Deuteronomy 1; Deuteronomy 7; Deuteronomy 9; Deuteronomy 10; Deuteronomy 14; Deuteronomy 15; Deuteronomy 16; Deuteronomy 17; Deuteronomy 18; Deuteronomy 19; Deuteronomy 20; Deuteronomy 21; Deuteronomy 22; Deuteronomy 23; Deuteronomy 24; Deuteronomy 25; Deuteronomy 30

Deuteronomy 1

1 These are the words Moses spoke to all of the people of Israel. At that time, they were in the desert east of the Jordan River. It's in the Arabah Valley across from Suph. They were between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.

2 It takes 11 days to go from Mount Horeb to Kadesh Barnea if you travel on the Mount Seir road.

3 It was now the 40th year since the people of Israel had left Egypt. On the first day of the 11th month, Moses spoke to them. He told them everything the LORD had commanded him to tell them.

4 They had already won the battle over Sihon. Sihon was the king of the Amorites. He had ruled in Heshbon. Israel had also won the battle over Og at Edrei. Og was the king of Bashan. He had ruled in Ashtaroth.

5 The people were east of the Jordan River in the territory of Moab. There Moses began to explain the law. Here is what he said.

6 The LORD our God spoke to us at Mount Horeb. He said, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain.

7 Take your tents down. Go into the hill country of the Amorites. Go to all of the people who are their neighbors. Go to the people who live in the Arabah Valley. Travel to the mountains and the western hills. Go to the people in the Negev Desert and along the coast. Travel to the land of Canaan and to Lebanon. Go as far as the great Euphrates River.

8 "I have given you all of that land. Go in and take it as your own. I took an oath. I promised I would give the land to your fathers. I promised it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I also said I would give it to their children after them."

9 At that time I spoke to you. I said, "You are too heavy a load for me to carry alone.

10 The LORD your God has increased your numbers. Today you are as many as the stars in the sky.

11 The LORD is the God of your people. May he increase your numbers a thousand times. May he bless you, just as he promised he would.

12 But I can't handle your problems and troubles all by myself. I can't settle your arguments.

13 "So choose some wise men from each of your tribes. They must understand how to give good advice. The people must have respect for them. I will appoint those men to have authority over you."

14 You answered me, "Your suggestion is good."

15 So I took the leading men of your tribes who were wise and respected. I appointed them to have authority over you. I made them commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. I appointed them to be officials over the tribes.

16 Here is what I commanded your judges at that time. I said, "Listen to your people's cases when they argue with one another. Judge them fairly. It doesn't matter whether the case is between fellow Israelites or between an Israelite and an outsider.

17 When you judge them, treat everyone the same. Listen to those who are important and those who are not. Don't be afraid of any man. God is the highest judge. Bring me any case that is too hard for you. I'll listen to it."

18 At that time I told you everything you should do.

19 The LORD our God commanded us to start out from Mount Horeb. So we did. We went toward the hill country of the Amorites. We traveled all through the huge and terrible desert you saw. Finally, we reached Kadesh Barnea.

20 Then I said to you, "You have reached the hill country of the Amorites. The LORD our God is giving it to us.

21 The LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take it. Do what the LORD says. He's the God of your people. Don't be afraid. Don't lose hope."

22 Then all of you came to me. You said, "Let's send some men ahead of us. They can check out the land for us and bring back a report. They can suggest to us which way to go. They can tell us about the towns we'll come to."

23 That seemed like a good idea to me. So I chose 12 of you. I picked one man from each tribe.

24 They left and went up into the hill country. There they came to the Valley of Eshcol. They checked it out.

25 They got some of the fruit of that land. They brought it down to us and gave us their report. They said, "The LORD our God is giving us a good land."

26 But you wouldn't go up. You refused to obey the command of the LORD your God.

27 You spoke against him in your tents. You said, "The LORD hates us. That's why he brought us out of Egypt to hand us over to the Amorites. He wanted to destroy us.

