The Command to Leave Horeb

These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan--that is, in the Arabah--opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)
       In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that THE LORD had commanded him concerning them. This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
       East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:

       THE LORD our GOD said to us at Horeb, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that THE LORD swore HE would give to your fathers--to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--and to their descendants after them."


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 1, verses 1 - 8

The Appointment of Leaders

       At that time I said to you, "You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone. THE LORD your GOD has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky. May THE LORD, THE GOD of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as HE has promised! But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself? Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you."
       You answered me, "What you propose to do is good."
       So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you--as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to GOD. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it. And at that time I told you everything you were to do.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 1, verses 9 - 18

Spies Sent Out

       Then, as THE LORD our GOD commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful desert that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea. Then I said to you, "You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which THE LORD our GOD is giving us. See, THE LORD your GOD has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as THE LORD, THE GOD of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
       Then all of you came to me and said, "Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to."
       The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe. They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and explored it. Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, "It is a good land that THE LORD our GOD is giving us."


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 1, verses 19 - 25

Rebellion Against THE LORD

       But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of THE LORD your GOD. You grumbled in your tents and said, "THE LORD hates us; so HE brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.' "
       Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. THE LORD your GOD, who is going before you, will fight for you, as HE did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how THE LORD your GOD carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."
       In spite of this, you did not trust in THE LORD your GOD, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.
       When THE LORD heard what you said, HE was angry and solemnly swore: "Not a man of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your forefathers, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed THE LORD wholeheartedly."
       Because of you THE LORD became angry with me also and said, "You shall not enter it, either. But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad--they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea."
       Then you replied, "We have sinned against THE LORD. We will go up and fight, as THE LORD our GOD commanded us." So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.
       But THE LORD said to me, "Tell them, 'Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.' "
       So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against THE LORD'S command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah. You came back and wept before THE LORD, but HE paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you. And so you stayed in Kadesh many days--all the time you spent there.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 1, verses 26 - 46

Wanderings in the Desert

Then we turned back and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea, as THE LORD had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.
       Then THE LORD said to me, "You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. Give the people these orders: 'You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.' "
       THE LORD your GOD has blessed you in all the work of your hands. HE has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years THE LORD your GOD has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.
       So we went on past our brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.
       Then THE LORD said to me, "Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession."
       (The Emites used to live there--a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites. Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land THE LORD gave them as their possession.)
       And THE LORD said, "Now get up and cross the Zered Valley." So we crossed the valley.
       Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as THE LORD had sworn to them. THE LORD'S hand was against them until HE had completely eliminated them from the camp.
       Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died, THE LORD said to me, "Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar. When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot."
       (That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites. They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. THE LORD destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place. THE LORD had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when HE destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day. And as for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites coming out from Caphtor destroyed them and settled in their place.)


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 2, verses 1 - 23

Defeat of Sihon King of Heshbon

       "Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you."
       From the desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying, "Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left. Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot--as the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar, did for us--until we cross the Jordan into the land THE LORD our GOD is giving us." But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For THE LORD your GOD had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as HE has now done.
       THE LORD said to me, "See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land."
       When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, THE LORD our GOD delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army. At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them--men, women and children. We left no survivors. But the livestock and the plunder from the towns we had captured we carried off for ourselves. From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for us. THE LORD our GOD gave us all of them. But in accordance with the command of THE LORD our GOD, you did not encroach on any of the land of the Ammonites, neither the land along the course of the Jabbok nor that around the towns in the hills.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 2, verses 24 - 37

Defeat of Og King of Bashan

Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei. THE LORD said to me, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."
       So THE LORD our GOD also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors. At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them--the whole region of Argob, Og's kingdom in Bashan. All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages. We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city--men, women and children. But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.
       So at that time we took from these two kings of the Amorites the territory east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far as Mount Hermon. (Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.) We took all the towns on the plateau, and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, towns of Og's kingdom in Bashan. (Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 3, verses 1 - 11

Division of the Land

       Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns. The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites. Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair.) And I gave Gilead to Makir. But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.
       I commanded you at that time: "THE LORD your GOD has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your ablebodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of your brother Israelites. However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you, until THE LORD gives rest to your brothers as HE has to you, and they too have taken over the land that THE LORD your GOD is giving them, across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you."


