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Commentary on Deuteronomy 27 verses 11–26
When the law was written, to be seen and read by all men, the sanctions of it were to be published, which, to complete the solemnity of their covenanting with God, they were deliberately to declare their approbation of. This they were before directed to do (Deu 11:29, Deu 11:30), and therefore the appointment here begins somewhat abruptly, Deu 27:12. There were, it seems, in Canaan, that part of it which afterwards fell to the lot of Ephraim (Joshua's tribe), two mountains that lay near together, with a valley between, one called Gerizim and the other Ebal. On the sides of these two mountains, which faced one another, all the tribes were to be drawn up, six on one side and six on the other, so that in the valley, at the foot of each mountain, they came pretty near together, so near as that the priests standing betwixt them might be heard by those that were next them on both sides; then when silence was proclaimed, and attention commanded, one of the priests, or perhaps more at some distance from each other, pronounced with a loud voice one of the curses here following, and all the people that stood on the side and foot of Mount Ebal (those that stood further off taking the signal from those that stood nearer and within hearing) said Amen; then the contrary blessing was pronounced, "Blessed is he that doth not so or so," and then those that stood on the side, and at the foot, of Mount Gerizim, said Amen. This could not but affect them very much with the blessings and curses, the promises and threatenings, of the law, and not only acquaint all the people with them, but teach them to apply them to themselves.
I. Something is to be observed, in general, concerning this solemnity, which was to be done, but once and not repeated, but would be talked of to posterity,. 1. God appointed which tribes should stand upon Mount Gerizim and which on Mount Ebal (Deu 27:12, Deu 27:13), to prevent the disputes that might have arisen if they had been left to dispose of themselves. The six tribes that were appointed for blessing were all the children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Gal 4:31. Levi is here put among the rest, to teach ministers to apply to themselves the blessing and curse which they preach to others, and by faith to set their own Amen to it. 2. Of those tribes that were to say Amen to the blessings it is said, They stood to bless the people, but of the other, They stood to curse, not mentioning the people, as loth to suppose that any of this people whom God had taken for his own should lay themselves under the curse. Or, perhaps, the different mode of expression intimates that there was to be but one blessing pronounced in general upon the people of Israel, as a happy people, and that should ever be so, if they were obedient; and to this blessing the tribes on Mount Gerizim were to say Amen - "Happy art thou, O Israel, and mayest thou ever be so;" but then the curses come in as exceptions from the general rule, and we know exceptio firmat regulam - the exception confirms the rule. Israel is a blessed people, but, if there be any particular persons even among them that do such and such things as are mentioned, let them know that they have no part nor lot in the matter, but are under a curse. This shows how ready God is to bestow the blessing; if any fall under the curse, they may thank themselves, they bring it upon their own heads. 3. The Levites or priests, such of them as were appointed for that purpose, were to pronounce the curses as well as the blessings. They were ordained to bless (Deu 10:8), the priests did it daily, Num 6:23. But they must separate between the precious and the vile; they must not give that blessing promiscuously, but must declare it to whom it did not belong, lest those who had no right to it themselves should think to share in it by being in the crowd. Note, Ministers must preach the terrors of the law as well as the comforts of the gospel; must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them to it with the threatenings of a curse. 4. The curses are here expressed, but not the blessings; for as many as were under the law were under the curse, but it was a honour reserved for Christ to bless us, and so to do that for us which the law could not do, in that it was weak. In Christ's sermon upon the mount, which was the true Mount Gerizim, we have blessings only, Mat 5:3, etc. 5. To each of the curses the people were to say Amen. It is easy to understand the meaning of Amen to the blessings. The Jews have a saying to encourage people to say Amen to the public prayers, Whosoever answereth Amen, after him that blesseth, he is as he that blesseth. But how could they say Amen to the curses? (1.) It was a profession of their faith in the truth of them, that these and the like curses were not bug-bears to frighten children and fools, but the real declarations of the wrath of God against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, not one iota of which shall fall to the ground. (2.) It was an acknowledgment of the equity of these curses; when they said Amen, they did in effect say, not only, It is certain it shall be so, but, It is just it should be so. Those who do such things deserve to fall and lie under the curse. (3.) It was such an imprecation upon themselves as strongly obliged them to have nothing to do with those evil practices upon which the curse is here entailed. "Let God's wrath fall upon us if ever we do such things." We read of those that entered into a curse (and with us that is the usual form of a solemn oath) to walk in God's law Neh 10:29. Nay, the Jews say (as the learned bishop Patrick quotes them), "All the people, by saying this Amen, became bound for one another, that they would observe God's laws, by which every man was obliged, as far as he could, to prevent his neighbour from breaking these laws, and to reprove those that had offended, lest they should bear sin and the curse for them."