28 Where can we go? The men who checked out the land have made us lose hope. They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are. The cities are large. They have walls that reach up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.' "

29 Then I said to you, "Don't be terrified. Don't be afraid of them.

30 The LORD your God will go ahead of you. He will fight for you. With your own eyes you saw how he fought for you in Egypt.

31 "You also saw how the LORD your God brought you through the desert. He carried you everywhere you went, just as a father carries his son. And now you have arrived here."

32 In spite of that, you didn't trust in the LORD your God.

33 He went ahead of you on your journey. He was in the fire at night and in the cloud during the day. He found places for you to camp. He showed you the way you should go.

34 The LORD heard what you said. So he became angry. He took an oath and made a promise. He said,

35 "I promised to give this good land to your people long ago. But not one of you evil men who are alive today will see it.

36 "Only Caleb will see the land. He is the son of Jephunneh. I will give him and his children after him the land he walked on. He followed me with his whole heart."

37 Because of you, the LORD became angry with me also. He said, "You will not enter the land either.

38 But Joshua, the son of Nun, is your helper. Joshua will enter the land. Help him to be brave. Give him hope. He will lead Israel to take the land as their own.

39 "You said your little ones would be taken prisoner. But they will enter the land. They do not know right from wrong yet. But I will give them the land. They will take it as their own.

40 As for you, turn around. Start out toward the desert. Go along the road that leads to the Red Sea."

41 Then you replied, "We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight. We'll do just as the LORD our God has commanded us." So all of you got your swords and put them on. You thought it would be easy to go up into the hill country.

42 But the LORD spoke to me. He said, "Tell them, 'Do not go up and fight. I will not be with you. Your enemies will win the battle over you.' "

43 So I told you what the LORD said. But you wouldn't listen. You refused to obey his command. You were so filled with pride that you marched up into the hill country.

44 The Amorites who lived in those hills came out and attacked you. Like large numbers of bees they chased you. They beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah.

45 You came back and sobbed in front of the Lord. But he didn't pay any attention to your sobs. He wouldn't listen to you.

46 So you stayed in Kadesh for many years. You spent a long time in that area.

Deuteronomy 7

1 The LORD your God will bring you into the land. You are going to enter it and take it as your own. He'll drive many nations out to make room for you. He'll drive out the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Those seven nations are larger and stronger than you are.

2 The LORD your God will hand them over to you. You will win the battle over them. You must completely destroy them. Don't make a peace treaty with them. Don't show them any mercy.

3 Don't get married to any of them. Don't give your daughters to their sons. And don't take their daughters for your sons.

4 If you do, those people will turn your children away from following the LORD. Then your children will serve other gods. The LORD's anger will burn against you. It will quickly destroy you.

5 So here is what you must do to those people. Break down their altars. Smash their sacred stones. Cut down the poles they use to worship the goddess Asherah. Burn the statues of their gods in the fire.

6 You are a holy nation. The LORD your God has set you apart for himself. He has chosen you to be his special treasure. He chose you out of all of the nations on the face of the earth to be his people.

7 The LORD chose you because he loved you very much. He didn't choose you because you had more people than other nations. In fact, you had the smallest number of all.

8 The LORD chose you because he loved you. He wanted to keep the promise he had made with an oath to your people long ago. That's why he brought you out of Egypt with a mighty hand. He bought you back from the land where you were slaves. He set you free from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

9 So I want you to realize that the LORD your God is God. He is the faithful God. He keeps his covenant for all time to come. He keeps it with those who love him and obey his commands. He shows them his love.

10 But he will pay back those who hate him. He'll destroy them. He'll quickly pay back those who hate him.

11 So be careful to follow the commands, rules and laws I'm giving you today.

12 Pay attention to the laws of the LORD your God. Be careful to obey them. Then he will keep his covenant of love with you. That's what he promised with an oath to your people long ago.

13 The LORD will love you and bless you. He'll increase your numbers. He'll give you many children. He'll bless the crops of your land. He'll give you plenty of grain, olive oil and fresh wine. He'll bless your herds with many calves. He'll give your flocks many lambs. He'll do all of those things for you in the land of Canaan. It's the land he promised your people long ago that he would give you.

