Deuteronomy 11:29

29 And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.

Deuteronomy 11:29 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 11:29

And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath bought
thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it
Which is often observed, as being near at hand; and when and where many things were to be done, which could not be done in the place and circumstances they now were, particularly what follows:

that thou shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse upon
Mount Ebal;
that is, pronounce the one on one mountain, and the other on the other mountain, or at least towards them, or over against them. The Targum of Jonathan is

``ye shall set six tribes on Mount Gerizim, and six tribes on Mount Ebal; (( Deuteronomy 27:12 Deuteronomy 27:13 ) ) blessing they shall turn their faces against Mount Gerizim, and cursing they shall turn their faces against Mount Ebal;''

with which agrees the account given in the Misnah;

``six tribes went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and six to the top of Mount Ebal; and the priests and the Levites, and the ark, stood below in the middle; the priests surrounded the ark, and the Levites the priests, and all Israel were on this and on that side of the ark, as in ( Joshua 8:33 ) then they turned their faces against Gerizim, they opened with the blessing, blessed is he that maketh not any graven or molten image, and both answered "Amen"; then they turned their faces against Mount Ebal, and opened with the curse, ( Deuteronomy 27:15 ) and both answered Amen ^F19;''

see the performance of this command in ( Joshua 8:33 Joshua 8:34 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Sotah, c. 7. sect. 5.

Deuteronomy 11:29 In-Context

27 the blessing, if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah your God, which I command you this day;

28 and the curse, if ye shall not hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

29 And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.

30 Are they not beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites that dwell in the Arabah, over against Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh?

31 For ye are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Jehovah your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.