Moses and the priests. — As in Deuteronomy 27:1, “Moses and the elders.”
Take heed. — A word used nowhere else in the Old Testament.
This day thou art become the people. — “Every day His commandments shall be before thine eyes, as though thou hadst that day entered into covenant with Him.” It would seem that the passage of Jordan, which is the thing in view here, pledged Israel more completely to God’s Law than even the covenant at Sinai did. He had gone farther with them, and given them a more distinct position. It became more necessary than ever that they should remember whose they were.
(12,13) These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless... and these... upon mount Ebal to curse. — The expressions “to bless” and “to curse” are misleading. It is not meant that six tribes were to bless, and six to curse their brethren. The phrase will be best understood by noticing the manner in which the ceremony was performed, according to Jewish tradition. According to the treatise Sotah, six, tribes went up to the top of Gerizim, and six ascended mount Ebal, and the priests and the Levites and the ark remained below, between the hills. The Levites turned their faces towards Mount Gerizim, and began with the blessing, “Blessed is the man,” &c., and both sides answered “Amen.” They then turned their faces towards Mount Ebal, and began the curse, saying, “Cursed is the man,” &c. The “Amen” again resounded; and the process was repeated until the last curse was reached. The question whether all the blessings preceded all the cursings is discussed; but the opinion preferred is, that each blessing had its corresponding curse, and were pronounced alternately.
If this account be correct, and it seems both intelligible and probable, we see that the tribes were divided equally to “receive” the blessing and the curse, implying that all were equally liable to either, according as they should obey or transgress. If the one side had answered amen to the blessings, and the other to the curses, the tribes would literally have blessed and cursed the people. But the rule is explicit that all the people shall say “Amen;” and therefore we seem to gather this meaning from the Hebrew: These shall stand on Mount Gerizim for the blessing of the people, i.e., to receive the blessing on behalf of the whole, and these on Mount Ebal for the curse (i.e., to receive it on behalf of the rest). It is noticeable that “the law” which inflicts the curse, and the altar which represents in its sacrifices Him who bare the curse, are both on the same hill, Ebal. If the tribes redeemed are on the hill of blessing, the tribes that receive the curse are on the same hill with the Redeemer.
(12,13) Simeon, and Levi... and Naphtali. — Strictly speaking, there would be seven tribes on Gerizim to receive the blessing, and six on Ebal for the curse; because, tribally, Joseph must include Ephraim and Manasseh. The general position is that of the audience in an amphitheatre, the speakers being in the centre beneath, and the people on either side above. The more honourable tribes of Judah, Joseph, Benjamin, and Levi are posted on the southern hill, Gerizim. The tribes on Ebal are the four sons of the handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah, with Leah’s youngest son Zebulun; and the disinherited firstborn, Reuben, is placed at their head. These last tribes, upon the whole, may be said to have occupied the outer circle of Israel’s territory, to the east and to the north. The tribes on Gerizim are the more central tribes.