14 He will bless you more than any other nation. All of your men and women will have children. All of your livestock will have little ones.

15 The LORD will keep you from getting sick. He won't send on you any of the horrible sicknesses you saw all around you in Egypt. But he'll send them on everyone who hates you.

16 You must destroy all of the nations the LORD your God hands over to you. Don't feel sorry for them. Don't serve their gods. If you do, they will be a trap for you.

17 You might say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?"

18 But don't be afraid of them. Be sure to remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and all of the Egyptians.

19 With your own eyes you saw what the LORD did to them. You saw his miraculous signs and wonders. He reached out his mighty hand and powerful arm. The LORD your God used all of those things to bring you out. He will do the same things to all of the nations you are now afraid of.

20 The LORD your God will also send hornets among them. Some of the people who are left alive will hide from you. But even they will die.

21 So don't be terrified by them. The LORD your God is with you. He is a great and wonderful God.

22 The LORD your God will drive out those nations to make room for you. But he will do it little by little. You won't be allowed to get rid of them all at once. If you did, wild animals would multiply all around you.

23 But the LORD your God will hand those nations over to you. He will throw them into a panic until they are destroyed.

24 He will hand their kings over to you. You will wipe out their names from the earth. No one will be able to stand up against you. You will destroy them.

25 Burn the statues of their gods in the fire. Don't long for the silver and gold that is on those statues. Don't take it for yourselves. If you do, it will be a trap for you. The LORD your God hates it.

26 Don't bring anything he hates into your house. If you do, you will be completely destroyed along with it. So hate it with all your heart. It is set apart to be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 9

1 Israel, listen to me. You are now about to go across the Jordan. You will take over the land of the nations that live there. Those nations are greater and stronger than you are. Their large cities have walls that reach up to the sky.

2 The people who live there are Anakites. They are strong and tall. You know all about them. You have heard people say, "Who can stand up against the Anakites?"

3 But today you can be sure the LORD your God will go over there ahead of you. He is like a fire that will burn them up. He'll destroy them. He'll bring them under your control. You will drive them out. You will put an end to them quickly, just as the LORD has promised you.

4 The LORD your God will drive them out to make room for you. When he does, don't say to yourselves, "The LORD has done it because we are godly. That's why he brought us here to take over this land." That isn't true. The LORD is going to drive out those nations to make room for you because they are very evil.

5 You are not going in to take over their land because you have done what is right or honest. It's because those nations are so evil. That's why the LORD your God will drive them out ahead of you. He will do what he said he would do. He took an oath and made a promise to your fathers. He made it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

6 The LORD your God is giving you this good land to take as your own. But you must understand that it isn't because you are a godly nation. In fact, you are stubborn.

7 Here is something you must remember. Never forget it. You made the LORD your God angry in the desert. You refused to obey him from the day you left Egypt until you arrived here.

8 At Mount Horeb you made the LORD angry enough to destroy you.

9 I went up the mountain. I went there to receive the tablets of the covenant. They were made out of stone. It was the covenant the LORD had made with you. I stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. I didn't eat any food or drink any water.

10 The LORD gave me two stone tablets. The words on them were written by the finger of God. All of the commandments the LORD gave you were written on the tablets. He announced them to you out of the fire on the mountain. He wrote them on the day you gathered together there.

11 The 40 days and 40 nights came to an end. Then the LORD gave me the two stone tablets. They were the tablets of the covenant.

12 The LORD told me, "Go down from here right away. The people you brought out of Egypt have become very sinful. They have quickly turned away from what I commanded them. They have made a metal statue of a god for themselves."

13 The LORD said to me, "I have seen these people. They are so stubborn!

14 Do not try to stop me. I am going to destroy them. I will wipe them out from the earth. Then I will make you into a great nation. Your people will be stronger than they were. There will be more of you than there were of them."

15 So I turned and went down the mountain. It was blazing with fire. I was carrying the two tablets of the covenant.

16 When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the LORD your God. You had made for yourselves a metal statue of a god. It looked like a calf. You had quickly turned away from the path the LORD had commanded you to follow.

