> <em>Whole stones</em> reinforces the unhewn requirement - the stones must be complete and unaltered. Fragmented or modified stones are inappropriate for God's altar, teaching that human brokenness and manipulation cannot serve as foundation for worshi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **Burnt offerings.**—The idea of these is the dedication of man’s life to God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6-7. Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot--**This verse is a continuation of De 19:3 (for De 19:4, 5, which are explanatory, are in a parenthetical form), and the meaning is that if the kinsman of a person inadvertently killed should, under the impulse of sudden excitement and without inquiring into the circumstances, inflict summary vengeance on the homicide, ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.</strong> Peace offerings (fellowship offerings) followed burnt offerings, demonstrating the pattern of worship - first atonement and consecration, then communion and celebration. Access to joyful fellowship requires prior sacrificial atonement.<br><br>The permission to <em>eat there</em> disting...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **Peace offerings**—i.e., offerings for health, salvation, or *deliverance already granted. *On this occasion, the passage of Jordan, and the arrival of Israel in the heart of the country, would be good ground for thanksgiving before God.
**And shalt eat there, and rejoice.**-The peace offerings were the only kind of which the worshipper and his family might partake. They were, therefore, the ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6-7. Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot--**This verse is a continuation of De 19:3 (for De 19:4, 5, which are explanatory, are in a parenthetical form), and the meaning is that if the kinsman of a person inadvertently killed should, under the impulse of sudden excitement and without inquiring into the circumstances, inflict summary vengeance on the homicide, ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.</strong> The requirement <em>very plainly</em> (Hebrew ba'er heitev - make very clear) emphasizes accessibility. God's law must be clearly written so all can read and understand - no deliberate obscurity or elite knowledge reserving truth for privileged few.<br><br>That <em>all the words of this law</em> must be i...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law**—*i.e., *the ten commandments. All else in the Law of Moses is but an application of the Decalogue to a particular people under particular circumstances. (See Notes on Joshua 3, Joshua 8:32, for more upon the relation of the ten commandments to the conquest of Canaan.)
**Very plainly.**—See on Deuteronomy 1:5. Rashi says, “In sevent...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-9. And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast--**Three additional sanctuaries were to be established in the event of their territory extending over the country from Hermon and Gilead to the Euphrates (see Ge 15:18; Ex 23:31). But it was obscurely hinted that this last provision would never be carried into effect, as the Israelites would not fulfil the conditions, namely, "that of keeping the co...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →Curses from Mount Ebal
And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.</strong> The joint address by <em>Moses and the priests the Levites</em> demonstrates unified leadership - both civil and religious authorities corporately call Israel to covenant commitment. This models the integration of all socie...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **Moses and the priests.**—As in Deuteronomy 27:1, “Moses and the elders.”
**Take heed.**—A word used nowhere else in the Old Testament.
**This day thou art become the people.**—“Every day His commandments shall be before thine eyes, as though thou hadst that day entered into covenant with Him.” It would seem that the passage of Jordan, which is the thing in view here, pledged Israel more comp...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-9. And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast--**Three additional sanctuaries were to be established in the event of their territory extending over the country from Hermon and Gilead to the Euphrates (see Ge 15:18; Ex 23:31). But it was obscurely hinted that this last provision would never be carried into effect, as the Israelites would not fulfil the conditions, namely, "that of keeping the co...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.</strong> The word <em>therefore</em> connects obedience to identity - because you are God's people, you must obey His voice. Identity determines behavior; what we are shapes how we act. Gospel indicative precedes gospel imperative.<br><br>Obeying <em>the voice o...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 27
Chapter Outline
The law to be written on stones in the promised land.(1-10)
The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal.(11-26)
**Verses 1-10**
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set u...
