Foundation Text

Deuteronomy 27:26

Hebrew Key Terms

• H0779 אָרוּר (arur) - cursed
• H6965 קוּם (qum) - confirm, establish, uphold
• H1697 דָּבָר (dabar) - word, commandment
• H6213 עָשָׂה (asah) - do, perform

Context: The final curse in the twelve curses recited at Mount Ebal (Deut 27:15-26). This comprehensive curse pronounces judgment on the one who "does not put the words of this law into practice." The Greek Old Testament reads "all the words" (πᾶς, G3956, with λόγος, G3056), and Paul's citation keeps that "all" ("everything written in the Book of the Law," Gal 3:10) - partial obedience does not escape the curse.

OT-to-OT Development

• This curse becomes the basis for covenant lawsuit oracles in the prophets (Isa 24:5-6; Jer 11:3-8; Mal 2:2)
• Deuteronomy 28:15-68 elaborates the specific curses for covenant violation in horrifying detail
• Israel's exile is interpreted as the execution of this covenant curse (2 Kings 17:7-23; Lam 1-5)
• No OT text offers escape from the curse through human effort; only divine intervention can redeem (Deut 30:1-6)

Connections

• TO:
  • Leviticus 18:5 - "do this and live" - flip side: fail to do, die
  • Exodus 19:5-6 - conditional covenant
• FROM OT:
  • Deuteronomy 28:15-68 - elaboration of curses
  • Jeremiah 11:3 - prophetic covenant lawsuit; Lamentations 1-5 - curse executed in exile
• FROM NT:
  • Galatians 3:10 - all under law are under curse
  • Romans 3:19-20 - law stops every mouth, declares all guilty

Christological Connection: Christ redeemed us "by becoming a curse for us" (Gal 3:13), enduring the comprehensive covenant curse pronounced in Deuteronomy 27:26. His substitutionary death on the cross satisfied the law's demand that curse fall on covenant-breakers. Because no human being continues "to do everything written in the Book of the Law," all are under the curse (Rom 3:19-20; Gal 3:10). Christ alone bore the full weight of God's covenant wrath, redeeming His people from the curse "in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:14).

Connection Method(s): Contrast, Redemptive-Historical Progression — The comprehensive curse on all who fail to keep the law, pronounced as part of the Mosaic covenant, sets the law's universal condemnation against the gospel's free justification; Paul cites it (Galatians 3:10) to show that reliance on the law brings the curse, which Christ bore for His people (Galatians 3:13) as the Mosaic epoch gave way to the new covenant.

Trajectory Table: 164 - Two Covenants (Law and Promise)