17 So I threw the two tablets out of my hands. You watched them break into pieces.

18 Then once again I fell down flat in front of the LORD with my face toward the ground. I lay there for 40 days and 40 nights. I didn't eat any food or drink any water. You had committed a terrible sin. You had done an evil thing in the LORD's sight. You had made him angry.

19 I was afraid of the LORD's burning anger. He was so angry with you he wanted to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me again.

20 And he was so angry with Aaron he wanted to destroy him too. But at that time I prayed for Aaron.

21 I also got that sinful calf you had made. I burned it in the fire. I crushed it and ground it into fine powder. Then I threw the powder into a stream that was flowing down the mountain.

22 You also made the LORD angry at Taberah, Massah and Kibroth Hattaavah.

23 The LORD sent you out from Kadesh Barnea. He said, "Go up and take over the land I have given you." But you refused to do what the LORD your God had commanded you to do. You didn't trust him or obey him.

24 You have been refusing to obey the LORD as long as I've known you.

25 I lay down in front of the LORD with my face toward the ground for 40 days and 40 nights. I did it because the LORD had said he would destroy you.

26 I prayed to him. "LORD and King," I said, "don't destroy your people. They belong to you. You set them free by your great power. You used your mighty hand to bring them out of Egypt.

27 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Forgive the people of Israel for being so stubborn. Don't judge them for the evil and sinful things they've done.

28 "If you do, the Egyptians will say, 'The LORD wasn't able to take them into the land he had promised to give them. He hated them. So he brought them out of Egypt to put them to death in the desert.'

29 But they are your people. They belong to you. You used your great power to bring them out of Egypt. You reached out your mighty arm and saved them."

Deuteronomy 10

1 At that time the LORD spoke to me. He said, "Carve out two stone tablets, just like the first ones. Then come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden chest.

2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you must put the tablets in the chest."

3 So I made the ark out of acacia wood. I carved out two stone tablets that were just like the first ones. I went up the mountain. I carried the two tablets in my hands.

4 The LORD wrote on the tablets what he had written before. It was the Ten Commandments. He had announced them to you out of the fire on the mountain. It was on the day you had gathered together there. So the LORD gave the tablets to me.

5 Then I came back down the mountain. I put the tablets in the ark I had made, just as the LORD had commanded me. And that's where they are now.

6 Remember how the people of Israel traveled from the wells of Bene Jaakan to Moserah. That's where Aaron died. And his body was buried there. His son Eleazar became the next priest after him.

7 From Moserah the people traveled to Gudgodah. Then they went on to Jotbathah. That land has streams of water.

8 At that time the LORD set the tribe of Levi apart. He appointed them to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He wanted them to serve him. He told them to bless the people in his name. And they still do it today.

9 That's why the Levites don't have any part of the land the LORD gave the other tribes in Israel. They don't have any share among them. The LORD himself is their share. That's what the LORD your God told them.

10 I had stayed on the mountain for 40 days and nights, just as I did the first time. The LORD listened to me that time also. He didn't want to destroy you.

11 "Go," the LORD said to me. "Lead the people on their way. Then they can enter the land and take it over. I have taken an oath. I promised I would give the land to their fathers. I promised it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

12 And now, Israel, what is the LORD your God asking you to do? Have respect for him. Live exactly as he wants you to live. Love him. Serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

13 Obey the LORD's commands and rules. I'm giving them to you today for your own good.

14 The heavens belong to the LORD your God. Even the highest heavens belong to him. He owns the earth and everything in it.

15 But the LORD loved your people very much long ago. You are their children. And he chose you above all of the other nations. His love and his promise remain with you to this very day.

16 So don't let your hearts be stubborn anymore. Obey the Lord.

17 The LORD your God is the greatest God of all. He is the greatest Lord of all. He is the great God. He is mighty and wonderful. He treats everyone the same. He doesn't accept any money from those who want special favors.

18 He stands up for widows and for children whose fathers have died. He loves outsiders. He gives them food and clothes.

19 So you also must love outsiders. Remember that you yourselves were outsiders in Egypt.

20 Have respect for the LORD your God. Serve him. Remain true to him. When you make promises, take your oaths in his name.

