What Does Deuteronomy 27:11 Mean in the King James?

And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,

Deuteronomy 27:11 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

A “charge” and a “commandment” grow from the same Hebrew root, so the people are gathered into instruction as it is spoken.

THE MEANING

You stand among the people receiving this spoken instruction now. The address gathers the whole community into a shared hearing on that very day.

THE ROOT

וַיְצַו

vayetsav

GROWS FROM

צוה

tsavah

to command, direct, or charge

The verb translated “charged” shares its root with ⁨מִצְוָה⁩ (mitzvah, commandment), joining the spoken charge to the instruction itself. The word places the people together under a shared address, spoken on that day.

ALSO GROWS

mitzvah: A commandment or directive.

מִצְוָה

It shares the root ⁨צוה⁩ with “charged,” connecting Moses’ spoken address to the instruction it carries.

tsav: A command or precept.

צַו

This shorter form shows the same root at work in a direct command.

THE PATTERN

A spoken charge gathers a whole people around instruction they can hear together.

Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

Deuteronomy 31:12 · KJVThe whole gathered community hears instruction together.

And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

Nehemiah 8:3 · KJVInstruction is voiced publicly, and the people receive it by listening together.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

Acts 2:14 · KJVA public address calls a gathered people to hear its words.

THE THREAD

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Deuteronomy 6:6 · KJV

“Command” here comes from the same root, ⁨צוה⁩ (tsavah), as “charged” in Deuteronomy 27:11. The words spoken to the people are also to be received within the heart, joining shared hearing with inward keeping.

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