And you shall write distinctlyThe command to write distinctly emphasizes clarity and precision. In ancient times, writing was often done on stone to ensure permanence. This reflects the importance of God's law being clearly understood and accessible to all. The use of the word "distinctly" suggests that there should be no ambiguity in the communication of God's commandments, highlighting the need for accurate transmission of divine instructions.
upon these stones
The stones refer to large, uncut stones that were to be set up on Mount Ebal as a monument. This practice of inscribing laws on stones was common in the ancient Near East, serving both as a public declaration and a lasting record. The choice of stone signifies durability and the unchanging nature of God's law. Geographically, Mount Ebal is located in the central part of the land of Israel, symbolizing the centrality of the law in the life of the nation.
all the words of this law
This phrase underscores the comprehensiveness of the law that was to be inscribed. It was not just a selection of commandments but the entirety of the law given to Moses. This reflects the holistic nature of God's covenant with Israel, where every aspect of life was to be governed by His statutes. The law included moral, ceremonial, and civil instructions, pointing to the need for a complete adherence to God's will. This also foreshadows the New Covenant, where the law is written on the hearts of believers, as seen inJeremiah 31:33 and fulfilled in Christ.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe leader of the Israelites who is delivering God's commandments to the people. He is the central figure in the book of Deuteronomy, acting as a mediator between God and Israel.
2.
The IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who are about to enter the Promised Land. They are the recipients of the law and are instructed to follow it diligently.
3.
Mount EbalThe location where the Israelites are commanded to set up stones and write the law upon them. It is a significant place for the renewal of the covenant.
4.
The LawRefers to the commandments and statutes given by God to the Israelites. Writing the law on stones signifies its permanence and importance.
5.
The Promised LandThe land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Israelites are on the brink of entering this land.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Clarity in God's WordWriting the law "clearly" emphasizes the need for understanding and accessibility. God's Word should be communicated in a way that is comprehensible to all believers.
The Permanence of God's CommandmentsThe act of inscribing the law on stones signifies its enduring nature. God's commandments are not temporary but are meant to guide His people perpetually.
Obedience as a Response to God's CovenantThe Israelites' obedience in writing the law is a response to their covenant relationship with God. Believers today are called to live in obedience as a reflection of their commitment to God.
The Role of Remembrance in FaithThe stones serve as a physical reminder of God's law and His covenant. Regularly recalling God's Word helps believers stay grounded in their faith.
Community Responsibility in Upholding God's LawThe communal act of writing the law underscores the collective responsibility of the faith community to uphold and live by God's standards.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 27:8?
2.How can we "write clearly" God's commands in our daily lives today?
3.Why is clarity important when communicating God's laws, as in Deuteronomy 27:8?
4.What other scriptures emphasize the importance of understanding God's Word clearly?
5.How can we ensure our actions reflect the clarity of God's commandments?
6.In what ways can we teach others to understand God's laws clearly?
7.What does Deuteronomy 27:8 mean by "clearly inscribe" in the context of ancient writing practices?
8.How does Deuteronomy 27:8 reflect the importance of law in ancient Israelite society?
9.Why were the laws in Deuteronomy 27:8 meant to be inscribed on stones?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 27?
11.Does the command in Deuteronomy 27:8 to write the Law “very clearly” imply a significant difference from earlier recordings of the Law?
12.What is the significance of Mount Ebal?
13.How does Joshua's altar-building on Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:30-35) align with other historical records of Canaanite territory?
14.Joshua 1:7 - Is it plausible that a fully formed Law of Moses existed at this time, despite scholarly debates on when the Pentateuch was compiled?What Does Deuteronomy 27:8 Mean
And you shall writeGod commands Israel to make His words visible and permanent. The same pattern appears when Moses “wrote down all the words of the LORD” (Exodus 24:4) and later when Joshua “wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses” (Joshua 8:32). Writing anchors truth in history—tangible evidence that the covenant is not a vague feeling but a concrete agreement.
• Writing guards against forgetfulness (Deuteronomy 6:6–9).
• It invites every new generation to read the same, unchanged message (Psalm 102:18).
