Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!' Cursed is heThe Hebrew word for "cursed" is "אָרוּר" (arur), which signifies being under a divine curse or ban. In the context of Deuteronomy, curses are pronounced as part of the covenantal blessings and curses that the Israelites agree to upon entering the Promised Land. This curse is a divine pronouncement of judgment, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense. It serves as a deterrent against sin and a reminder of the moral and ethical standards expected by God. who accepts a bribe
The act of accepting a bribe is condemned throughout Scripture as it perverts justice and undermines the integrity of societal structures. The Hebrew word "שֹׁחַד" (shochad) refers to a gift or payment given to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of authority. In ancient Israel, justice was a foundational principle, and bribery was seen as a direct attack on the fairness and righteousness that God demanded from His people. to kill an innocent person
The phrase "to kill an innocent person" highlights the gravity of the crime. The Hebrew word for "innocent" is "נָקִי" (naqi), meaning free from guilt or blameless. The sanctity of life is a core biblical principle, and the taking of innocent life is a grievous sin. This command underscores the value God places on justice and the protection of the innocent, reflecting His character as a just and righteous judge. And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
The word "Amen" is derived from the Hebrew "אָמֵן" (amen), meaning "truly" or "so be it." It is a declaration of agreement and affirmation. In this context, the collective response of "Amen" by the people signifies their acceptance of the covenantal terms and their commitment to uphold God's laws. It is a communal acknowledgment of the seriousness of the curse and a public commitment to justice and righteousness. Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe leader of the Israelites who delivered God's laws and instructions, including the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy. 2. The IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, receiving the law as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. 3. Mount Ebal and Mount GerizimThe locations where the blessings and curses were to be proclaimed to the people of Israel. 4. LevitesThe tribe responsible for proclaiming the curses to the people. 5. The Innocent PersonRepresents those who are unjustly harmed or killed, highlighting the value of justice and righteousness. Teaching Points The Sanctity of LifeThis verse underscores the value God places on human life and the severe consequences of taking it unjustly. Integrity in JusticeAccepting bribes undermines justice and righteousness, which are foundational to a godly society. Community ResponsibilityThe communal response of "Amen" signifies collective agreement and responsibility in upholding God's laws. The Danger of GreedThe temptation of financial gain can lead to grave sins, such as harming the innocent, highlighting the need for contentment and integrity. The Role of AccountabilityThe public declaration of curses serves as a reminder of the community's role in holding each other accountable to God's standards. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the communal response of "Amen" in Deuteronomy 27:25 reflect the importance of community accountability in upholding justice? 2. In what ways can modern believers guard against the temptation of accepting bribes or compromising integrity for personal gain? 3. How does the principle of protecting the innocent in Deuteronomy 27:25 relate to Jesus' teachings in the New Testament? 4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure justice and righteousness are upheld in our communities today? 5. How can the warnings against bribery and injustice in Deuteronomy 27:25 be applied to current issues of social justice and ethical leadership? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 23:7-8This passage warns against accepting bribes and perverting justice, emphasizing the importance of maintaining integrity and protecting the innocent. Proverbs 17:15This verse condemns justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous, aligning with the curse against accepting bribes to harm the innocent. Isaiah 5:23Speaks against those who acquit the guilty for a bribe, reinforcing the theme of justice and righteousness. Micah 3:11Criticizes leaders who judge for a bribe, showing the corruption that can arise from such actions. Matthew 27:3-5Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver is a New Testament example of accepting a bribe to harm the innocent. People Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Gad, Issachar, Joseph, Levi, Levites, Moses, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, ZebulunPlaces Beth-baal-peor, Jordan River, Mount Ebal, Mount GerizimTopics Accepts, Amen, Blood, Bribe, Cursed, Death, Innocent, Kill, Mortally, Puts, Reward, Shedding, Slay, Smite, Strike, Takes, Taketh, Taking, WrongDictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 27:25 5238 bribery
5361 justice, human Deuteronomy 27:1-26 7797 teaching Deuteronomy 27:9-26 5827 curse Deuteronomy 27:15-26 1461 truth, nature of
5783 agreement Library Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord …
Thomas Watson—The Ten CommandmentsIn Judæa and through Samaria - a Sketch of Samaritan History and Theology - Jews and Samaritans.
