Exodus 34:6-16

6 God passed in front of him and called out, "God, God, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient - so much love, so deeply true -
7 loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, he doesn't ignore sin. He holds sons and grandsons responsible for a father's sins to the third and even fourth generation."
8 At once, Moses fell to the ground and worshiped,
9 saying, "Please, O Master, if you see anything good in me, please Master, travel with us, hard-headed as these people are. Forgive our iniquity and sin. Own us, possess us."
10 And God said, "As of right now, I'm making a covenant with you: In full sight of your people I will work wonders that have never been created in all the Earth, in any nation. Then all the people with whom you're living will see how tremendous God's work is, the work I'll do for you.
11 Take careful note of all I command you today. I'm clearing your way by driving out Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
12 Stay vigilant. Don't let down your guard lest you make covenant with the people who live in the land that you are entering and they trip you up.
13 "Tear down their altars, smash their phallic pillars, chop down their fertility poles.
14 Don't worship any other god. God - his name is The-Jealous-One - is a jealous God.
15 Be careful that you don't make a covenant with the people who live in the land and take up with their sex-and-religion life, join them in meals at their altars,
16 marry your sons to their women, women who take up with any convenient god or goddess and will get your sons to do the same thing.

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Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.