DEUTERONOMY
CHAPTER 27
Israel shall cross Jordan, build an altar, and worship the Lord—They are the Lord’s people, but shall be cursed if they do not obey him.
1 AND Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:
3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.
5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy
God, an altar of stones:
thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon
them. [ The stones are to be whole - as cut by
the power of God naturally- they were not to be the work of men - acording
to the law of Moses, See Josh 8:31; 1 Kgs 18:31-32,
1 Ne 2:7, Ex 20:25; Duet 4:15-16. ]
6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God:
9 ¶ And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, [ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearken which means to "listen" and "obey". ] , O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.
10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
11 ¶ And Moses [ Moses was nearing the end of his mortal life, he wanted the Israelites to be able to choose to be blessed instead of cursed, just as the student was able to choose the treat instead of the rock. To help the Israelites choose to be blessed, he instructed Joshua to set up a learning experience for Israel. the Lord gave instructions about what was to happen once the children of Israel entered the promised land. They were to go to Shechem, which was located in a valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Moses instructed that half of the tribes of Israel should stand on Mount Gerizim and the other half should stand on Mount Ebal. The Levites were to stand in the valley between the two mountains and recite the actions that would result in blessings and those that would result in curses as designated by God. When actions resulting in curses were recited, as described in Deuteronomy 27:14–26, the tribes on Mount Ebal were to say “amen.” (See Joshua 8:33–35.) Although not specifically stated in the scriptures, it may have been that when the actions resulting in blessings were recited, the tribes on Mount Gerizim responded with “amen” as well. Deuteronomy 28 further clarifies what the Lord wanted the Israelites to learn from this experience. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/old-testament-seminary-teacher-manual/introduction-to-the-book-of-deuteronomy/lesson-71-deuteronomy-27-34?lang=eng
] 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.
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.
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.