‘Cursed is anyone who steals property from a neighbor by moving a boundary marker.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
Parallel translations
- WEB ‘Cursed is he who removes his neighbor’s landmark.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
- KJV Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
- BSB ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- ESV “‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
- NKJV ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
- NASB ‘Cursed is one who displaces his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A curse falls on the one who moves a neighbor's boundary marker, a hidden form of theft.
Overview
Removing a landmark secretly stole a neighbor's inheritance, which in Israel was a sacred trust from God. This curse protects the vulnerable from quiet injustice. It reveals that God's law guards not only public crimes but covert dishonesty.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Deut 19:14You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit, in the land that Yahweh your God gives you to possess.
- Prov 22:28Don’t move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.
- Prov 23:10–11Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 27:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.