Deuteronomy 27:25

King James Version

Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to strike down innocent blood.' And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Cursed be he that taketh a rewarde to slay the soule of innocent blood, and all the people shall say, Amen.

Easy-to-Read Version
"The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who takes money to kill an innocent person!' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!'

Literal Translation
Cursed is he who takes a bribe to strike a life, to shed innocent blood! And all the people shall say, Amen!

Revised Standard Version
"'Cursed be he who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

World English Bible
Cursed be he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person. All the people shall say, Amen.

King James Version (1611)
Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person: and all the people shall say, Amen.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Cursed be he, that receaueth giftes to slaye the soule of innocent bloude. And all the people shal saye, Amen.

American Standard Version
Cursed be he that taketh a bribe to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Bible in Basic English
Cursed is he who for a reward puts to death one who has done no wrong. And let all the people say, So be it.

Update Bible Version
Cursed be he that takes a bribe to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Webster's Bible Translation
Cursed [be] he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person: and all the people shall say, Amen.

New English Translation
‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.' Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!'

New King James Version
"Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.' "And all the people shall say, "Amen!'

Complete Jewish Bible
"‘A curse on anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.' All the people are to say, ‘Amen!'

Darby Translation
Cursed be he that taketh reward to smite mortally [shedding] innocent blood! And all the people shall say, Amen.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Cursed be he that taketh a reward to put to death innocent blood: And all the people shal say: So be it.

George Lamsa Translation
Cursed be he who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say. Amen.

Good News Translation
"‘God's curse on anyone who accepts money to murder an innocent person.' "And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!'

Amplified Bible
'Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Hebrew Names Version
Cursed be he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person. All the people shall say, Amein.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Cursed be he that taketh a bribe to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say: Amen.

New Living Translation
‘Cursed is anyone who accepts payment to kill an innocent person.' And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.'

New Life Bible
‘Cursed is the one who receives pay to kill a person who is not guilty.' Then all the people will say, ‘Let it be so.'

New Revised Standard
"Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood." All the people shall say, "Amen!"

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Cursed is he whosoever shall have taken a bribe to slay an innocent man: and all the people shall say, So be it.

English Revised Version
Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Berean Standard Bible
'Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.' And let all the people say, 'Amen!'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Cursed, be he that taketh a bribe to shed innocent blood. And all the people shall say - Amen.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Cursed be he that taketh gifts, to slay an innocent person: and all the people shall say: Amen.

Lexham English Bible
‘Cursed be the one who takes a bribe to murder an innocent person.' And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.'

English Standard Version
"‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.' And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.'

New American Standard Bible
'Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to attack an innocent person.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

New Century Version
"Anyone will be cursed who takes money to murder an innocent person." Then all the people will say, "Amen!"

Christian Standard Bible®
‘The one who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person is cursed.' And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Cursid is he that takith yiftis, that he smyte the lijf of innocent blood; and al the puple schal seie, Amen!

Young's Literal Translation
`Cursed [is] he who is taking a bribe to smite a person, innocent blood, -- and all the people have said, Amen.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, ¹² These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: ¹³ And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴ And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, ¹⁵ Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord , the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. ¹⁶ Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. ¹⁷ Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen. ¹⁸ Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen. ¹⁹ Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen. ²⁰ Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Deuteronomy 10:17, Deuteronomy 16:19, Exodus 23:7, Exodus 23:8, Psalms 15:5, Proverbs 1:11-29, Ezekiel 22:12, Ezekiel 22:13, Micah 3:10, Micah 3:11, Micah 7:2, Micah 7:3, Matthew 26:15, Matthew 27:3, Matthew 27:4, Acts 1:18

Reciprocal: Proverbs 6:17 - and hands

Cross-References

Genesis 27:4
And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Cursed [be] he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person,.... As an assassin, to murder him privately; or as a judge, that takes a bribe to condemn to death an innocent person: so Aben Ezra observes, that according to the sense of some a judge is meant; but, says he, in my opinion a false witness; one that swears a man's life away for the sake of a reward given him:

and all the people shall say Amen; at so detestable a crime.

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.