21 He is the one you should praise. He's your God. With your own eyes you saw the great and wonderful miracles he did for you.

22 Long ago, your people went down into Egypt. The total number of them was 70. And now the LORD your God has made you as many as the stars in the sky.

Deuteronomy 14

1 You are the children of the LORD your God. Don't cut yourselves to honor the dead. Don't shave the front of your heads to honor them.

2 You are a holy nation. The LORD your God has set you apart for himself. He has chosen you to be his special treasure. He chose you out of all of the nations on the face of the earth.

3 Don't eat anything the LORD hates.

4 Here are the only animals you can eat. You can eat oxen, sheep, goats,

5 deer, gazelles, roe deer, wild goats, ibexes, antelope and mountain sheep.

6 You can eat any animal that has hoofs that are separated completely in two. But it must also chew the cud.

7 Some animals only chew the cud. Others only have hoofs that are completely separated in two. The camel, rabbit and rock badger chew the cud, but they don't have hoofs that are completely separated. So you can't eat them. They are not "clean" for you.

8 Pigs aren't "clean" for you either. They have hoofs that are completely separated, but they don't chew the cud. So don't eat their meat. And don't touch their dead bodies.

9 Many creatures live in water. You can eat all of the ones that have fins and scales.

10 But don't eat anything that doesn't have fins and scales. It isn't "clean" for you.

11 You can eat any "clean" bird.

12 But there are many birds you can't eat. They include eagles, vultures, and black vultures.

13 They include red kites, black kites and all kinds of falcons.

14 They include all kinds of ravens.

15 They include horned owls, screech owls, gulls and all kinds of hawks.

16 They include little owls, great owls, white owls

17 and desert owls. They include ospreys and cormorants.

18 They include storks and all kinds of herons. They also include hoopoes and bats.

19 All insects that fly together in groups are "unclean" for you. So don't eat them.

20 But you can eat any creature that has wings and is "clean."

21 If you find something that's already dead, don't eat it. You can give it to an outsider who is living in any of your towns. He can eat it. Or you can sell it to someone who is from another country. But you are a holy nation. The LORD your God has set you apart for himself. Don't cook a young goat in its mother's milk.

22 Be sure to set apart a tenth of everything your fields produce each year.

23 Here are the things you should eat in the sight of the LORD your God. You should eat a tenth part of your grain, olive oil and fresh wine. You should also eat the male animals among your livestock that were born first to their mothers. Eat all of those things at the special place the LORD your God will choose. He will put his Name there. You will learn to have respect for him always.

24 But suppose the place the LORD will choose for his Name is too far away from you. And suppose your God has blessed you. And your tenth part is too heavy for you to carry.

25 Then sell it for silver. Take the silver with you. Go to the place the LORD your God will choose.

26 Use the silver to buy anything you like. It can be cattle or sheep. It can be any kind of wine. In fact, it can be anything else you wish. Then you and your family can eat there in the sight of the LORD your God. You can be filled with joy.

27 Don't forget to take care of the Levites who will live in your towns. They won't receive any part of the land as their share.

28 At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of everything you produce that year. Store it in your towns.

29 Then the Levites can come and eat. That's because they won't receive any part of the land as their share. The outsiders and widows who live in your towns can come. So can the children whose fathers have died. Everyone can have plenty to eat. Then the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.

Deuteronomy 15

1 At the end of every seven years you must forgive people what they owe you.

2 Have you made a loan to one of your own people? Then forgive what is owed to you. You can't require that person to pay you back. The LORD's time to forgive what is owed has been announced.

3 You can require someone from another nation to pay you back. But you must forgive your own people what they owe you.

4 There shouldn't be any poor people among you. The LORD will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you. You will take it over as your own.

5 The LORD your God will bless you if you obey him completely. Be careful to follow all of the commands I'm giving you today.

6 The LORD your God will bless you, just as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations. But you won't have to borrow from any of them. You will rule over many nations. But none of them will rule over you.

