Deuteronomy 27:16-26

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 27:15-26

473.

Try to imagine the great attraction of idolatry. There must have been some rationalization, attempt to express it.

474.

What is meant by the use of the word light as used in Deuteronomy 27:16?

475.

Are we to believe a man could be put to death for changing a property line?

476.

Why would anyone be so cruel as to mislead a blind man?

477.

Kindness and generosity was a very prominent part of Israel's morality. Why?

478.

Why mention his father's skirt in the case of adultery with the wife of the father?

479.

Was morality so lax in Israel, or was there some other reason for these regulations?

480.

What is involved in the word confirmeth in Deuteronomy 27:26?

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 27:15-26

15 Cursed be the man who makes a graven or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret. All the people shall answer, Amen.
16 Cursed be he who dishonors his father or his mother. All the people shall say, Amen.
17 Cursed be he who moves (back) his neighbor's landmark. All the people shall say, Amen.
18 Cursed be he who misleads a blind man from his way. All the people shall say, Amen.
19 Cursed be he who perverts the justice due to the sojourner or the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. All the people shall say, Amen.
20 Cursed be he who lies with his father's wife, because he uncovers what belongs to his father. All the people shall say, Amen.
21 Cursed be he who lies with any beast. All the people shall say, Amen.
22 Cursed be he who lies with his half-sister, whether his father's or his mother's daughter. All the people shall say, Amen.
23 Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law. All the people shall say, Amen.
24 Cursed be he who slays his neighbor secretly. All the people shall say, Amen.
25 Cursed be he who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person. All the people shall say, Amen.
26 Cursed be he who does not support and give assent to the words of this law to do them [as the rule of his life]. All the people shall say, Amen.

COMMENT 27:15-26

It is quickly seen that most of these curses have been discussed in previous Chapter s.

GRAVEN OR MOLTEN IMAGE (Deuteronomy 27:15)See Deuteronomy 4:15-19, notes, Deuteronomy 5:8-10.

AND SETTETH IT UP IN SECRET (Deuteronomy 27:15)Lest his fellow-Israelite or leaders discover his sin, (Like Rachel, who hid the teraphim under the camel's saddle without even her husband'S knowledge, Genesis 31:32-35). But the eyes of Jehovah are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3). He seeth under the whole heaven (Job 28:24), Cf. 2 Chronicles 16:9, Proverbs 5:21.

HE THAT SETTETH LIGHT BY HIS FATHER OR HIS MOTHER (Deuteronomy 27:16)he who is making light of his father and his mother (Young's Literal); he who dishonors his father or his mother (R.S.V.); he who insults his father or mother (Torah). Setteth light by is a rendering of the Heb, verb Kalah, which Baumgartner's Lexicon defines as treat with contempt. See Leviticus 20:9, Ezekiel 22:7, and our previous discussion under Deuteronomy 21:18-21.

HE THAT REMOVETH HIS NEIGHBOR'S LANDMARK (Deuteronomy 27:17)See Deuteronomy 19:14, notes.

THAT MAKETH THE BLIND TO WANDER (Deuteronomy 27:18)See also Leviticus 19:14. It is difficult to conceive of one so inhumane as to mistreat or deceive the blind, but in our own generation we have witnessed such in the sadistic and cruel treatment of elderly men and women who are robbed, abused or beaten on the streets.

JUSTICE DUE THE SOJOURNER, FATHERLESS, AND WIDOW (Deuteronomy 27:19)Cf. Deuteronomy 1:16-18, Deuteronomy 10:17-18; Deuteronomy 16:19, Deuteronomy 24:17-18, notes: Exodus 22:21-24.

HE THAT LIETH WITH HIS FATHER'S WIFE (Deuteronomy 27:20)See Deuteronomy 22:30, notes.

HE THAT LIETH WITH ANY MANNER OF BEAST (Deuteronomy 27:21)See Deuteronomy 23:18, notes. Cf. Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23; Leviticus 20:15.

HE THAT LIETH WITH HIS SISTER (Deuteronomy 27:22)This curse applies to half sisters as well as full sisters. See Leviticus 18:6-18, esp. Leviticus 18:9. Also Leviticus 20:17.

HE THAT LIETH WITH HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW (Deuteronomy 27:23)See also Leviticus 20:14. A careful reading of Leviticus, Chapter s 18 and 20, will show how God abhorred any kind of incest, adultery, or fornication, under the Mosaic code. And surely this fact is clear from the many condemnations of these sins we have found in this book.

HE THAT SMITETH HIS NEIGHBOR IN SECRET (Deuteronomy 27:24)See Deuteronomy 4:41-43 and especially Deuteronomy 19:1-13, notes. The reference here is obviously to premeditated murder.

HE THAT TAKETH A BRIBE TO SLAY AN INNOCENT PERSON (Deuteronomy 27:25)Compare Deuteronomy 10:17-19, Deuteronomy 16:18-20; Deuteronomy 25:1; Exodus 23:1-3; Exodus 23:6-8.

CURSED BE HE THAT CONFIRMETH NOT THE WORDS OF THIS LAW TO DO THEM (Deuteronomy 27:26)Compare Deuteronomy 26:16-19. Again and again the necessity of doing the words of the law is emphasized. This was a prerequisite of God's fullest blessing. But this very truth pointed up the need of a Redeemer. The fact that no one (save the Lord Jesus) kept the law completely and perfectly, meant that the law itself served as their condemning agent. Thus Paul affirms, For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for The righteous shall live by faith; and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. See Galatians 3:9-14.