Deuteronomy 27:24

Easy-to-Read Version

"The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who kills anyone, even if he is not caught!' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
‘The one who secretly kills his neighbor is cursed.’

Hebrew Names Version
Cursed be he who strikes his neighbor in secret. All the people shall say, Amein.

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

Lexham English Bible
‘Cursed be the one who strikes down his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.'

English Standard Version
"‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.'

New Century Version
"Anyone will be cursed who kills a neighbor secretly." Then all the people will say, "Amen!"

New English Translation
‘Cursed is the one who kills his neighbor in private.' Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!'

Amplified Bible
'Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

New American Standard Bible
'Cursed is he who attacks his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
Cursed be hee that smiteth his neyghbour secretly: And all the people shal say: So be it.

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.'

Complete Jewish Bible
"‘A curse on anyone who secretly attacks a fellow member of the community.' All the people are to say, ‘Amen!'

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

George Lamsa Translation
Cursed be he who smites his neighbor secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Good News Translation
"‘God's curse on anyone who secretly commits murder.' "And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!'

Literal Translation
Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor secretly! And all the people shall say, Amen!

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Cursed be he that slayeth his neghboure secretly. And all the people shal saye, Amen.

American Standard Version
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor in secret. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Bible in Basic English
Cursed is he who takes his neighbour's life secretly. And let all the people say, So be it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Cursed be he that smyteth his neighbour secretly: and all the people shall say, Amen.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour in secret. And all the people shall say: Amen.

King James Version (1611)
Cursed be hee that smiteth his neighbour secretly: and all the people shall say, Amen.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Cursed is he that smites his neighbour secretly: and all the people shall say, So be it.

English Revised Version
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour in secret. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Berean Standard Bible
'Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Cursid is he that sleeth pryueli his neiybore; and al the puple schal seie, Amen! Cursid is he that slepith with `the wijf of his neiybore; and al the puple schal seie, Amen!

Young's Literal Translation
`Cursed [is] he who is smiting his neighbour in secret, -- and all the people have said, Amen.

Update Bible Version
Cursed be he that smites his neighbor in secret. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Webster's Bible Translation
Cursed [be] he that smiteth his neighbor secretly: and all the people shall say, Amen.

World English Bible
Cursed be he who strikes his neighbor in secret. All the people shall say, Amen.

New King James Version
"Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.' "And all the people shall say, "Amen!'

New Living Translation
‘Cursed is anyone who attacks a neighbor in secret.' And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.'

New Life Bible
‘Cursed is the one who hits his neighbor in secret.' And all the people will say, ‘Let it be so.'

New Revised Standard
"Cursed be anyone who strikes down a neighbor in secret." All the people shall say, "Amen!"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Cursed, be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say - Amen.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Cursed be he that secretly killeth his neighbour: and all the people shall say: Amen.

Revised Standard Version
"'Cursed be he who slays his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Contextual Overview

¹¹ That day Moses also told the people, ¹² "After you have gone across the Jordan River, these tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to read the blessings to the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. ¹³ And these tribes will stand on Mount Ebal to read the curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴ "And the Levites will say to all the Israelites in a loud voice: ¹⁵ "‘Cursed is the one who makes a false god and puts it in its secret place. These false gods are only statues that some worker makes from wood, stone or metal. The Lord hates these things!' "Then all the people will answer, ‘Amen!' ¹⁶ "The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who does not show respect to their father or their mother!' "Then all the people will answer, ‘Amen!' ¹⁷ "The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who moves a neighbor's landmark!' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!' ¹⁸ "The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who tricks a blind man into going the wrong way!' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!' ¹⁹ "The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who does not give fair judgment for the foreigners, orphans, and widows!' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!' ²⁰ "The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who shames his father by having sexual relations with his father's wife.' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Deuteronomy 19:11, Deuteronomy 19:12, Exodus 20:13, Exodus 21:12-14, Leviticus 24:17, Numbers 35:31, 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 11:15-17, 2 Samuel 12:9-12, 2 Samuel 13:28, 2 Samuel 20:9, 2 Samuel 20:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 49:6 - secret Exodus 21:14 - slay Exodus 21:15 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 27:7
Your father said, ‘Kill an animal for me to eat. Prepare the food for me, and I will eat it. Then, with the Lord as witness, I will bless you before I die.'

Genesis 27:8
So listen, son, and do what I tell you.

1 Samuel 21:2
David answered him, "The king gave me a special order. He told me, ‘Don't let anyone know about this mission. No one must know what I told you to do.' I told my men where to meet me.

1 Samuel 21:13
so he pretended to be crazy in front of Achish and his officers. While David was with them, he acted like a crazy man. He spat on the doors of the gate. He let spit fall down his beard.

1 Samuel 27:10
David did this many times. Each time Achish asked David where he fought and took those things. David said, "I fought against the southern part of Judah," or "I fought against the southern part of Jerahmeel," or "I fought against the southern part of the Kenizzites."

2 Samuel 14:5
King David said to her, "What's your problem?" The woman said, "I am a widow. My husband is dead.

Job 15:5
What you say clearly shows your sin. Job, you are trying to hide your sin by using clever words.

Proverbs 12:19
Lies last only a moment, but the truth lasts forever.

Proverbs 12:22
The Lord hates people who tell lies, but he is pleased with those who tell the truth.

Proverbs 30:8
Don't let me tell lies. And don't make me too rich or too poor—give me only enough food for each day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Cursed [be] he that smiteth his neighbour secretly,.... And kills him, and the murder is not known; the curse of God follows such, and overtakes them sooner or later. Some interpret this of smiting with the tongue, of secret backbiting and slander; so the Targum of Jonathan,

"that smiteth with the third tongue;''

or false accusation:

and all the people shall say Amen; as disapproving of and condemning such a practice, even slander, and especially murder.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare Joshua 8:32-35. The solemnity was apparently designed only for the single occasion on which it actually took place.

Deuteronomy 27:12, Deuteronomy 27:13

The tribes appointed to stand on Gerizim to bless the people all sprang from the two wives of Jacob, Leah and Rachel. All the four tribes which sprang from the handmaids Zilpah and Bilhah are located on Ebal. But in order, as it would seem, to effect an equal division, two tribes are added to the latter from the descendants of the wives, that of Reuben, probably because he forfeited his primogeniture Genesis 49:4; and of Zebulun, apparently because he was the youngest son of Leah.

The transaction presents itself as a solemn renewal of the covenant made by God with Abraham and Isaac, but more especially with Jacob and his family. Accordingly the genealogical basis of the “twelve patriarchs” (compare Acts 7:12; Revelation 7:4 ff), the sons of Jacob, is here assumed. The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh are merged in the name of Joseph, their father; and Levi regains on this occasion his place collaterally with the others. “The Levites” of Deuteronomy 27:14 are no doubt “the priests the Levites” (compareJoshua 8:33; Joshua 8:33), in whom the ministerial character attaching to the tribe was more particularly manifested. It is noteworthy that the group of tribes which stood on Gerizim far exceeded the other in numbers and in importance, thus perhaps indicating that even by the Law the blessing should at length prevail.

Deuteronomy 27:15

The “Amen” attested the conviction of the utterers that the sentences to which they responded were true, just, and certain; so in Numbers 5:22, and in our own Commination Office, which is modelled after this ordinance of Moses.

Deuteronomy 27:15-26

Twelve curses against transgressions of the covenant. The first eleven are directed against special sins which are selected by way of example, the last comprehensively sums up in general terms and condemns all and every offence against God’s Law. Compare the marginal references.