7 Suppose there are poor people among you. And suppose they live in one of the towns in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Then don't be mean to them. They are poor. So don't hold back money from them.

8 Instead, open your hands and lend them what they need. Do it freely.

9 Be careful not to have an evil thought in your mind. Don't say to yourself, "The seventh year will soon be here. It's the year for forgiving people what they owe." If you think like that, you might treat your needy people badly. You might not give them anything. Then they might make their appeal to the LORD against you. And he will find you guilty of sin.

10 So give freely to those who are needy. Open your hearts to them. Then the LORD your God will bless you in all of your work. He will bless you in everything you do.

11 There will always be poor people in the land. So I'm commanding you to give freely to those who are poor and needy in your land. Open your hands to them.

12 Suppose Hebrew men or women sell themselves to you. If they do, they will serve you for six years. Then in the seventh year you must let them go free.

13 But when you set them free, don't send them away without anything to show for all of their work.

14 Freely give them some animals from your flock. Also give them some of your grain and wine. The LORD your God has blessed you richly. Give to them as he has given to you.

15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. The LORD your God set you free. That's why I'm giving you this command today.

16 But suppose your servant says to you, "I don't want to leave you." He loves you and your family. And you are taking good care of him.

17 Then take him to the door of your house. Poke a hole through his ear lobe into the doorpost. And he will become your servant for life. Do the same with your female servant.

18 Don't think you are being cheated when you set your servants free. After all, they have served you for six years. The service of each of them has been worth twice as much as the service of a hired worker. And the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.

19 Set apart to the LORD your God every male animal among your livestock that was born first to its mother. Don't put that kind of ox to work. Don't clip the wool from that kind of sheep.

20 Each year you and your family must eat them. Do it in the sight of the LORD your God at the place he will choose.

21 Suppose an animal has something wrong with it. It might not be able to see or walk. Or it might have a bad flaw. Then you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.

22 You must eat it in your own towns. Those who are "clean" and those who are not can eat it. Eat it as if it were antelope or deer meat.

23 But you must not eat meat that still has blood in it. Pour the blood out on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 16

1 Celebrate the Passover Feast of the LORD your God in the month of Abib. In that month he brought you out of Egypt at night.

2 Sacrifice an animal from your flock or herd. It is the Passover sacrifice in honor of the LORD your God. Sacrifice it at the special place the LORD will choose. He will put his Name there.

3 Don't eat the animal along with bread that is made with yeast. Instead, for seven days eat bread that is made without yeast. It's the bread that reminds you of how much you suffered. Remember that you left Egypt in a hurry. Remember it all the days of your life. Don't forget the day you left Egypt.

4 Don't keep any yeast anywhere in your land for seven days. Don't let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day be left over until the next morning.

5 You must not sacrifice the Passover animal in any town the LORD your God is giving you.

6 Sacrifice it only in the special place he will choose for his Name. Sacrifice it there in the evening when the sun goes down. Do it on the same day every year. Be sure it's the day you left Egypt.

7 Cook it and eat it. Do it at the place the LORD your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents.

8 For six days eat bread that is made without yeast. On the seventh day come together for a service in honor of the LORD your God. Don't do any work.

9 Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to cut your grain in the field.

10 Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks in honor of the LORD your God. Give anything you choose to give as an offering. Do it in keeping with the blessings the LORD has given you.

11 Be filled with joy in the sight of the LORD your God. Be joyful at the special place he will choose for his Name. You, your children, and your male and female servants should be joyful. So should the Levites who are living in your towns. So should the outsiders and widows who are living among you. And so should the children whose fathers have died.

12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. Be careful to obey the rules I'm giving you.

13 Gather the grain from your threshing floors. Take the fresh wine from your winepresses. Then celebrate the Feast of Booths for seven days.

14 Be filled with joy at your Feast. You, your children, and your male and female servants should be joyful. So should the Levites, the outsiders, and the widows who are living in your towns. And so should the children whose fathers have died.

15 For seven days celebrate the Feast in honor of the LORD your God. Do it at the place he will choose. The LORD will bless you when you gather all of your crops. He'll bless you in everything you do. And you will be full of joy.

