Deuteronomy 27:24 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 27:24 Commentary: The Curse on Secret Murder
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God curse secret murder? The verse shows no crime escapes His sight, and the community says 'Amen' to divine justice.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God curses murder committed in secret, and the community affirms that curse with “Amen.”
- Key words: “Cursed” (אָרוּר), divine judgment; “secretly” (בַּסָּתֶר), hidden from human sight; “Amen” (אָמֵן), community agreement.
- Main debate: Literal secret murder vs. slander (Targum Jonathan sees “smiting with the tongue”), and the source-critical origin of this curse list.
- Theological theme: God’s omniscience and the corporate responsibility of God’s people to uphold His justice.
- Best use: A pastoral entry point for discussing hidden sin, forgiveness, and the public nature of covenant faithfulness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
WEB World English Bible 2000
‘Cursed is he who secretly kills his neighbor.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
KJV King James Version 1769
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor in secret. And all the people shall say, Amen.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Cursed is he who is smiting his neighbour in secret, --and all the people have said, Amen.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly! And all the people shall say, Amen.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Cursed be he that secretly killeth his neighbour: and all the people shall say: Amen.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Maldito el que hiriere á su prójimo ocultamente. Y dirá todo el pueblo: Amén.
Maldito o que ferir a seu próximo ocultamente. E dirá todo o povo: Amém.
Maudit soit celui qui frappe son prochain en secret! Et tout le peuple dira: Amen!
Verflucht sei, wer seinen Nächsten heimlich erschlägt! Und alles Volk soll sagen: Amen.
Vervloekt zij, die zijn naaste in het verborgene verslaat! En al het volk zal zeggen: Amen.
Maledetto chi uccide il suo prossimo in occulto! E tutto il popolo dirà: Amen.
Przeklęty, któryby zabił tajemnie bliźniego swego; i rzecze wszystek lud Amen.
Проклят, кто тайно убивает ближнего своего! И весь народ скажет: аминь.
「『暗中 殺 人的，必受咒詛！』百姓 都 要說：『阿們！』
Cursed is he who takes his neighbour's life secretly. And let all the people say, So be it.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 27:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse pronounces God’s curse on murder committed in secret, a crime that human courts cannot see or punish. As Matthew Henry notes, the curse targets those who “smite their neighbour secretly,” either by actual killing or, as the Targum of Jonathan interprets, by slander (what Gill calls “smiting with the third tongue” of false accusation). The communal cry of “Amen” binds the people to affirm this judgment, making each Israelite a witness and participant. Cambridge Bible adds that the list of curses here originates from an independent source, perhaps a local liturgy used at Shechem. What is consistent across traditions: hidden offenses are fully exposed before God, and the nation publicly agrees that such acts call for His curse.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal secret murder: Plain reading of ‘strikes his neighbor’ (v.24) in context of laws against killing (Exod 20:13, 21:12-14).
- Slander (Targumic reading): Rabbinical tradition interprets ‘secret killing’ as defamation, which destroys character invisibly. Supported by Gill and the Targum of Jonathan.
What is clear: All traditions agree that secret wrongdoing—whether violent or verbal—stands under God's judgment and requires the community's honest participation in justice and confession.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Literal murder or slander | The verse pronounces God’s curse on harming a neighbor, whether by violence or word. | Most commentators read this as physical murder done in secret. Gill and the Targum of Jonathan expand it to include slander and false accusation, understanding “smite” as metaphor for destructive speech. |
| Source and dating of the curse list | Deuteronomy 27 contains a set of twelve curses associated with the covenant ceremony at Shechem. | Critical scholarship (as seen in Cambridge Bible) suggests this passage comes from an independent liturgical source, not directly from the Deuteronomist or the Elohist. This affects how one interprets the list’s relationship to the rest of Deuteronomy, but does not change the moral thrust. |
| Self-imprecation in 'Amen' | The people say “Amen” to accept the curse as binding on the community. | Some emphasize that “Amen” is a self-curse (invoking the punishment on oneself if guilty), while others see it as simple affirmation of God’s justice. Both views recognize the peoples’ public agreement. |
| Applicability to believers today | God judges all sin, including hidden sin. | Christians differ on whether Old Testament curses apply directly to the church. Some see it as a principle of God’s character, others as a specific covenant obligation for Israel. The cross is the place where curse is replaced with blessing (Galatians 3:13). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 27 describes a covenant-renewal ceremony at Mounts Ebal and Gerizim after Israel crosses the Jordan. Six tribes stand on Gerizim to bless, six on Ebal to curse, and the Levites recite twelve curses aloud. This is a public, theatrical act: the entire nation hears the curse, says “Amen” and takes responsibility for upholding God’s law. Verse 24 specifically targets murder done “secretly”, in a place where no court could convict. Ancient Israel had both sanctuary cities (Numbers 35) and a system of judges, but some violent acts escaped legal punishment. The curse fills that gap: even when no human witness saw the crime, God saw it, and the community accepts His verdict. The context of the twelve curses (vv.15, 26) covers idolatry, dishonoring parents, sexual sin, bribery, and finally the general curse on breaking the whole law. Verse 24 sits within a set that focuses on hidden or hard-to-prove offenses (removing landmarks, misleading the blind, perverting justice for the vulnerable). Historically, this ceremony gave Israel a shared language about God’s omniscience and the seriousness of covenant loyalty.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentary excerpts do not mention any textual variants for Deuteronomy 27:24. The verse is consistent across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. The consulted sources note no significant issues in the transmitted text.