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 3, verses 12 - 20

Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan

       At that time I commanded Joshua: "You have seen with your own eyes all that THE LORD your GOD has done to these two kings. THE LORD will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. Do not be afraid of them; THE LORD your GOD HIMSELF will fight for you."
       At that time I pleaded with THE LORD: "O SOVEREIGN LORD, YOU have begun to show to YOUR servant YOUR greatness and YOUR strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works YOU do? Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan--that fine hill country and Lebanon."
       But because of you THE LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," THE LORD said. "Do not speak to ME anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see." So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 3, verses 21 - 29

Obedience Commanded

Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that THE LORD, THE GOD of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of THE LORD your GOD that I give you.
       You saw with your own eyes what THE LORD did at Baal Peor. THE LORD your GOD destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who hold fast to THE LORD your GOD are still alive today.
       See, I have taught you decrees and laws as THE LORD my GOD commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way THE LORD our GOD is near us whenever we pray to HIM? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
       Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember the day you stood before THE LORD your GOD at Horeb, when HE said to me, "Assemble the people before ME to hear MY words so that they may learn to revere ME as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children." You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. Then THE LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. HE declared to you HIS covenant, the Ten Commandments, which HE commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. And THE LORD directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 4, verses 1 - 14

Idolatry Forbidden

       You saw no form of any kind the day THE LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars--all the heavenly array--do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things THE LORD your GOD has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. But as for you, THE LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of HIS inheritance, as you now are.
       THE LORD was angry with me because of you, and HE solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land THE LORD your GOD is giving you as your inheritance. I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. Be careful not to forget the covenant of THE LORD your GOD that HE made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything THE LORD your GOD has forbidden. For THE LORD your GOD is a consuming fire, a jealous GOD.
       After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time--if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of THE LORD your GOD and provoking HIM to anger, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. THE LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which THE LORD will drive you. There you will worship man made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you seek THE LORD your GOD, you will find HIM if you look for HIM with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to THE LORD your GOD and obey HIM. For THE LORD your GOD is a merciful GOD; HE will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which HE confirmed to them by oath.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 4, verses 15 - 31

THE LORD Is GOD

       Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day GOD created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? Has any other people heard the voice of GOD speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things THE LORD your GOD did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
       You were shown these things so that you might know that THE LORD is GOD; besides HIM there is no other. From heaven HE made you hear HIS voice to discipline you. On earth HE showed you HIS great fire, and you heard HIS words from out of the fire. Because HE loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, HE brought you out of Egypt by HIS Presence and HIS great strength, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.
       Acknowledge and take to heart this day that THE LORD is GOD in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep HIS decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land THE LORD your GOD gives you for all time.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 4, verses 32 - 40

Cities of Refuge

       Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if he had unintentionally killed his neighbor without malice aforethought. He could flee into one of these cities and save his life. The cities were these: Bezer in the desert plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 4, verses 41 - 43

Introduction to the Law

       This is the law Moses set before the Israelites. These are the stipulations, decrees and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt and were in the valley near Beth Peor east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites as they came out of Egypt. They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. This land extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Siyon (that is, Hermon), and included all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 4, verses 44 - 49

The Ten Commandments

Moses summoned all Israel and said:
       Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. THE LORD your GOD made a covenant with us at Horeb. It was not with our fathers that THE LORD made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. THE LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. (At that time I stood between THE LORD and you to declare to you the word of THE LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And HE said:

          "I AM THE LORD your GOD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
       "You shall have no other gods before ME.
       "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, THE LORD your GOD, AM a jealous GOD, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate ME, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love ME and keep MY commandments.
       "You shall not misuse the name of THE LORD your GOD, for THE LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses HIS name.
       "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as THE LORD your GOD has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to THE LORD your GOD. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that THE LORD your GOD brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore THE LORD your GOD has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
       "Honor your father and your mother, as THE LORD your GOD has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land THE LORD your GOD is giving you.
       "You shall not murder.
       "You shall not commit adultery.
       "You shall not steal.
       "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
       "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

       These are the commandments THE LORD proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and HE added nothing more. Then HE wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.
       When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leading men of your tribes and your elders came to me. And you said, "THE LORD our GOD has shown us HIS glory and HIS majesty, and we have heard HIS voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if GOD speaks with him. But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of THE LORD our GOD any longer. For what mortal man has ever heard the voice of THE LIVING GOD speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? Go near and listen to all that THE LORD our GOD says. Then tell us whatever THE LORD our GOD tells you. We will listen and obey."
       THE LORD heard you when you spoke to me and THE LORD said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear ME and keep all MY commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!
       "Go, tell them to return to their tents. But you stay here with ME so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess."
       So be careful to do what THE LORD your GOD has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that THE LORD your GOD has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 5