We have no means of determining how long Jesus may have tarried in Jerusalem after the events recorded in the previous two chapters. The Evangelic narrative [1850] only marks an indefinite period of time, which, as we judge from internal probability, cannot have been protracted. From the city He retired with His disciples to the country,' which formed the province of Judæa. There He taught and His disciples baptized. [1851] [1852] From what had been so lately witnessed in Jerusalem, as well …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah How Christ is Made Use of for Justification as a Way.
What Christ hath done to purchase, procure, and bring about our justification before God, is mentioned already, viz. That he stood in the room of sinners, engaging for them as their cautioner, undertaking, and at length paying down the ransom; becoming sin, or a sacrifice for sin, and a curse for them, and so laying down his life a ransom to satisfy divine justice; and this he hath made known in the gospel, calling sinners to an accepting of him as their only Mediator, and to a resting upon him for …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Gilgal, in Deuteronomy 11:30 what the Place Was.
That which is said by Moses, that "Gerizim and Ebal were over-against Gilgal," Deuteronomy 11:30, is so obscure, that it is rendered into contrary significations by interpreters. Some take it in that sense, as if it were near to Gilgal: some far off from Gilgal: the Targumists read, "before Gilgal": while, as I think, they do not touch the difficulty; which lies not so much in the signification of the word Mul, as in the ambiguity of the word Gilgal. These do all seem to understand that Gilgal which …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
"If any one wishes to be rich, let him go north; if he wants to be wise, let him come south." Such was the saying, by which Rabbinical pride distinguished between the material wealth of Galilee and the supremacy in traditional lore claimed for the academies of Judaea proper. Alas, it was not long before Judaea lost even this doubtful distinction, and its colleges wandered northwards, ending at last by the Lake of Gennesaret, and in that very city of Tiberias which at one time had been reputed unclean! …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Meditations of the Misery of a Man not Reconciled to God in Christ.
O wretched Man! where shall I begin to describe thine endless misery, who art condemned as soon as conceived; and adjudged to eternal death, before thou wast born to a temporal life? A beginning indeed, I find, but no end of thy miseries. For when Adam and Eve, being created after God's own image, and placed in Paradise, that they and their posterity might live in a blessed state of life immortal, having dominion over all earthly creatures, and only restrained from the fruit of one tree, as a sign …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Jesus' Last Public Discourse. Denunciation of Scribes and Pharisees.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) ^A Matt. XXIII. 1-39; ^B Mark XII. 38-40; ^C Luke XX. 45-47. ^a 1 Then spake Jesus ^b 38 And in his teaching ^c in the hearing of all the people he said unto ^a the multitudes, and to his disciples [he spoke in the most public manner], 2 saying, ^c 46 Beware of the scribes, ^a The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat: 3 all things whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Differences in Judgment About Water Baptism, no Bar to Communion: Or, to Communicate with Saints, as Saints, Proved Lawful.
IN ANSWER TO A BOOK WRITTEN BY THE BAPTISTS, AND PUBLISHED BY MR. T. PAUL AND MR. W. KIFFIN, ENTITLED, 'SOME SERIOUS REFLECTIONS ON THAT PART OF MR BUNYAN'S CONFESSION OF FAITH, TOUCHING CHURCH COMMUNION WITH UNBAPTIZED BELIEVERS.' WHEREIN THEIR OBJECTIONS AND ARGUMENTS ARE ANSWERED, AND THE DOCTRINE OF COMMUNION STILL ASSERTED AND VINDICATED. HERE IS ALSO MR. HENRY JESSE'S JUDGMENT IN THE CASE, FULLY DECLARING THE DOCTRINE I HAVE ASSERTED. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'Should not the multitude of words be answered? …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Deuteronomy 27:25 NIVDeuteronomy 27:25 NLTDeuteronomy 27:25 ESVDeuteronomy 27:25 NASBDeuteronomy 27:25 KJV
Deuteronomy 27:25 Commentaries
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