Deuteronomy 27:24

Modern

‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Traditional

Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Literal

‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Latin

Maledictus qui clam percusserit proximum suum: et dicet omnis populus: Amen.

Hebrew

English

‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

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

Numbers 35:31
You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death.
Leviticus 24:17
And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death.
Exodus 20:13
You shall not murder.
Deuteronomy 19:11–12
If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,
2 Samuel 12:9–12
Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.
Exodus 21:12–14
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.
2 Samuel 11:15–17
In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”
2 Samuel 13:28
Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!”
2 Samuel 3:27
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
2 Samuel 20:9–10
“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.