Deuteronomy 27:24
New International Version
“Cursed is anyone who kills their neighbor secretly.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

New Living Translation
‘Cursed is anyone who attacks a neighbor in secret.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

English Standard Version
“‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Berean Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

King James Bible
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

New King James Version
‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

New American Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who attacks his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

NASB 1995
‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

NASB 1977
‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Amplified Bible
‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Christian Standard Bible
‘The one who secretly kills his neighbor is cursed.’ And all the people will say, ‘Amen! ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The one who secretly kills his neighbor is cursed.’ And all the people will say, ‘Amen!’

American Standard Version
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor in secret. And all the people shall say, Amen.

English Revised Version
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour in secret. And all the people shall say, Amen.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Whoever kills another person secretly will be cursed." Then all the people will say amen.

Good News Translation
"'God's curse on anyone who secretly commits murder.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

International Standard Version
"'Cursed is one who strikes his neighbor secretly. "Then all the people are to respond by saying, 'Amen!'

Majority Standard Bible
?Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.? And let all the people say, ?Amen!?

NET Bible
Cursed is the one who kills his neighbor in private.' Then all the people will say, 'Amen!'

New Heart English Bible
'Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor secretly: and all the people shall say, Amen.

World English Bible
‘Cursed is he who secretly kills his neighbor.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Cursed [is] he who is striking his neighbor in secret.” And all the people have said, “Amen.”

Young's Literal Translation
Cursed is he who is smiting his neighbour in secret, -- and all the people have said, Amen.

Smith's Literal Translation
Cursed he striking his neighbor in hiding: and all the people said, Amen.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Cursed be he that secretly killeth his neighbour: and all the people shall say: Amen.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Cursed be he who secretly strikes down his neighbor. And all the people shall say: Amen.

New American Bible
“Cursed be anyone who strikes down a neighbor in secret!” And all the people shall answer, “Amen!”

New Revised Standard Version
“Cursed be anyone who strikes down a neighbor in secret.” All the people shall say, “Amen!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Cursed be he who smites his neighbor secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Cursed is everyone who will strike his neighbor in secret, and all the people shall say, “Amen.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour in secret. And all the people shall say: Amen.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Cursed is he that smites his neighbour secretly: and all the people shall say, So be it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Curses Pronounced from Ebal
23‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ 24‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ 25‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’…

Cross References
Exodus 21:12-14
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. / If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. / But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

Numbers 35:16-21
If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. / Or if anyone has in his hand a stone of deadly size, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. / If anyone has in his hand a deadly object of wood, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. ...

Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.

2 Samuel 12:9-10
Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. / Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

1 Kings 21:19
Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”

Proverbs 6:16-17
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

Isaiah 59:7
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.

Jeremiah 7:9
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known,

Ezekiel 22:2-4
“As for you, son of man, will you judge her? Will you pass judgment on the city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her abominations / and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself, / you are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.

Hosea 4:2
Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

Matthew 5:21-22
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ / But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Mark 7:21-23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, / greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. / All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

Luke 11:50-51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.


Treasury of Scripture

Cursed be he that smites his neighbor secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 19:11,12
But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: …

Exodus 20:13
Thou shalt not kill.

Exodus 21:12-14
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death…

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Amen Cursed Kills Life Neighbor Neighbour Neighbour's Secret Secretly Slays Smiteth Smiting Strikes
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Amen Cursed Kills Life Neighbor Neighbour Neighbour's Secret Secretly Slays Smiteth Smiting Strikes
Deuteronomy 27
1. The people are commanded to write the law upon stones
5. and to build an altar of whole stones
11. The tribes to be divided on Gerizim and Ebal
14. The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal














Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.
This phrase addresses the act of murder, particularly when done in a deceitful or hidden manner. In the context of ancient Israel, the law emphasized community integrity and justice. The act of striking down a neighbor secretly implies premeditation and cowardice, violating the commandment "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). The secrecy suggests a betrayal of trust within the community, highlighting the severity of the sin. Biblically, this curse reflects God's disdain for injustice and the shedding of innocent blood, as seen in the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:8-10). Theologically, it underscores the sanctity of life and the importance of living in truth and transparency, aligning with Jesus' teaching against harboring anger and hatred (Matthew 5:21-22).

And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
The communal response of "Amen" signifies agreement and acceptance of the curse's validity. In ancient Israel, public affirmations were crucial for reinforcing communal values and ensuring collective responsibility. The use of "Amen" here is a solemn acknowledgment of the curse's seriousness and a commitment to uphold justice. This practice of communal affirmation is seen throughout Scripture, such as in Nehemiah 8:6, where the people respond with "Amen" to the reading of the Law. It reflects a covenantal relationship with God, where the community collectively agrees to adhere to His commandments. Theologically, it points to the importance of unity in the body of believers, as echoed in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 12:12-27), and the shared responsibility to uphold God's standards.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who delivered God's laws and instructions, including the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy.

2. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, receiving the law as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim
The locations where the blessings and curses were to be proclaimed to the Israelites.

4. The Levites
The tribe responsible for proclaiming the curses to the people.

5. The Neighbor
Represents fellow members of the community, emphasizing the importance of justice and integrity in relationships.
Teaching Points
The Sanctity of Life
This verse underscores the value God places on human life and the seriousness of taking it unjustly.

Integrity in Relationships
Secret violence against a neighbor violates trust and community integrity, calling believers to uphold honesty and justice.

Community Accountability
The communal response of "Amen" signifies collective responsibility in upholding God's standards and holding each other accountable.

The Heart of the Law
Beyond the physical act, this curse addresses the heart attitude of malice and deceit, urging believers to examine their motives.

God's Justice
The pronouncement of a curse reflects God's commitment to justice and the eventual accountability for hidden sins.(24) That smiteth his neighbour secretly.-"Spoken of a backbiting tongue" (Rashi).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
‘Cursed is
אָר֕וּר (’ā·rūr)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 779: To execrate

he who strikes down
מַכֵּ֥ה (mak·kêh)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5221: To strike

his neighbor
רֵעֵ֖הוּ (rê·‘ê·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

in secret.’
בַּסָּ֑תֶר (bas·sā·ṯer)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5643: A covering, hiding place, secrecy

And {let} all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

say,
וְאָמַ֥ר (wə·’ā·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Amen!’
אָמֵֽן׃ (’ā·mên)
Adverb
Strong's 543: Sure, faithfulness, truly


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 27:24 Cursed be he who strikes his neighbor (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 27:23
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