16 All of your men must appear in front of the LORD your God at the holy tent. They must go to the place he will choose. They must do it three times a year. They must go there to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths. No man should appear in front of the LORD without bringing something with him.

17 Each of you must bring a gift. Do it in keeping with the way the LORD your God has blessed you.

18 Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes. Do it in every town the LORD your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

19 Do what is right. Treat everyone the same. Don't take money from people who want special favors. It makes those who are wise close their eyes to the truth. It twists the words of those who do what is right.

20 Follow only what is right. If you do, you will live. You will take over the land the LORD your God is giving you.

21 Don't set up a wooden pole that is used to worship the goddess Asherah. Don't set it up beside the altar you build to worship the LORD your God.

22 Don't set up a sacred stone to honor another god. The LORD your God hates Asherah poles and sacred stones.

Deuteronomy 17

1 Suppose an ox or sheep has anything at all wrong with it. Then don't sacrifice it to the LORD your God. He hates it.

2 Someone who is living among you might do what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God. It might happen in one of the towns the LORD is giving you. That person is breaking the LORD's covenant.

3 The person might have worshiped or bowed down to other gods. That person might have bowed down to the sun or moon or stars in the sky. I have commanded you not to do those things.

4 When you hear that people have done something like that, check the matter out carefully. If it's true, an evil thing has been done in Israel. It's something the LORD hates.

5 So take the person who has done that evil thing to your city gate. Put that person to death with stones.

6 The witness of two or three people is required to put someone to death. No one can be put to death because of what only one witness says. It needs the witness of two or three people.

7 The witnesses must throw the first stones. Then the rest of the people must also throw stones. Get rid of that evil person.

8 People will bring their cases to your courts. But some cases will be too hard for you to judge. They might be about murders, attacks or other crimes. Then take those hard cases to the place the LORD your God will choose.

9 Go to a priest, who is a Levite. And go to the judge who is in office at that time. Ask them for their decision. They will give it to you.

10 They'll hand down their decisions at the place the LORD will choose. You must do what they decide. Be careful to do everything they direct you to do.

11 Act in keeping with the laws they teach you. Accept the decisions they give you. Don't turn away from what they tell you. Don't turn to the right or the left.

12 Someone might make fun of the judge. Or he might make fun of the priest who serves the LORD your God at the place he will choose. If the man does that, he must be put to death. Remove that evil person from Israel.

13 All of the people of Israel will hear about it. And they will be afraid to make fun of a judge or priest again.

14 You will enter the land the LORD your God is giving you. You will take it as your own. You will settle down in it. When you do, you will say, "Let's appoint a king over us, just like all of the nations around us."

15 When that happens, make sure you appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own people. Don't appoint over you someone from another country. Don't choose anyone who isn't from one of the tribes of Israel.

16 The king must not get large numbers of horses for himself. He must not make the people return to Egypt to get more horses. The LORD has told you, "You must not go back there again."

17 The king must not have a lot of wives. If he does, he will be led down the wrong path. He must not store up large amounts of silver and gold.

18 When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he must make himself a copy of the law I'm teaching you. He must write it on a scroll. He must copy it from the scroll of a priest, who is a Levite.

19 The king must keep the scroll close to him at all times. He must read it all the days of his life. Then he can learn to have respect for the LORD his God. He can carefully follow all of the words of that law and those rules.

20 He won't think of himself as being better than his people are. He won't turn away from the law. He won't turn to the right or the left. Then he and his sons after him will rule over his kingdom in Israel for a long time.

Deuteronomy 18

1 The priests, who are Levites, won't receive any part of the land of Israel. That also applies to the whole tribe of Levi. They will eat the offerings that are made to the LORD with fire. That will be their share.

2 They won't have any part of the land the LORD gave the other tribes in Israel. The LORD himself is their share, just as he promised them.

3 Anyone who sacrifices a bull or a sheep owes a share of it to the priests. Their share is the shoulder, jaws and inside parts.