II. Let us now observe what are the particular sins against which the curses are here denounced.
1.Sins against the second commandment. This flaming sword is set to keep that commandment first, Deu 27:15. Those are here cursed, not only that worship images, but that make them or keep them, if they be such (or like such) as idolaters used in the service of their gods. Whether it be a graven image or a molten image, it comes all to one, it is an abomination to the Lord, even though it be not set up in public, but in a secret place, - though it be not actually worshipped, nor is it said to be designed for worship, but reserved there with respect and a constant temptation. He that does this may perhaps escape punishment from men, but he cannot escape the curse of God.
2.Against the fifth commandment, Deu 27:16. The contempt of parents is a sin so heinous that it is put next to the contempt of God himself. If a man abused his parents, either in word or deed, he fell under the sentence of the magistrate, and must be put to death, Exo 21:15, Exo 21:17. But to set light by them in his heart was a thing which the magistrate could not take cognizance of, and therefore it is here laid under the curse of God, who knows the heart. Those are cursed children that carry themselves scornfully and insolently towards their parents.
3.Against the eighth commandment. The curse of God is here fastened, (1.) Upon an unjust neighbour that removes the land-marks, Deu 27:17. See Deu 19:14. Upon an unjust counsellor, who, when his advice is asked, maliciously directs his friend to that which he knows will be to his prejudice, which is making the blind to wander out of the way, under pretence of directing him in the way, than which nothing can be either more barbarous or more treacherous, Deu 27:18. Those that seduce others from the way of God's commandments, and entice them to sin, bring this curse upon themselves, which our Saviour has explained, Mat 15:14, The blind lead the blind, and both shall fall into the ditch. (3.) Upon an unjust judge, that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow, whom he should protect and vindicate, Deu 27:19. These are supposed to be poor and friendless (nothing to be got by doing them a kindness, nor any thing lost by disobliging them), and therefore judges may be tempted to side with their adversaries against right and equity; but cursed are such judges.
4.Against the seventh commandment. Incest is a cursed sin, with a sister, a father's wife, or a mother-in-law, Deu 27:20, Deu 27:22, Deu 27:23. These crimes not only exposed men to the sword of the magistrate (Lev 20:11), but, which is more dreadful, to the wrath of God; bestiality likewise, Deu 27:21.
5.Against the sixth commandment. Two of the worst kinds of murder are here specified: - (1.) Murder unseen, when a man does not set upon his neighbour as a fair adversary, giving him an opportunity to defend himself, but smites him secretly (Deu 27:24), as by poison or otherwise, when he sees not who hurts him. See Psa 10:8, Psa 10:9. Though such secret murders may go undiscovered and unpunished, yet the curse of God will follow them. (2.) Murder under colour of law, which is the greatest affront to God, for it makes an ordinance of his to patronise the worst of villains, and the greatest wrong to our neighbour, for it ruins his honour as well as his life: cursed therefore is he that will be hired, or bribed, to accuse, or to convict, or to condemn, and so to slay, an innocent person, Deu 27:25. See Psa 15:5.
6.The solemnity concludes with a general curse upon him that confirmeth not, or, as it might be read, that performeth not, all the words of this law to do them, Deu 27:26. By our obedience to the law we set our seal to it, and so confirm it, as by our disobedience we do what lies in us to disannul it, Psa 119:126. The apostle, following all the ancient versions, reads it, Cursed is every one that continues not, Gal 3:10. Lest those who were guilty of other sins, not mentioned in this commination, should think themselves safe from the curse, this last reaches all; not only those who do the evil which the law forbids, but those also who omit the good which the law requires: to this we must all say Amen, owning ourselves under the curse, justly to have deserved it, and that we must certainly have perished for ever under it, if Christ had not redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for us.