Read full commentary →And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Moses charged the people the same day, saying</strong>—The Hebrew <em>vayetsav Moshe et-ha-am ba-yom ha-hu lemor</em> ("and Moses commanded the people on that day, saying") introduces the dramatic covenant renewal ceremony at Mounts Gerizim and Ebal. <em>Tsavah</em> (commanded/charged) indicates authoritative instruction with binding force. <em>Ba-yom ha-hu</em> ("on that day") refers ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people</strong>—The six tribes positioned on Gerizim (Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, Benjamin) were descendants of Jacob's wives Rachel and Leah, representing covenant privilege. The Hebrew <em>berakah</em> (blessing) contrasts with <em>qelalah</em> (curse) in verse 13, creating a dramatic liturgical antiphony.<br><br>The choice of ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. to curse: Heb. for a cursing
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse</strong>—The six tribes assigned to Ebal (Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali) included the sons of the concubines Bilhah and Zilpah, plus Reuben (who lost his birthright through sin, Genesis 35:22) and Zebulun. This arrangement wasn't about inherent unworthiness but liturgical function in a covenant ceremony emphasizing human accountabilit...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice</strong>—The Levites functioned as covenant mediators, positioned between the two mountains to proclaim God's standards to <em>kol-ish Yisrael</em> (all the men of Israel). The instruction <em>qol ram</em> (with a loud voice) wasn't merely practical acoustics but liturgical solemnity—these pronouncements carried ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:14. The Landmark Is Not to Be Removed.
**14. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old have set in thine inheritance--**The state of Palestine in regard to enclosures is very much the same now as it has always been. Though gardens and vineyards are surrounded by dry-stone walls or hedges of prickly pear, the boundaries of arable fields are marked by nothing but by a ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image</strong>—This first curse addresses idolatry, the fundamental covenant violation that breaks the First and Second Commandments. The Hebrew <em>pesel</em> (graven image) refers to carved idols, while <em>massekah</em> (molten image) indicates cast metal images. Both are <em>to'evah</em> (abomination)—a term expressing God's intense re...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:15. Two Witnesses Required.
**15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity--**The following rules to regulate the admission of testimony in public courts are founded on the principles of natural justice. A single witness shall not be admitted to the condemnation of an accused person.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother</strong>—The Hebrew <em>qalal</em> (קָלַל, "setteth light by") means to treat with contempt, dishonor, or make light of—the opposite of <em>kaved</em> (honor, make heavy), used in the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12). This curse protects family order and parental authority as the foundation of social stability and covenant transmi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(16) **Cursed be he that setteth light.**—The first curse points to the first two commandments of the first table, and the second to the first commandment in the second table. If we mark off the first offence specified, secret idolatry—the only one which distinctly recalls the *first *commandment of the Law, and also the last general curse which embraces all transgression whatever, the intervening...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:16-21. Punishment of a False Witness.
16-21. But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark</strong>—The Hebrew <em>massig gevul</em> (מַסִּיג גְּבוּל) means moving boundary markers to steal land by fraud. Ancient landmarks were stone markers defining property inheritance, making their removal equivalent to theft, false witness, and covenant violation simultaneously. Proverbs 22:28 and 23:10 explicitly forbid this practice.<br><...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:16-21. Punishment of a False Witness.
16-21. But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way</strong>—This curse prohibits exploiting disability or vulnerability. The Hebrew <em>mash'geh</em> (מַשְׁגֶּה) means to lead astray, cause to err, or mislead. While literal blindness is in view, the principle extends to any exploitation of those lacking knowledge, power, or ability to defend themselves.<br><br>Leviticus 19:14 simi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **The blind.**—“He that is in the dark upon any matter, when one deceives him with evil counsel” (Rashi).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:16-21. Punishment of a False Witness.
16-21. But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow</strong>—The Hebrew <em>matteh mishpat</em> (מַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט) means to twist or pervert justice for three particularly vulnerable groups: <em>ger</em> (stranger/sojourner), <em>yatom</em> (fatherless), and <em>almanah</em> (widow). These categories lacked natural advocates—no family connections, legal standin...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:16-21. Punishment of a False Witness.