Reception History
Jewish tradition, as represented by the Targum of Jonathan, interpreted “strikes his neighbor secretly” figuratively as slander, a “strike with the tongue” that destroys reputation without witnesses. This reading appears in Gill’s commentary and influenced Christian moral teaching on gossip and backbiting. Early church fathers such as John Chrysostom used this verse to argue that hidden sins are more dangerous because they deceive the sinner. The Reformation saw it as a warning against hypocrisy: Matthew Henry connects secret murder to the “curse of God” that overtakes the guilty even when human justice fails. Modern preachers often apply it to private hatred and the need for communal accountability. The verse has also been sung in hymns about divine omniscience, though no specific hymn title is preserved in the sources.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God sees what people do not. The curse targets secret murder, no human witness required. Even hidden violence is an open book to God.
- The community says “Amen.” Israel does not merely approve the curse; they invoke it on themselves if they commit such sin. The “Amen” is both assent and self-imprecation.
- Secret sin has public consequences. Although hidden from courts, sin undermines the covenant community and invites God’s judgment. The curse stands until it is dealt with.
Five-point outline
- Secret murder in the law. Exodus 20:13 prohibits killing; Deuteronomy 19 explains manslaughter vs. premeditated murder. This verse closes the loophole of secrecy.
- The heart of the matter. The crime is done in the heart or in the dark, but God knows motives and actions (Hebrews 4:13).
- Covenantal holiness. The nation is set apart; hidden murder pollutes the land. Numbers 35:33 says bloodshed defiles the land unless atoned for.
- Christ as the curse-bearer. Galatians 3:13 ties “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” to our deliverance. Jesus took the curse for secret sins we hide.
- The response of faith. “Amen” is the believer’s agreement with God’s judgment, turning from hidden evil and trusting Christ for mercy.
Illustration hooks
- A person who commits a crime never caught, but spends a lifetime looking over their shoulder. The curse is a reality no human court can create or remove.
- Office gossip that destroys a reputation: the “secret sledgehammer” of slander. The Targum’s reading of “striking with the tongue” becomes visible in ruined friendships.
- A hidden assumption that “if no one knows, it’s fine.” This curse declares that God knows, and the community, when it says “Amen”, lives under that truth.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What is the difference between a secret sin and a private struggle, does this verse condemn both?
- If I have hidden sin from others but not confessed it, does this curse apply to me?
- How can we as a church say “Amen” to God’s justice when we also extend grace to sinners?
Leading a Discussion
This small-group study focuses on Deuteronomy 27:24 within the covenant ceremony. The verse teaches that no sin, however hidden, escapes God’s notice, and that the community stands with God in affirming this truth. Discuss how you and your group can “say Amen” to God’s just standards while also living in the grace Christ provides.
Discussion questions
- Read Deuteronomy 27:24 and note the phrase “secretly kills his neighbor.” What kinds of secret sins today cause harm similar to physical murder?
- The people respond with “Amen.” In the Old Testament, “Amen” often means “so be it” and includes acceptance of the curse upon oneself. How does that weight shape how we use “Amen” in prayer?
- Gill mentions the Targum of Jonathan that interprets “smites” as slander. How does slander destroy others “in secret”?
- Deuteronomy 29:29 says “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children.” How does this verse balance mystery and accountability?
- How does Jesus’ teaching about murder in the heart (Matthew 5:21-22) connect to this curse on secret killing?
- In church history, some have used this verse to teach that God punishes hidden sin even without human repentance. Others focus on God’s mercy through Christ. How do you hold both justice and grace together?
- Close with a brief moment of silence for any hidden sin you want to confess to God, then pray the “Amen” of trust in Christ’s forgiveness.
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 20:13 | “You shall not murder. |
| Exodus 21:12 | “One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death, |
| Exodus 21:14 | If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die. |
| Leviticus 24:17 | “‘He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death. |
| Numbers 35:31 | “‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death. He shall surely be put to death. |
| Deuteronomy 19:11 | But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities; |
| Deuteronomy 19:12 | then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. |
| II Samuel 3:27 | When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that this list of twelve curses stands apart from the surrounding text: here only the Levites pronounce curses, with no blessing, and the sins condemned come from sources beyond Deuteronomy itself. The unusual phrasing Levites and unto all the men of Israel suggests a late editor added it from an independent liturgy, not from the same hand as the preceding passage.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes draw attention to the public, communal "Amen" that follows the curse. The people are not passive listeners but active participants, solemnly agreeing that secret violence against a neighbor deserves divine judgment. This corporate affirmation makes the curse binding on the whole community.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes the curse applies to two kinds of secret harm: murder that goes undiscovered, and slander or backbiting, which he calls "smiting with the third tongue." The people's "Amen" affirms God's judgment against both the hidden killer and the secret defamer.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes that the curses were not just spoken over the people but were answered by their own "Amen," making each Israelite a voluntary party to the covenant. This ceremony taught that even secret sins, like those listed, cannot hide from God, and the nation as a whole bound itself to uphold His law.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that "smiteth" means killing, and he extends it to include judicial murder carried out under the cover of law. This, he says, is the greatest affront to God. Anyone who contributes to accusing, convicting, or condemning an innocent person falls under a curse.