Deuteronomy 27:16-20: a reflection

16‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 17‘Cursed is he who removes his neighbor’s landmark.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 18‘Cursed is he who leads the blind astray on the road.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 19‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, fatherless, and widow.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 20‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he dishonors his father’s bed.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

In the list of curses pronounced from Mount Ebal, many concern sins done in secret or against those who cannot defend themselves. Cursed is he who leads the blind astray on the road, the people say; cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow; cursed is he who removes his neighbor's landmark. These are wrongs done to the vulnerable, or in secret, where the victim cannot see or resist, and no one may notice. Yet God pronounces a curse on them, for he sees what others do not; the secret wrong and the mistreatment of the defenseless do not escape his notice, however hidden from human eyes.

Notice the kind of wrongs these curses name: secret sins and the mistreatment of the defenseless. Leading the blind astray, moving a boundary marker, denying justice to the fatherless, these are wrongs done where the victim cannot defend himself, or where no one is watching, wrongs one might commit thinking no one would know. But God pronounces them cursed; he sees what human eyes miss. The secret wrong, done in the dark, and the mistreatment of the vulnerable, who cannot resist or expose it, do not escape God. He cares how we treat the defenseless, and he sees the wrongs we do in secret. What we might do thinking no one sees, God sees, and it matters to him.

That is worth taking to heart, for God sees the secret wrongs we do and the mistreatment of the defenseless, and they matter to him. We can be tempted to wrong the vulnerable, who cannot resist, or to do secret wrongs, where no one is watching, thinking these will not be noticed; but God pronounces such wrongs cursed, for he sees what others do not. The secret sin and the mistreatment of the defenseless are not hidden from God. Do not do in secret what you would not do openly, nor mistreat the vulnerable because they cannot resist; God sees, and it matters to him. Live mindful that God sees the secret wrongs we might do and the mistreatment of the defenseless, treating the vulnerable justly and doing right even where no one is watching, as God pronounced his curse on such hidden and defenseless wrongs; for God sees what human eyes miss, and how we treat those who cannot defend themselves, and what we do in secret, matter to him.

Lord, in the list of curses pronounced from Mount Ebal, many concern sins done in secret or against those who cannot defend themselves. Cursed is he who leads the blind astray on the road, the people say; cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow; cursed is he who removes his neighbor's landmark. These are wrongs done to the vulnerable, or in secret, where the victim cannot see or resist. Yet you pronounce a curse on them, for you see what others do not. Show me the kind of wrongs these curses name: secret sins and the mistreatment of the defenseless. Leading the blind astray, moving a boundary marker, denying justice to the fatherless, these are wrongs done where the victim cannot defend himself, or where no one is watching. But you pronounce them cursed; you see what human eyes miss. The secret wrong, done in the dark, and the mistreatment of the vulnerable do not escape you. You care how we treat the defenseless, and you see the wrongs we do in secret. What we might do thinking no one sees, you see. Take that to my heart, for you see the secret wrongs I do and the mistreatment of the defenseless, and they matter to you. I can be tempted to wrong the vulnerable, who cannot resist, or to do secret wrongs, thinking these will not be noticed; but you pronounce such wrongs cursed. The secret sin and the mistreatment of the defenseless are not hidden from you. Keep me from doing in secret what I would not do openly, nor mistreating the vulnerable because they cannot resist; you see, Lord, and it matters to you. Help me live mindful that you see, treating the vulnerable justly and doing right even where no one is watching.