16-21. But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife</strong>—This curse prohibits incest specifically with a stepmother, described euphemistically as <strong>he uncovereth his father's skirt</strong> (גִּלָּה כְנַף אָבִיו). The "skirt" or "wing" (<em>kanaf</em>) represents covering, protection, and marital authority (Ruth 3:9, Ezekiel 16:8). To uncover the father's skirt violates paternal honor...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:16-21. Punishment of a False Witness.
16-21. But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast</strong>—This curse prohibits bestiality (<em>shokev im behemah</em>, שֹׁכֵב עִם בְּהֵמָה), a practice condemned in Exodus 22:19 and Leviticus 18:23, 20:15-16 with the death penalty for both human and animal. The phrase "any manner of beast" (<em>kol-behemah</em>) emphasizes absolute prohibition regardless of animal type.<br><br>Bestiality r...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 19:16-21. Punishment of a False Witness.
16-21. But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that lieth with his sister</strong>—the Hebrew <em>shochev</em> (שֹׁכֵב, lies with) uses covenant violation language. Leviticus 18:9 and 20:17 explicitly prohibit this incest, calling it <em>chesed</em> (חֶסֶד, disgrace/shame, not to be confused with the positive <em>hesed</em>). The <em>arur</em> (אָרוּר, cursed) formula marks covenant-breaking that severs one from God's bles...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law</strong>—Leviticus 18:17 and 20:14 prohibit this as <em>zimmah</em> (זִמָּה, wickedness/depravity), requiring execution by burning. The severity reflects how such violation destroys family structure God ordained for human flourishing. The mother-in-law relationship created through marriage covenant makes this union a perversion of sacred kinsh...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 20 De 20:1-20. The Priests' Exhortation to Encourage the People to Battle.
**1. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies--**In the approaching invasion of Canaan, or in any just and defensive war, the Israelites had reason to expect the presence and favor of God.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly</strong>—the verb <em>nakah</em> (נָכָה, strikes/smites) can mean killing (as in murder) or injuring. The key term is <em>ba-seter</em> (בַּסֵּתֶר, in secret/in hiding), indicating premeditated violence done covertly to evade justice. This encompasses assassination, ambush, poisoning, or false witness leading to execution—any harm inflicted ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(24) **That smiteth his neighbour secretly.**-”Spoken of a backbiting tongue” (Rashi).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2-4. when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people--**Jewish writers say that there was a war priest appointed by a special ceremonial to attend the army. It was natural that the solemn objects and motives of religion should have been applied to animate patriotism, and so give additional impulse to valor; other people have done this. But in the c...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person . And all the people shall say, Amen.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person</strong>—the Hebrew <em>shochad</em> (שֹׁחַד, bribe/reward) identifies corrupt judges, assassins-for-hire, or false witnesses paid to secure wrongful execution. The victim is <em>naki</em> (נָקִי, innocent/clean), legally blameless of capital crimes. This curse targets the corruption of justice for financial gain, echoing Exodus 23...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2-4. when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people--**Jewish writers say that there was a war priest appointed by a special ceremonial to attend the army. It was natural that the solemn objects and motives of religion should have been applied to animate patriotism, and so give additional impulse to valor; other people have done this. But in the c...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The final curse pronounces: 'Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.' This comprehensive curse covers all violations—no one can claim to have kept the entire law. The word 'confirmeth' (Hebrew qum, to establish/uphold) means actively maintaining and performing the law. The communal 'Amen' signifies covenant acceptance—the people ag...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(26) **Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them.**—“Here he sums up the whole Law, all of it, and they took it upon them with a curse and an oath” (Rashi). From this verse St. Paul also reasons that “as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse.” For no man can do all of them. And therefore it is impossible to secure the blessing of Gerizim except through H...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2-4. when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people--**Jewish writers say that there was a war priest appointed by a special ceremonial to attend the army. It was natural that the solemn objects and motives of religion should have been applied to animate patriotism, and so give additional impulse to valor; other people have done this. But in the c...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 11-26**
The six tribes appointed for blessing, were all children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Ga 4:31. Levi is here among the rest. Ministers should apply to themselves the blessing and curse they preach to others, and by faith set their own Amen to it. And they must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them with the thre...
Read full commentary →