Love THE LORD Your GOD

These are the commands, decrees and laws THE LORD your GOD directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear THE LORD your GOD as long as you live by keeping all HIS decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as THE LORD, THE GOD of your fathers, promised you.
       Hear, O Israel: THE LORD your GOD, THE LORD is one. Love THE LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
       When THE LORD your GOD brings you into the land HE swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you--a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant--then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget THE LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
       Fear THE LORD your GOD, serve HIM only and take your oaths in HIS name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for THE LORD your GOD, who is among you, is a jealous GOD and HIS anger will burn against you, and HE will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not test THE LORD your GOD as you did at Massah. Be sure to keep the commands of THE LORD your GOD and the stipulations and decrees HE has given you. Do what is right and good in THE LORD'S sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that THE LORD promised on oath to your forefathers, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as THE LORD said.
       In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws THE LORD our GOD has commanded you?" tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but THE LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes THE LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders--great and terrible--upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But HE brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that HE promised on oath to our forefathers. THE LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear THE LORD our GOD, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before THE LORD our GOD, as HE has commanded us, that will be our righteousness."


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 6

Driving Out the Nations

When THE LORD your GOD brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations--the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you--and when THE LORD your GOD has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and THE LORD'S anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to THE LORD your GOD. THE LORD your GOD has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be HIS people, HIS treasured possession.
       THE LORD did not set HIS affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because THE LORD loved you and kept the oath HE swore to your forefathers that HE brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that THE LORD your GOD is GOD; HE is the faithful GOD, keeping HIS covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love HIM and keep HIS commands. But

          those who hate HIM HE will repay to their face by destruction;
              HE will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate HIM.

Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.
       If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then THE LORD your GOD will keep HIS covenant of love with you, as HE swore to your forefathers. HE will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. HE will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land--your grain, new wine and oil--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that HE swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. THE LORD will keep you free from every disease. HE will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but HE will inflict them on all who hate you. You must destroy all the peoples THE LORD your GOD gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
       You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" But do not be afraid of them; remember well what THE LORD your GOD did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which THE LORD your GOD brought you out. THE LORD your GOD will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. Moreover, THE LORD your GOD will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. Do not be terrified by them, for THE LORD your GOD, who is among you, is a great and awesome GOD. THE LORD your GOD will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But THE LORD your GOD will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. HE will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them. The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to THE LORD your GOD. Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 7

Do Not Forget THE LORD

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that THE LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how THE LORD your GOD led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep HIS commands. HE humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of THE LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so THE LORD your GOD disciplines you.
       Observe the commands of THE LORD your GOD, walking in HIS ways and revering HIM. For THE LORD your GOD is bringing you into a good land--a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
       When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise THE LORD your GOD for the good land HE has given you. Be careful that you do not forget THE LORD your GOD, failing to observe HIS commands, HIS laws and HIS decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget THE LORD your GOD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. HE led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. HE brought you water out of hard rock. HE gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember THE LORD your GOD, for it is HE who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms HIS covenant, which HE swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
       If you ever forget THE LORD your GOD and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations THE LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying THE LORD your GOD.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 8

Not Because of Israel's Righteouness

Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall--Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: "Who can stand up against the Anakites?" But be assured today that THE LORD your GOD is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. HE will destroy them; HE will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as THE LORD has promised you.
       After THE LORD your GOD has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "THE LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that THE LORD is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, THE LORD your GOD will drive them out before you, to accomplish what HE swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that THE LORD your GOD is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 9, verses 1 - 6