This [that is, the behavior of the Gnostics] is not the behavior of those who heal and give life but rather of those who aggravate disease and increase ignorance. The law shows itself much truer than such people when it says that whoever leads a blind man astray from the way is accursed. The apostles were sent to find those who were lost and to bring sight to those who did not see and healing to the sick. They did not speak to them in accordance with their previous opinions but by a revelation of the truth. For no one would be acting rightly if one told the blind who were already beginning to fall over the precipice to continue in their dangerous way as if it were a sound one and as if they would come through all right.
[Daniel 9:11] "'And (the curse) has come upon us drop by drop.'" That is, Thou hast not poured out upon us all of Thy wrath, for we should not have been able to bear it, but Thou hast poured forth a mere droplet of Thy fury, in order that we might return unto Thee once we have been immeshed in Thy snare.
"'The malediction and the curse which were written in the book of Moses, the servant of God...'" In Deuteronomy we read the curses and blessings of the Lord (Deuteronomy 27:11-28:14), which were afterwards uttered in Mount Gerizim and Ebal upon the righteous and upon the sinners.
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SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 27:18 pronounces a severe curse upon anyone who actively misleads or exploits the vulnerable, symbolized by "making the blind to wander out of the way." This declaration, solemnly affirmed by the entire community with a resounding "Amen," underscores God's profound concern for justice and the protection of the defenseless, establishing a foundational principle of ethical conduct and communal accountability within the covenant nation.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Deuteronomy 27 outlines a pivotal covenant renewal ceremony to be enacted by Israel immediately upon entering the Promised Land. This chapter details a solemn ritual where blessings are proclaimed from Mount Gerizim and curses from Mount Ebal. Verses Deuteronomy 27:15-26 enumerate twelve specific curses, each followed by the people's corporate affirmation, "Amen." These curses often target sins that are hidden from human sight or that exploit the vulnerable, such as idolatry, dishonoring parents, moving boundary markers, or perverting justice for the sojourner, orphan, and widow. Deuteronomy 27:18 is nestled within this series, highlighting a particularly egregious act of malice against the defenseless.
Historical & Cultural Context: The setting is critical: Israel stands on the precipice of entering Canaan, about to transition from a nomadic existence to a settled agrarian society. The covenant ceremony at Shechem, between the two mountains, was designed to indelibly impress upon the nascent nation the binding nature of God's law and their corporate responsibility to uphold it. In ancient Near Eastern societies, individuals with physical disabilities, like blindness, or those lacking social standing (e.g., widows, orphans, sojourners) were acutely vulnerable to exploitation. There were often no formal social safety nets, making their well-being dependent on the ethical conduct and compassion of the community. To intentionally mislead a blind person was an act of profound cruelty and a direct violation of the communal trust essential for a just society, reflecting a deep moral depravity that God unequivocally condemned.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Deuteronomy and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it emphasizes Divine Justice and Equity, showcasing God's unwavering commitment to fairness and His particular concern for the marginalized and oppressed. The Law consistently calls for the protection of the vulnerable, as seen in passages like Leviticus 19:14. Secondly, it highlights Communal Responsibility and Accountability. The people's unified "Amen" signifies their corporate agreement with the justice of the curse and their solemn commitment to upholding these moral standards. It implies a shared duty to prevent such exploitation and to ensure justice within their society. Finally, it touches upon the theme of Hidden Sins and God's Omniscience. Many of the curses in Deuteronomy 27 address acts that might escape human detection or legal prosecution, underscoring that God sees and judges even the most covert transgressions.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The structure of the curses in Deuteronomy 27 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is Anaphora, the repetition of "Cursed be he..." at the beginning of each curse and "And all the people shall say, Amen" at the end. This creates a rhythmic, liturgical chant that emphasizes the solemnity, gravity, and binding nature of each declaration, deeply impressing them upon the collective memory of the nation. Symbolism is also at play, where "blindness" extends beyond its literal meaning to represent any form of profound vulnerability, ignorance, or disadvantage that can be exploited. The "way" similarly symbolizes not just a physical path but also the moral, ethical, or spiritual course of life. The curse itself functions as a form of hyperbole, using strong language to underscore the extreme wickedness of exploiting the defenseless, thereby highlighting God's profound concern for justice and the sanctity of human dignity.