Cursed be he that confirms not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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Basil the Great
AD 379
Moses was the writer of a great part of the law. Did he not add to it a threat against the transgressor or the negligent? He presents a general malediction upon all violators. This is seen in his introduction to the announcement of this most frightful penalty: “Cursed be every man that abides not in all that is written in the book of this law”; and elsewhere, “Cursed be he that does the work of the Lord negligently.” If he is accursed who does the work of the Lord negligently, what does he deserve who does not follow the law at all? Concerning Baptism
In the. The Samaritan, Septuagint, and St. Paul (Galatians iii. 10,) read, in all the words, which must probably be understood of the principal points of the law, specified in the preceding verses. (Calmet) See ver. 4.
The Jews could derive no advantage from the omission of the word all, as the general proposition would be equivalent. (Capellus.)
Some are of opinion, that the blessings which Moses ordered to be proclaimed, were the reverse of these curses, ver. 12. But, is that man truly blessed who observes one point of the law, while he perhaps is transgressing the rest? At this rate, the same man might be blessed and cursed at the same time. (Kennicott)
They are more probably, therefore, expressed in the following chapter, where the observance of all the commandments is previously required. The curses are denounced indefinitely, to imply that those who transgress the law, must stand before an unerring Judge, to receive an adequate punishment in eternity for their crying sins agai...
