Deuteronomy 27:1 kjv
And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
Deuteronomy 27:1 nkjv
Now Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying: "Keep all the commandments which I command you today.
Deuteronomy 27:1 niv
Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: "Keep all these commands that I give you today.
Deuteronomy 27:1 esv
Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, "Keep the whole commandment that I command you today.
Deuteronomy 27:1 nlt
Then Moses and the leaders of Israel gave this charge to the people: "Obey all these commands that I am giving you today.
Deuteronomy 27 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:1-2 | “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes... You shall not add... nor take from it..." | Command to hear, keep, and not alter God's laws. |
| Deut 6:17 | "You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God..." | Emphasizes careful and zealous obedience to all commands. |
| Deut 8:6 | "So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways..." | Connects obedience with living in God's prescribed manner. |
| Deut 11:26-28 | "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse..." | Links obedience directly to blessings and disobedience to curses. |
| Deut 30:19-20 | "...choose life, that both you and your descendants may live... by obeying His voice..." | Urgency to choose obedience and life, reflecting the "today" theme. |
| Lev 26:3 | "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments..." | Foundational promise of blessing for covenant fidelity. |
| Num 27:21 | "...Joshua shall stand before Eleazar... and inquire of him by the judgment of the Urim..." | Illustrates continuity of leadership and divine consultation after Moses. |
| Josh 1:7-8 | "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law..." | Joshua commanded to observe and meditate on the whole law for prosperity. |
| Josh 8:30-35 | "Now Joshua built an altar to the LORD... He wrote on the stones a copy of the Law..." | Fulfillment of the command to build an altar and write the law, related to Deut 27. |
| Ps 119:1-8 | "Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD..." | Celebrates the blessedness of walking blamelessly in God's law. |
| Ps 95:7-8 | "Today, if you will hear His voice: 'Do not harden your hearts...'" | Emphasizes the critical nature of responding to God's voice now. |
| Matt 5:17-19 | "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law... but to fulfill..." | Jesus' affirmation of the enduring validity and importance of the Law. |
| Matt 19:17 | "...If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." | Jesus' direct instruction on the path to eternal life through obedience. |
| John 14:15 | "If you love Me, keep My commandments." | Connects love for God/Christ directly to obedience. |
| Rom 2:13 | "...not the hearers of the law who are just... but the doers of the law who will be justified." | Stresses that justification comes through active adherence, not just knowledge. |
| Jas 1:22 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only..." | Reinforces the imperative of active obedience over passive reception. |
| Jas 2:10 | "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all." | Highlights the holistic nature of "all the commandments"; disobedience to one is seen as a breach of the whole. |
| 1 John 2:3-4 | "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." | Demonstrates that obedience is a true indicator of knowing God. |
| 1 John 5:3 | "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments..." | Defines the practical expression of love for God as obedience to His commands. |
| Heb 3:7-8 | "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you will hear His voice..." | Echoes the urgency of "today" from Ps 95, warning against hardening hearts. |
| Heb 4:7 | "...Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." | Further emphasis on the immediate response required to God's calling. |
Deuteronomy 27 verses
Deuteronomy 27 1 Meaning
Deuteronomy 27:1 records Moses, accompanied by the elders of Israel, issuing a binding command to the entire nation. This instruction was a solemn call to meticulously and immediately observe the entirety of the commandments given by God through Moses. It sets the stage for the formal covenant renewal ceremony, emphasizing the absolute and present necessity for comprehensive obedience as Israel prepared to enter and inherit the Promised Land.
Deuteronomy 27 1 Context
Deuteronomy 27 is a pivotal chapter, initiating a critical segment of Moses' final address to Israel on the plains of Moab. It transitions from the detailed exposition of the Law (Deuteronomy chapters 5-26) to the practical implementation and reaffirmation of the covenant, immediately before the nation enters Canaan. This verse establishes the leadership and directive for a profound covenant renewal ceremony, which would physically occur upon entering the Promised Land. The ceremony involved building an altar, inscribing the Law on plastered stones on Mount Ebal, and then reciting the blessings from Mount Gerizim and curses from Mount Ebal. This solemn act was designed to indelibly impress upon the people the conditions and consequences of their covenant with Yahweh. Historically and culturally, such public rituals involving stone monuments and treaty enactments were common in the ancient Near East, solidifying legal agreements. This Israelite ceremony uniquely centered on Yahweh as the divine Suzerain, distinguishing Israel's covenant from pagan practices that might acknowledge multiple deities or lesser gods. The ceremony aimed to unequivocally establish Yahweh's exclusive authority and the absolute requirement of monotheistic obedience.
