Deuteronomy 27:2-8
27:3 a this whole body of instruction (literally all the words of this torah): This phrase could refer to the entire book of Deuteronomy, but considering the small surface (27:2 b) on which the text was to be inscribed, it probably just refers to the Ten Commandments.27:4 c The covenant ceremony was to take place at Mount Ebal, a mountain east of Shechem (see Josh 8:30-35 d). The Samaritan Pentateuch reads “Mount Gerizim” here, an obvious attempt to justify the existence of the Samaritan temple on that mountain (see Deut 11:29 e).
27:5 f natural, uncut stones: Archaeological research has uncovered a number of Canaanite altars, all built of hewn blocks. In contrast to this practice, the Israelites were to build their altars only of rough field stones (Exod 20:22-26 g; see thematic note for Altars at end of chapter).
27:7 h Some offerings atoned for sins and trespasses; others affirmed that all was well between the Lord and the donor. For example, peace offerings (sometimes called fellowship offerings) testified to wholeness in the divine–human relationship (see Lev 3:1-16 i).
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