Deuteronomy 11:26-32

8. THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE (Deuteronomy 11:26-32)

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah your God, which I command you this day; 28 and the curse, if ye shall not hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. 29 And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal. 30 Are they not beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites that dwell in the Arabah, over against Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh? 31 For ye are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Jehovah your God giveth you, and yet shall possess it, and dwell therein. 32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you this day.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 11:26-32

223.

Just what blessing had Jehovah promised to Israel? What curse?

224.

It would seem the whole of God's desire for us can be summarized in one word, obedience. Do you agree?

225.

What is meant by set the blessings on Mount Gerizim?

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 11:26-32

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 The blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day;
28 And the curse, if you will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods which you have not known.

29 And when the Lord your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, you shall set the blessings on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. [Joshua 8:33.]

30 Are they not beyond the Jordan, west of the road where the sun goes down, in the land of the Canaanites, living in the Arabah opposite Gilgal, beside the oaks or terebiths of Moreh?
31 For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you shall possess it, and live in it.
32 And you shall be watchful to do all the statutes and ordinances which I set before you this day.

COMMENT 11:26-32

We will have more to say of God's instructions upon Israel's arrival at Ebal and Gerizim in Chapter s 27 and 28. These mountains were directly opposite one another in the area allotted to the tribe of Ephriam. Ebal, 3,075 feet high, was on the north, and Gerezim, elevation 2,850, on the south; with the town of Shechem lying in the valley between.

THIS DAY (Deuteronomy 11:26; Deuteronomy 11:32)It appears that this section chronologically belongs to the same time as chap. 27 ff. because the same event is described. In fact, all the intervening scriptures may be a record of Moses-' words on the same day. However, it is not mandatory that we compress this day into so literal a meaning. See Deuteronomy 9:1, notes.