271 Then Moses and the responsible men of Israel gave the people these orders: Keep all the orders which I have given you this day; 2 And on the day when you go over Jordan into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, put up great stones, coating them with building-paste, 3 And writing on them all the words of this law, after you have gone over; so that you may take the heritage which the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has said. 4 And when you have gone over Jordan, you are to put up these stones, as I have said to you today, in Mount Ebal, and have them coated with building-paste. 5 There you are to make an altar to the Lord your God, of stones on which no iron instrument has been used. 6 You are to make the altar of the Lord your God of uncut stones; offering on it burned offerings to the Lord your God: 7 And you are to make your peace-offerings, feasting there with joy before the Lord your God. 8 And put on the stones all the words of this law, writing them very clearly. 9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, said to all Israel, Be quiet and give ear, O Israel; today you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 For this cause you are to give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, and do his orders and his laws which I give you this day.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 27:1-10
Commentary on Deuteronomy 27:1-10
(Read Deuteronomy 27:1-10)
As soon as they were come into Canaan, they must set up a monument, on which they must write the words of this law. They must set up an altar. The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of their own heads, set up any altar besides that at the tabernacle; yet, by the appointment of God, they might, upon special occasion. This altar must be made of unhewn stones, such as they found upon the field. Christ, our Altar, is a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, refused by the builders, as having no form or comeliness, but accepted of God the Father, and made the Head of the corner. In the Old Testament the words of the law are written, with the curse annexed; which would overcome us with horror, if we had not, in the New Testament, an altar erected close by, which gives consolation. Blessed be God, the printed copies of the Scriptures among us, do away the necessity of such methods as were presented to Israel. The end of the gospel ministry is, and the end of preachers ought to be, to make the word of God as plain as possible. Yet, unless the Spirit of God prosper such labours with Divine power, we shall not, even by these means, be made wise unto salvation: for this blessing we should therefore daily and earnestly pray.