Deuteronomy 27:4
New International Version
And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster.

New Living Translation
When you cross the Jordan, set up these stones at Mount Ebal and coat them with plaster, as I am commanding you today.

English Standard Version
And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster.

Berean Standard Bible
And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster.

King James Bible
Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.

New King James Version
Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime.

New American Standard Bible
So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime.

NASB 1995
“So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime.

NASB 1977
“So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime.

Legacy Standard Bible
So it will be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime.

Amplified Bible
Now when you cross the Jordan you shall set up these stones on Mount Ebal, just as I am commanding you today and coat them with plaster.

Christian Standard Bible
When you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to cover them with plaster.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to cover them with plaster.

American Standard Version
And it shall be, when ye are passed over the Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.

English Revised Version
And it shall be when ye are passed over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After you cross the Jordan River, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, and cover them with plaster, following the command I'm giving you today.

Good News Translation
and you are on the other side of the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am instructing you today, and cover them with plaster.

International Standard Version
"When you have crossed the Jordan River, set up these stones about which I'm commanding you today on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster.

Majority Standard Bible
And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster.

NET Bible
So when you cross the Jordan you must erect on Mount Ebal these stones about which I am commanding you today, and you must cover them with plaster.

New Heart English Bible
It shall be, when you have passed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore it shall be when ye have gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.

World English Bible
It shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall coat them with plaster.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it has been, in your passing over the Jordan, you raise up these stones which I am commanding you today, in Mount Ebal, and you have plastered them with plaster,

Young's Literal Translation
'And it hath been, in your passing over the Jordan, ye raise up these stones which I am commanding you to-day, in mount Ebal, and thou hast plaistered them with plaister,

Smith's Literal Translation
And being in your passing over Jordan ye shall set up these stones which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and plaster them with lime.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore when you are passed over the Jordan, set up the stones which I command you this day, in mount Hebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, when you have crossed over the Jordan, erect the stones, just as I instruct you to do this day, on Mount Ebal. And you shall coat them with plaster,

New American Bible
When you cross the Jordan, on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones concerning which I command you today, and coat them with plaster,

New Revised Standard Version
So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I am commanding you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall cover them with plaster.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore when you have crossed the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, on mount Gebel, and you shall cover them with plaster.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And whenever you have crossed the Jordan, raise these stones, that I command you today, in the mountain of Gabel and plaster them with plaster.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it shall be when ye are passed over the Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it shall be as soon as ye are gone over Jordan, ye shall set up these stones, which I command thee this day, on mount Gaebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Altar on Mount Ebal
3Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster. 5Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them.…

Cross References
Joshua 8:30-32
At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel, / just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings. / And there in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

Exodus 20:24-25
You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. / Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.

Deuteronomy 11:29
When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.

Deuteronomy 12:5
Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.

Deuteronomy 11:30
Are not these mountains across the Jordan, west of the road toward the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah opposite Gilgal near the Oak of Moreh?

Joshua 4:1-9
When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, / “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, / and command them: ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests were standing, carry them with you, and set them down in the place where you spend the night.’” ...

1 Kings 8:9
There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.

Genesis 12:6-7
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land. / Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 33:18-20
After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city. / And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver. / There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Genesis 35:1-7
Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” / So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments. / Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” ...

2 Kings 17:9-12
The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. / They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. / They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. ...

2 Kings 23:15-17
He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole. / And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things. / Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”

John 4:20-24
Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.” / “Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ...

Hebrews 12:22
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels

Acts 7:37-38
This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’ / He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore it shall be when you be gone over Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster.

Deuteronomy 11:29,30
And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal…

Joshua 8:30-33
Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, …

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Deuteronomy 27
1. The people are commanded to write the law upon stones
5. and to build an altar of whole stones
11. The tribes to be divided on Gerizim and Ebal
14. The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal














And when you have crossed the Jordan
The phrase "crossed the Jordan" signifies a pivotal moment for the Israelites, marking their transition from the wilderness into the Promised Land. The Jordan River, a significant geographical and spiritual boundary, represents a passage from a period of wandering to a time of fulfillment of God's promises. In Hebrew, "Jordan" (יַרְדֵּן, Yarden) is derived from a root meaning "to descend," symbolizing humility and submission to God's will as the Israelites enter a new chapter in their covenant relationship with Him.

you are to set up these stones
Setting up stones was a common ancient practice for commemorating significant events or covenants. These stones served as a physical and enduring testimony to the Israelites' commitment to God's law. In the Hebrew context, stones (אֲבָנִים, avanim) often symbolize strength and permanence, reflecting the enduring nature of God's commandments and the importance of remembering His acts and promises.

on Mount Ebal
Mount Ebal, located in the heart of the Promised Land, holds significant theological and covenantal importance. It is one of the two mountains, along with Mount Gerizim, where the Israelites were to pronounce blessings and curses. The choice of Mount Ebal for setting up the stones underscores the reality of the covenant: the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. Archaeological evidence suggests that Mount Ebal was a site of ancient worship, reinforcing its role as a place of covenant renewal.

as I am commanding you today
This phrase emphasizes the immediacy and authority of God's command. The use of "today" (הַיּוֹם, hayom) in Hebrew underscores the urgency and relevance of God's instructions, reminding the Israelites that obedience is not a future consideration but a present responsibility. It reflects the ongoing nature of God's covenant with His people, requiring daily commitment and action.

and you are to coat them with plaster
Coating the stones with plaster (שִׂיד, sid) served a practical and symbolic purpose. Practically, it provided a smooth surface for inscribing the law, ensuring its visibility and legibility. Symbolically, the act of plastering represents purity and preparation, akin to the purification rituals in the Hebrew tradition. This preparation of the stones signifies the readiness of the Israelites to receive and uphold God's law as they enter the land He promised them.

Verse 4. - The stones were to be set up on Mount Ebal (cf. Deuteronomy 11:29). The Samaritan Codex and Version have Gerizim here, in place of Ebal; but though some critics have accepted this, it is generally regarded as an arbitrary alteration introduced to favor Samaritan pretensions (see the exhaustive and conclusive Dissertation of Gesenius, 'De Pentat. Samarit'). All the ancient versions, as well as all the Hebrew manuscripts, support the received text.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And
וְהָיָה֮ (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

when you have crossed
בְּעָבְרְכֶ֣ם (bə·‘ā·ḇə·rə·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

the Jordan,
הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ (hay·yar·dên)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3383: Jordan -- the principal river of Palestine

you are to set up
תָּקִ֜ימוּ (tā·qî·mū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

these
הָאֵ֗לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

stones
הָאֲבָנִ֣ים (hā·’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68: A stone

on Mount
בְּהַ֣ר (bə·har)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

Ebal,
עֵיבָ֑ל (‘ê·ḇāl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5858: An Edomite name

as
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

I
אָנֹכִ֜י (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

am commanding you today,
מְצַוֶּ֥ה (mə·ṣaw·weh)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

and you are to coat
וְשַׂדְתָּ֥ (wə·śaḏ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7874: To whitewash

them
אוֹתָ֖ם (’ō·w·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

with plaster.
בַּשִּֽׂיד׃ (baś·śîḏ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7874: To whitewash


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 27:4 It shall be when you are passed (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 27:3
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