The Altar on Mount Ebal
(Joshua 8:30–35)

1And Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments that I command to you⁺ today.

2And it shall come to pass on the day when you⁺ pass over the Jordan to the land that YHWH your God is giving to you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones and plaster them with plaster. 3And you shall write on them all the words of this law in your passing over, so that you may enter into the land that YHWH your God is giving to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as YHWH, God of your fathers, has spoken to you. 4And it shall come to pass in your⁺ passing over the Jordan that you⁺ shall set up these stones, which I command to you⁺ today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster.

5And you shall build there an altar to YHWH your God, an altar of stones; you shall not wave over them iron. 6With uncut stones you shall build the altar of YHWH your God, and offer on it burnt offerings to YHWH your God. 7And you shall sacrifice peace offerings, and you shall eat there and rejoice before the face of YHWH your God. 8And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law, making them plainly, well engraved.”

9And Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, O Israel; this day you have become the people of YHWH your God. 10And you shall obey the voice of YHWH your God and do His commandments and His statutes that I am commanding you today.”

Curses Pronounced from Ebal

11And Moses commanded the people on that day, saying, 12“These shall stand to bless the people on Mount Gerizim when you⁺ have passed over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin. 13And these shall stand to curse on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14And the Levites shall speak and say to every man of Israel in a loud voice:

15‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved or molten image, an abomination to YHWH, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’

And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’

16‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or his mother.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

17‘Cursed is he who moves a border of his neighbor.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

18‘Cursed is he who lets wander a blind man in the road.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

19‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the fatherless, the foreigner, or the widow.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

20‘Cursed is he who lies with the wife of his father, because he has uncovered the skirt of his father.†’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

21‘Cursed is he who lies with any kind of animal.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

22‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

23‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

24‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

25‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to slay a soul of innocent blood.’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

26‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing it.†’

And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’