Build an Altar on Mount Ebal
1 Moses stood together with the leaders and told the people of Israel:
Obey all the laws and teachings that I am giving you today. 2-4 Soon you will enter the land that the Lord your God is giving to you. He is the God your ancestors worshiped, and he has promised that this land is rich with milk and honey.
After you cross the Jordan River, go to Mount Ebal. Set up large slabs of stone, then cover them with white plaster and write on them a copy of these laws.
5 At this same place, build an altar for offering sacrifices to the Lord your God. But don't use stones that have been cut with iron tools. 6 Look for stones that can be used without being cut. Then offer sacrifices to please the Lord, burning them completely on the altar. 7 Next, offer sacrifices to ask the Lord's blessing, and serve the meat at a sacred meal where you will celebrate in honor of the Lord.
8 Don't forget to write out a copy of these laws on the stone slabs that you are going to set up. Make sure that the writing is easy to read.
Curses on Those Who Disobey
9 Moses stood together with the priests and said, “Israel, be quiet and listen to me! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 So you must obey his laws and teachings that I am giving you.”
11 That same day, Moses gave them the following instructions:
12-13 After you cross the Jordan River, you will go to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin will go up on Mount Gerizim, where they will bless the people of Israel. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali will go up on Mount Ebal where they will agree to the curses.
14-26 The people of the Levi tribe will speak each curse in a loud voice, then the rest of the people will agree to that curse by saying, “Amen!” Here are the curses:
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who makes an idol or worships idols, even secretly. The Lord is disgusted with idols.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on all who do not show respect for their father and mother.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who moves the rocks that mark property lines.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who tells blind people to go the wrong way.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who keeps the poor from getting justice, whether these poor are foreigners, widows, or orphans.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on any man who sleeps with his father's wife; that man has shown no respect for his father's marriage.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who has sex with an animal.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on any man who sleeps with his sister or his half sister or his mother-in-law.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who commits murder, even when there are no witnesses to the crime.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who accepts money to murder an innocent victim.
We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who refuses to obey his laws.
And so, to each of these curses, the people will answer, “Amen!”
God's Laws Written on Stones
1 Then Moses, together with the leaders of Israel, said to the people, “Obey all the instructions that I am giving you today. 2 On the day you cross the Jordan River and enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you are to set up some large stones, cover them with plaster, 3 and write on them all these laws and teachings. When you have entered the rich and fertile land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you, 4 and you are on the other side of the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am instructing you today, and cover them with plaster. 5 Build an altar there made of stones that have had no iron tools used on them, 6 because any altar you build for the Lord your God must be made of uncut stones. There you are to offer the sacrifices that are to be burned, 7 and there you are to sacrifice and eat your fellowship offerings and be grateful in the presence of the Lord your God. 8 On the stones covered with plaster write clearly every word of God's laws.”
9 Then Moses, together with the levitical priests, said to all the people of Israel, “Give me your attention, people of Israel, and listen to me. Today you have become the people of the Lord your God; 10 so obey him and keep all his laws that I am giving you today.”
The Curses on Disobedience
11 Then Moses said to the people of Israel, 12 “After you have crossed the Jordan, the following tribes are to stand on Mount Gerizim when the blessings are pronounced on the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And the following tribes will stand on Mount Ebal when the curses are pronounced: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 The Levites will speak these words in a loud voice:
15 “‘God's curse on anyone who makes an idol of stone, wood, or metal and secretly worships it; the Lord hates idolatry.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
16 “‘God's curse on anyone who dishonors his father or mother.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
17 “‘God's curse on anyone who moves a neighbor's property line.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
18 “‘God's curse on anyone who leads a blind person in the wrong direction.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
19 “‘God's curse on anyone who deprives foreigners, orphans, and widows of their rights.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
20 “‘God's curse on anyone who disgraces his father by having intercourse with any of his father's wives.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
21 “‘God's curse on anyone who has sexual relations with an animal.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
22 “‘God's curse on anyone who has intercourse with his sister or half sister.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
23 “‘God's curse on anyone who has intercourse with his mother-in-law.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
24 “‘God's curse on anyone who secretly commits murder.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
25 “‘God's curse on anyone who accepts money to murder an innocent person.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’
26 “‘God's curse on anyone who does not obey all of God's laws and teachings.’
“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’