• It underlines accountability—once the words are recorded, no one can claim ignorance.
distinctlyThe instruction stresses clarity. “Write down the vision; make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it” (Habakkuk 2:2). God never hides His expectations in fine print. Nehemiah’s Levites “read from the Book of the Law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people understood” (Nehemiah 8:8).
• Clear words foster obedience; muddled words foster excuses (1 Corinthians 14:9).
• Distinct writing protects the message from distortion over time.
• It models the Lord’s own straightforward character—“God is not a God of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
upon these stonesStones outlast parchment. Mount Ebal’s altar-stones would confront Israel every time they passed that way (Deuteronomy 27:4–7). The permanence echoes God’s promise: “These words… shall be on your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6) and His act of inscribing the law “on tablets of stone” (Exodus 24:12).
• A public monument discourages private reinterpretation.
• Stone elevates God’s law above shifting cultural trends (Isaiah 30:8).
• It symbolizes the unyielding nature of divine truth—stable as the Rock of ages.
all the wordsSelective obedience is disobedience. Moses warns, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it” (Deuteronomy 4:2). Centuries later Jesus affirms, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
• Partial revelation breeds partial discipleship.
• The whole counsel equips the whole person (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
• Omitting “hard” portions robs future readers of life-giving truth (Revelation 22:18-19).
of this lawThe phrase ties the writing to covenant relationship, not mere civil regulation. God’s law reveals His character (Romans 7:12) and shapes His people’s identity (Deuteronomy 5:1-3). Jeremiah foretells the day when the same law would be written “on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33), a promise fulfilled in the new covenant through Christ.
• The law is moral, spiritual, and relational.
• Obedience flows from gratitude for redemption already given (Deuteronomy 26:8-10).
• Even under grace, the law points us to Christ, who perfectly kept “all the words” on our behalf (Matthew 5:17).
summaryDeuteronomy 27:8 calls God’s people to preserve His complete revelation, plainly and permanently, in a form that shapes everyday life. By inscribing every word clearly on enduring stone, Israel acknowledged the unchanging authority of the Lord, embraced full obedience, and provided a continual witness for generations to come.
(8)
Thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law--
i.e.,the ten commandments. All else in the Law of Moses is but an application of the Decalogue to a particular people under particular circumstances. (See Notes on Joshua 3,
Joshua 8:32, for more upon the relation of the ten commandments to the conquest of Canaan.)
Very plainly.--See onDeuteronomy 1:5. Rashi says, "In seventy (.e.,in all) languages." There is also an idea in the Talmud that when spoken from Sinai, the Law was spoken (or heard) in all languages at the same time. It is a strange refraction of the truth indicated at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given. Men spake in every tongue the wonderful works of God. The foundation of Jerusalem has effects exactly opposite to the foundation of Babylon (Genesis 11).
Verse 8. - The injunction to write the Law on the stones is repeated, with the addition that it was to be done very plainly (LXX.,
σαφῶς σφόδρα: Vulgate, plane
et lucide), which shows that the main purpose of setting up the stones was that the Law might be easily known by the people (cf.
Habakkuk 2:2). The stones and the altar were fittingly placed on Ebal, the mount of cursing. For the setting up of the stones on which the Law was inscribed, and the building beside them of the altar, was the symbolical renewal of the covenant of God with Israel, and the establishment in Canaan of that dispensation which was "the ministration of condemnation and of death" (
2 Corinthians 3:7, 9), and of that Law which, though in itself "holy, just, and
good," can only, because of man's perversity and sinfulness, bring on those who are under it a curse (
Galatians 3:10).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
And you shall writeוְכָתַבְתָּ֣(wə·ḵā·ṯaḇ·tā)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3789:To grave, to writedistinctlyבַּאֵ֥ר(ba·’êr)Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 874:To dig, to engrave, to explainuponעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstthese stonesהָאֲבָנִ֗ים(hā·’ă·ḇā·nîm)Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68:A stoneallכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everythe wordsדִּבְרֵ֛י(diḇ·rê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1697:A word, a matter, thing, a causeof thisהַזֹּ֖את(haz·zōṯ)Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063:Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,law.”הַתּוֹרָ֥ה(hat·tō·w·rāh)Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8451:Direction, instruction, law
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OT Law: Deuteronomy 27:8 You shall write on the stones all (Deut. De Du) 
