Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

DEUTERONOMY 27:17KJV
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Deuteronomy 27:17 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 27:17 mean?

Deuteronomy 27:17 warns that anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary marker is under a curse, and the whole community is to affirm this by saying “Amen.” The verse addresses the seriousness of tampering with property lines, treating it as a wrongful act that brings a curse rather than just a private dispute.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land, listing curses for specific wrongdoings that threaten justice and community life. In ancient Israel, boundary markers were stones or landmarks that showed where one person’s land ended and another’s began, so moving them was a way to steal land. The public response of “Amen” shows that the whole community is responsible for upholding fairness and honesty.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 27:17

  • “Cursed” (אָרוּר, ’arur, H779) means to be under divine judgment or misfortune. This word shows that moving a landmark is not just frowned upon, but is seen as a serious offense against God’s order.
  • “Removeth” (נָסַג, nasag, H5253) means to move or shift something away. Here, it specifically refers to the act of secretly or dishonestly moving a boundary stone.
  • “Landmark” (גְּבוּל, gevul, H1366) refers to a physical marker that sets the limits of property. In the ancient world, these were crucial for maintaining peace and fairness in land ownership.
  • “Amen” (אָמֵן, amen, H543) is an affirmation meaning “so be it” or “truly.” The people’s response makes the curse a shared commitment to uphold this standard.

Why Deuteronomy 27:17 matters

  • Deuteronomy 27:17 clarifies that property boundaries were not just personal matters but were protected by divine law, highlighting the importance of honesty and respect for others’ rights.
  • The verse shows that the whole community is involved in upholding justice, not just the individuals directly affected.
  • This warning fits into a larger section where Moses lists actions that undermine trust and order in society, showing that even seemingly small acts like moving a stone can have serious moral weight.

Where else these words appear

“removeth” Hebrew H5253 · used in 9 verses

  • Deuteronomy 19:14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
  • Proverbs 23:10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
  • Hosea 5:10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

“Amen” Hebrew H543 · used in 24 verses

  • Numbers 5:22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
  • Deuteronomy 27:22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
  • Nehemiah 8:6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

“Cursed” Hebrew H779 · used in 52 verses

  • Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
  • Numbers 24:9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
  • Joshua 9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.