Then ¹  Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll.

Yes, ¹  the wicked man ²  boasts because he gets what he wants; ³  the one who robs others ⁴  curses ⁵  and ⁶  rejects the Lord. ⁷ 

He loved to curse ¹  others, so those curses have come upon him. ²  He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings. ³ 

He made cursing a way of life, ¹  so curses poured into his stomach like water and seeped into his bones like oil. ² 

There is a generation ¹  who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. ² 

For God said, ¹  ‘Honor your father and mother’ ²  and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ ³ 

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ ¹  and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ ² 

May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. You will be ¹  lord ²  over your brothers, and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. ³  May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”

Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live!

I said, ¹  “Oh, mother, how I regret ²  that you ever gave birth to me! I am always starting arguments and quarrels with the people of this land. ³  I have not lent money to anyone and I have not borrowed from anyone. Yet all of these people are treating me with contempt.” ⁴ 

These curses ¹  will be a perpetual sign and wonder with reference to you and your descendants. ² 

At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed. ¹ 

Then he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about!”

But now, put off all such things ¹  as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

“When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses ¹  I have set before you, you will reflect upon them ²  in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you.

“The Lord will send on you a curse, confusing you and opposing you ¹  in everything you undertake ²  until you are destroyed and quickly perish because of the evil of your deeds, in that you have forsaken me. ³ 

But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me! Each one of them followed the stubborn inclinations of his own wicked heart. So I brought on them all the punishments threatened in the covenant because they did not carry out its terms as I commanded them to do.’” ¹ 

Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction ¹  and this day grant me good in place of his curse.” ² 

If you do not obey me, ¹  then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. ²  And I will make this city an example to be used in curses by people from all the nations on the earth.’”

If you do not listen and take seriously ¹  the need to honor my name,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will send judgment ²  on you and turn your blessings into curses – indeed, I have already done so because you are not taking it to heart.