When the people entered the Promised Land they were to assemble at Shechem (vv. 1-8; cf. 11:29-30). This would be the second stage of the covenant renewal, to be conducted in Canaan. Moses exhorted the Israelites to obey the covenant requirements then (vv. 9-10) and prepared them to invoke the covenant sanctions there (vv. 11-13).
27:1-8 Upon entering Canaan the Israelites were to assemble at Mt. Ebal near the center of the land and set up several large stones as monuments (cf. Exod. 24:4-8). They were to plaster these with lime (or gypsum) and then write the law on the monuments. This was a common way of posting important public announcements in Canaan.292They probably copied the Ten Commandments,293but they may have copied the blessings and curses,294the legal parts of the law,295the salient parts of the laws reiterated in Deuteronomy,296or the entire Book of Deuteronomy.297The purpose of this act was to declare to all people, Canaanites as well as Israelites, that the Mosaic Law was Israel's standard of faith and practice.
"The practice of writing laws on a plastered surface was known in other lands, notably Egypt, where the texts were painted rather than engraved."298
The people were also to build an altar on Mt. Ebal at the same time (vv. 5-7). They were to fashion it of uncut stones (cf. Exod. 20:22). Then the nation was to offer burnt and peace offerings of worship to Yahweh thereby committing themselves to Him as their Lord. Abraham received God's promise of the land and built his first altar in the land at this site (Gen. 12:6-7).
27:9-10 The new generation of Israelites would become a people for Yahweh (v. 9) when they took on themselves the responsibilities and privileges of the Mosaic Law (v. 10). As their fathers had done at Mt. Horeb (Exod. 19:8), so the new generation would do at Mt. Ebal.
"The ceremonial feast was usually part of the ratification activities when suzerainty treaties were signed in countries neighboring Israel during the Mosaic era."299
"This day"(v. 9) refers to the day the people would fulfill these instructions in the land (Josh. 8; cf. Josh. 24).
27:11-13 We should read the instructions for this ceremony with Joshua 8:30-35 where God recorded the fulfillment of Moses' commands. Mt. Gerizim was the southern of the two hills and Mt. Ebal the northern. As Israel faced east, Mt. Gerizim would have been on her right hand, the traditional place of blessing, and Mt. Ebal on her left. The representatives of the six tribes who stood on Mt. Gerizim were all sons of Leah and Rachel. The tribes on Mt. Ebal were descendants of the maids of these women (Gad, Asher, Dan, and Naphtali) plus Reuben and Zebulun. Reuben was the son of Leah who had lost his birthright because of his sin, and Zebulun was the youngest son of Leah.