Deuteronomy 27 1 Word analysis
- Then Moses: Refers to Moses, God's chosen prophet and the principal mediator of the Old Covenant. His authority in communicating God's will to Israel was unparalleled.
- with the elders of Israel: (Hebrew: זְקֵנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, zqenei Yisrael). The elders were the appointed leaders, representing the heads of families and tribes. Their presence indicates not only a corporate command but also the unified agreement and authoritative endorsement of the nation's leadership. This was not a command solely from Moses, but one affirmed and co-issued by the communal leadership, signaling collective responsibility.
- commanded: (Hebrew: וַיְצַו, vay'tzav). From the root צוה (tzavah), meaning "to command," "appoint," "order." This is a strong, authoritative verb, implying a legal and binding directive, not a mere suggestion. It emphasizes that this instruction carries the weight of divine injunction.
- the people: (Hebrew: הָעָם, ha'am). Refers to the entire congregation, encompassing all Israelite individuals. This underscores the comprehensive nature of the command, applying to every person within the covenant community without exception.
- saying, 'Keep': (Hebrew: שָׁמוֹר, shamor). From the root שמר (shamar), meaning "to guard," "watch," "observe," "preserve," "obey." This verb implies a diligent, active, and protective adherence to the commandments. It suggests not just hearing or knowing the law, but diligently guarding and putting it into practice, as one would guard a precious treasure.
- all the commandments: (Hebrew: כָּל־הַמִּצְוָה, kol ha-mitzva). "All the commandment" or "every commandment." The use of "all" (כָּל, kol) is crucial. It signifies the totality and indivisible nature of God's Law. Obedience was not to be partial or selective; it required adherence to every precept. Disregarding even one aspect could compromise the integrity of one's covenant relationship (cf. James 2:10). This contrasts sharply with cultural tendencies to choose specific laws for convenience.
- that I command you: Here, "I" refers to God, speaking through Moses. It affirms the divine origin and supreme authority of these laws. They are not merely human regulations or cultural traditions, but directives from the sovereign God of Israel.
- today: (Hebrew: הַיּוֹם, hayom). This adverb emphasizes the immediacy, present obligation, and urgency of the command. It implies a continuous, moment-by-moment choice and responsibility to obey God's will. It’s not about future intentions but present, decisive action, highlighting that Israel's covenant standing hinged on a living, active commitment. The frequent use of "today" in Deuteronomy reinforces that salvation and blessing are contingent on immediate, ongoing faith and obedience.
Deuteronomy 27 1 Bonus section
- Preparation for new challenges: This verse recognizes that entering a new land with different cultures and temptations necessitated a strong reaffirmation of foundational laws, particularly regarding monotheistic worship and moral conduct.
- Corporate Accountability: The involvement of the elders with Moses highlights the principle of corporate responsibility within the covenant. Obedience was not merely an individual matter but a communal one, binding the entire nation.
- Pattern for God's People: This model of authoritative leadership delivering God's Word with immediate application to the community serves as a timeless pattern for how divine truth should be received and implemented by God's people in every generation.
Deuteronomy 27 1 Commentary
Deuteronomy 27:1 serves as a profound call to complete and immediate covenant fidelity, foundational to Israel's life in the Promised Land. Moses, joined by the authoritative elders, underscores that the path to divine blessing lay in diligently keeping all of God's commandments. This collective directive ensured no one could claim ignorance or personal exemption, placing communal and individual responsibility squarely on Israel. The emphasis on "today" imparts an urgent and ongoing obligation, rejecting delayed or partial obedience. This command laid the groundwork for the ensuing covenant renewal ceremony, signifying that Israel's identity and prosperity as a holy nation depended entirely on their holistic and unwavering commitment to Yahweh's revealed will, not on human wisdom or surrounding pagan practices.