The Golden Calf

       Remember this and never forget how you provoked THE LORD your GOD to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against THE LORD. At Horeb you aroused THE LORD'S wrath so that HE was angry enough to destroy you. When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that THE LORD had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water. THE LORD gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of GOD. On them were all the commandments THE LORD proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.
       At the end of the forty days and forty nights, THE LORD gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. Then THE LORD told me, "Go down from here at once, because your people who you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made a cast idol for themselves."
       And THE LORD said to me, "I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed! Let ME alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they."
       So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands. When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against THE LORD your GOD; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that THE LORD had commanded you. So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them to pieces before your eyes.
       Then once again I fell prostrate before THE LORD for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in THE LORD'S sight and so provoking HIM to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of THE LORD, for HE was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again THE LORD listened to me. And THE LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too. Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.
       You also made THE LORD angry at Taberah, at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah.
       And when THE LORD sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, HE said, "Go up and take possession of the land I have given you." But you rebelled against the command of THE LORD your GOD. You did not trust HIM or obey HIM. You have been rebellious against THE LORD ever since I have known you.
       I lay prostrate before THE LORD those forty days and forty nights because THE LORD had said HE would destroy you. I prayed to THE LORD and said, "O SOVEREIGN LORD, do not destroy YOUR people, YOUR own inheritance that YOU redeemed by YOUR great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember YOUR servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin. Otherwise, the country from which YOU brought us will say, 'Because THE LORD was not able to take them into the land HE had promised them, and because HE hated them, HE brought them out to put them to death in the desert.' But they are YOUR people, YOUR inheritance that YOU brought out by YOUR great power and YOUR outstretched arm."


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 9, verses 7 - 29

Tablets Like the First Ones

At that time THE LORD said to me, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to ME on the mountain. Also make a wooden chest. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the chest."
       So I made the ark out of acacia wood and chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. THE LORD wrote on these tablets what HE had written before, the Ten Commandments HE had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. And THE LORD gave them to me. Then I came back down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made, as THE LORD commanded me, and they are there now.
       (The Israelites traveled from the wells of the Jaakanites to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar his son succeeded him as priest. From there they traveled to Gudgodah and on to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water. At that time THE LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of THE LORD, to stand before THE LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in HIS name, as they still do today. That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their brothers; THE LORD is their inheritance, as THE LORD your GOD told them.)
       Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time, and THE LORD listened to me at this time also. It was not HIS will to destroy you. "Go," THE LORD said to me, "and lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land that I swore to their fathers to give them."


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 10, verses 1 - 11

Fear THE LORD

       And now, O Israel, what does THE LORD your GOD ask of you but to fear THE LORD your GOD, to walk in all HIS ways, to love HIM, to serve THE LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe THE LORD'S commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
       To THE LORD your GOD belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet THE LORD set HIS affection on your forefathers and loved them, and HE chose you, their descendants, above all nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For THE LORD your GOD is GOD of gods and LORD of lords, THE GREAT GOD, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. HE defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Fear THE LORD your GOD and serve HIM. Hold fast to HIM and take your oaths in HIS name. HE is your praise; HE is your GOD, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now THE LORD your GOD has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 10, verses 12 - 22

Love and Obey THE LORD

Love THE LORD your GOD and keep HIS requirements, HIS decrees, HIS laws and HIS commands always. Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of THE LORD your GOD: HIS majesty, HIS mighty hand, HIS outstretched arm; the signs HE performed and the things HE did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; what HE did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how HE overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how THE LORD brought lasting ruin on them. It was not your children who saw what HE did for you in the desert until you arrived at this place, and what HE did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things THE LORD has done.
       Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land that THE LORD swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land THE LORD your GOD cares for; the eyes of THE LORD your GOD are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
       So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today--to love THE LORD your GOD and to serve HIM with all your heart and with all your soul--then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
       Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then THE LORD'S anger will burn against you, and HE will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land THE LORD is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that THE LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
       If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow--to love THE LORD your GOD, to walk in all HIS ways and to hold fast to HIM--then THE LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the western sea. No man will be able to stand against you. THE LORD your GOD, as HE promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
       See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse--the blessing if you obey the commands of THE LORD your GOD that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of THE LORD your GOD and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. When THE LORD your GOD has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses. As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, west of the road, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal. You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land THE LORD your GOD is giving you. When you have taken it over and are living there, be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 11