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 27:18 powerfully articulates God's character as the ultimate protector of the vulnerable and the upholder of justice. It reveals that true righteousness extends beyond visible adherence to the law, penetrating to the heart's intent, especially concerning those who cannot defend themselves. This curse, targeting a hidden sin of exploitation, underscores the principle that God sees and judges all actions, even those concealed from human eyes. It establishes a theological precedent for a society built on compassion, integrity, and mutual care, where the strong are obligated to safeguard the weak rather than exploit them. This divine standard demands a community that actively identifies with God's concern for the marginalized and collectively commits to embodying His justice.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 27:18 remains profoundly relevant for believers today, challenging us to consider how we interact with those who are vulnerable in contemporary society. While literal physical blindness is certainly included, the principle extends to any form of disadvantage that can be exploited: misleading the uneducated, defrauding the elderly, taking advantage of children, manipulating those with mental or physical disabilities, exploiting the financially desperate, or deceiving the digitally illiterate. God's curse reminds us that true integrity means acting justly and compassionately, especially when we hold power, knowledge, or resources that others lack. As followers of Christ, we are called not only to refrain from actively misleading the vulnerable but to actively guide, protect, and advocate for them, embodying the "Amen" of our faith by upholding God's standard of justice and mercy in a world often prone to exploitation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "blind" in this verse only refer to physical blindness?
Answer: While the primary and literal meaning of "blind" (Hebrew, ʻivvêr, H5787) refers to physical blindness, biblical interpretation often recognizes a broader, metaphorical application. In this context, "blind" can symbolize anyone who is vulnerable, ignorant, naive, spiritually unaware, or otherwise disadvantaged and therefore easily misled or exploited. This includes the uneducated, the elderly, children, those with mental disabilities, or individuals in a position of extreme financial or social disadvantage. The core principle of the curse is God's severe condemnation of exploiting any inherent weakness or lack of understanding in another person for personal gain or malicious intent, highlighting God's deep concern for the marginalized.
What is the significance of "all the people shall say, Amen" after each curse?
Answer: The communal "Amen" (Hebrew, ʼâmên, H543) is profoundly significant. It transforms the curse from a mere declaration into a solemn, corporate covenantal oath. By saying "Amen," the entire nation of Israel was not simply agreeing intellectually with the curse but was actively binding itself to its terms. This meant acknowledging the righteousness of the divine judgment, committing to upholding the moral standard it represented within their society, and implicitly accepting the consequences if they failed to do so. It underscored their shared responsibility for maintaining justice and holiness within the covenant community, making them complicit if they allowed such exploitation to occur without challenge, and signifying their collective affirmation of God's truth and their faithfulness to His commands.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 27:18, with its curse against those who exploit the vulnerable, finds its ultimate fulfillment and counter-narrative in the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament pronounces curses upon those who lead the blind astray, Jesus comes as the light of the world, actively healing the physically blind, as seen in John 9:1-7, and leading those in spiritual blindness to truth and sight. He powerfully rebukes the "blind guides" (e.g., Matthew 15:14) who mislead God's people, contrasting their harmful leadership with His own compassionate shepherding. Jesus consistently championed the marginalized and vulnerable, identifying with "the least of these" (e.g., Matthew 25:35-40), and demonstrating God's heart for justice and mercy. In Christ, all of God's promises, including the promise of justice for the oppressed, find their "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus not only exposes the sin of exploiting the vulnerable but also empowers His followers to be agents of light, guiding others out of darkness and into the way of truth and life, fulfilling the spirit of the Law by actively protecting and serving those whom the world often overlooks or exploits.