Deuteronomy 27:19

Modern

‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Traditional

Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Literal

‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the fatherless, the foreigner, or the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Latin

Maledictus qui pervertit judicium advenæ, pupilli et viduæ: et dicet omnis populus: Amen.

Hebrew

English

‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

It would be easy to put foreigners, orphans, and widows at a legal disadvantage or to deny them justice altogether (see 10:18; 24:17).

Mount Gerizim is just west of Mount Ebal. Shechem is in the valley between them.
to bless: God positioned the tribes or their representatives carefully. This was so that while the Levites read the covenant from the valley below, the other tribes would respond by shouting "Amen!" This is a Hebrew term that means "May it be so." They said this to show their agreement with the terms of the covenant.

Theme notes and profiles

Deuteronomy 10:18
He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 24:17
Do not deny justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security.
Exodus 22:21–24
You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.
Proverbs 17:23
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
Exodus 23:2
You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
Psalm 82:2–4
“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Proverbs 31:5
…lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
Micah 3:9
Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,
Exodus 23:8–9
Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.