The One Place of Worship

These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that THE LORD, THE GOD of your fathers, has given you to possess--as long as you live in the land. Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains and on the hills and under every spreading tree where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.
       You must not worship THE LORD your GOD in their way. But you are to seek the place THE LORD your GOD will choose from among all your tribes to put HIS Name there for HIS dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of THE LORD your GOD, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because THE LORD your GOD has blessed you.
       You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit, since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance THE LORD your GOD is giving you. But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land THE LORD your GOD is giving you as an inheritance, and HE will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. Then to the place THE LORD your GOD will choose as a dwelling for HIS Name--there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to THE LORD. And there rejoice before THE LORD your GOD, you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns, who have no allotment or inheritance of their own. Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place THE LORD will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.
       Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing THE LORD your GOD gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of THE LORD your GOD at the place THE LORD your GOD will choose--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns--and you are to rejoice before THE LORD your GOD in everything you put your hand to. Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
       When THE LORD your GOD has enlarged your territory as HE promised you, and you crave meat and say, "I would like some meat," then you may eat as much of it as you want. If the place where THE LORD your GOD chooses to put HIS Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks THE LORD has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want. Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of THE LORD.
       But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give, and go to the place THE LORD will choose. Present your burnt offerings on the altar of THE LORD your GOD, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of THE LORD your GOD, but you may eat the meat. Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of THE LORD your GOD.
       THE LORD your GOD will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, "How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same." You must not worship THE LORD your GOD in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things THE LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
       See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 12

Worshiping Other GODS

If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. THE LORD your GOD is testing you to find out whether you love HIM with all your heart and with all your soul. It is THE LORD your GOD you must follow, and HIM you must revere. Keep HIS commands and obey HIM; serve HIM and hold fast to HIM. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against THE LORD your GOD, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way THE LORD your GOD commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
       If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closet friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from THE LORD your GOD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.
       If you hear it said about one of the towns THE LORD your GOD is giving you to live in that wicked men have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods you have not known), then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. Destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. Gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to THE LORD your GOD. It is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt. None of those condemned things shall be found in your hands, so that THE LORD will turn from HIS fierce anger; HE will show you mercy, have compassion on you, and increase your numbers, as HE promised on oath to your forefathers, because you obey THE LORD your GOD, keeping all HIS commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in HIS eyes.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 13

Clean and Unclean Food

You are the children of THE LORD your GOD. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, for you are a people holy to THE LORD your GOD. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, THE LORD has chosen you to be HIS treasured possession.
       Do not eat any detestable thing. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.
       Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean.
       You may eat any clean bird. But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.
       All flying insects that swarm are unclean to you; do not eat them. But any winged creature that is clean you may eat.
       Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. But you are a people holy to THE LORD your GOD.
       Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 14, verses 1 - 21

Tithes

       Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of THE LORD your GOD at the place HE will choose as a dwelling for HIS Name, so that you may learn to revere THE LORD your GOD always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by THE LORD your GOD and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where THE LORD will choose to put HIS Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place THE LORD your GOD will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of THE LORD your GOD and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
       At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that THE LORD your GOD may bless you in all the work of your hands.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 14, verses 22 - 29

The Year for Canceling Debts

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because THE LORD'S time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land THE LORD your GOD is giving you to possess as your inheritance, HE will richly bless you, if only you fully obey THE LORD your GOD and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For THE LORD your GOD will bless you as HE has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.
       If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that THE LORD your GOD is giving you, do not be hard hearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to THE LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this THE LORD your GOD will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 15, verses 1 - 11

Freeing Servants

       If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as THE LORD your GOD has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and THE LORD your GOD redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.
       But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.
       Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And THE LORD your GOD will bless you in everything you do.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 15, verses 12 - 18

The Firstborn Animals

       Set apart for THE LORD your GOD every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your oxen to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep. Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of THE LORD your GOD at the place HE will choose. If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to THE LORD your GOD. You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer. But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 15, verses 19 - 23

Passover

Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover of THE LORD your GOD, because in the month of Abib HE brought you out of Egypt by night. Sacrifice as the Passover to THE LORD your GOD an animal from your flock or herd at the place THE LORD will choose as a dwelling for HIS Name. Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste--so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt. Let no yeast be found in your possession in all your land for seven days. Do not let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until morning.
       You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town THE LORD your GOD gives you except in the place HE will choose as a dwelling for HIS Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. Roast it and eat it at the place THE LORD your GOD will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to THE LORD your GOD and do no work.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 16, verses 1 - 8

Feast of Weeks

       Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to THE LORD your GOD by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings THE LORD your GOD has given you. And rejoice before THE LORD your GOD at the place HE will choose as a dwelling for HIS Name--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites in your towns, and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows living among you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and follow carefully these decrees.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 16, verses 9 - 12

Feast of Tabernacles

       Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your Feast--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. For seven days celebrate the Feast to THE LORD your GOD at the place THE LORD will choose. For THE LORD your GOD will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.
       Three times a year all your men must appear before THE LORD your GOD at the place HE will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before THE LORD empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way THE LORD your GOD has blessed you.


The Book of Deuteronomy: chapter 16, verses 13 - 17