4 You must give the priests the first share of the harvest of your grain, olive oil and fresh wine. You must also give them the first wool you clip from your sheep.

5 The LORD your God has chosen the Levites and their sons after them to serve him in his name always. He hasn't chosen priests from any of your other tribes.

6 Sometimes a Levite will move from the town in Israel where he's living. And he will come to the place the LORD will choose. He'll do it because he really wants to.

7 Then he can serve in the name of the LORD his God. He'll be like all of the other Levites who serve the LORD there.

8 He must have an equal share of the good things they have. That applies even if he has already received money by selling things his family owned.

9 You will enter the land the LORD your God is giving you. When you do, don't copy the practices of the nations that are there. The LORD hates those practices.

10 Here are things you must not do. Don't sacrifice your children in the fire to other gods. Don't practice any kind of evil magic at all. Don't use magic to try to explain the meaning of warnings in the sky or of any other signs. Don't take part in worshiping evil powers.

11 Don't put a spell on anyone. Don't get messages from those who have died. Don't talk to the spirits of the dead. Don't get advice from the dead.

12 The LORD your God hates it when anyone does those things. The nations that are in the land he's giving you practice the things he hates. So he will drive out those nations to make room for you.

13 You must be without blame in the sight of the LORD your God.

14 You will take over the nations that are in the land the LORD is giving you. They listen to those who practice all kinds of evil magic. But you belong to the LORD your God. He says you must not do those things.

15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me. He will be one of your own people. You must listen to him.

16 At Mount Horeb you asked the LORD your God for a prophet. You asked him on the day you gathered together. You said, "We don't want to hear the voice of the LORD our God. We don't want to see this great fire anymore. If we do, we'll die."

17 The LORD said to me, "What they are saying is good.

18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you. He will be one of their own people. I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him to say.

19 "The prophet will speak in my name. But someone might not listen to what I say through the prophet. Then that person will be accountable to me.

20 "But suppose a prophet dares to speak in my name something I have not commanded him to say. Or he speaks in the name of other gods. Then that prophet must be put to death."

21 You will say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message hasn't been spoken by the Lord?"

22 Sometimes a prophet will announce something in the name of the Lord. And it won't take place or come true. Then that's a message the LORD hasn't told him to speak. That prophet has dared to speak on his own authority. So don't be afraid of him or what he says.

Deuteronomy 19

1 The LORD your God will destroy the nations whose land he is giving you. You will drive them out. And you will settle down in their towns and houses.

2 When you do, set apart for yourselves three cities in the land. It's the land the LORD your God is giving you to take as your own.

3 Build roads to those cities and separate the land into three parts. Then anyone who kills another person can run to one of the cities for safety. They are in the land the LORD your God is giving you as your own.

4 Here is the rule about a person who kills someone. That person can run to one of those cities for safety. The rule applies to all those who kill a neighbor they didn't hate and didn't mean to kill.

5 For example, suppose a man goes into a forest with his neighbor to cut wood. When he swings his ax to chop down a tree, the head of the ax flies off. And it hits his neighbor and kills him. Then that man can run to one of those cities and save his life.

6 If he doesn't go to one of those cities, the dead man's nearest male relative might become very angry. He might chase the man. If the city is too far away, he might catch him and kill him. But he isn't worthy of death, because he didn't hate his neighbor.

7 That's why I command you to set apart for yourselves three cities.

8 The LORD your God will increase the size of your territory. He took an oath and promised your fathers he would do it. He will give you the whole land he promised them.

9 But he'll do it only if you are careful to obey all of the laws I'm commanding you today. I'm commanding you to love the LORD your God. I want you to live always as he wants you to live. When he gives you additional land, you must set apart three more cities.

10 Do it so the blood of those who aren't guilty of murder won't be spilled in your land. It's the land the LORD your God is giving you as your own.

11 But suppose a man hates his neighbor. So he hides and waits for him. Then he attacks him and kills him. And he runs to one of those cities for safety.

12 If he does, the elders of his own town must send for him. He must be brought back from the city and handed over to the dead man's nearest male relative. The relative will kill him.

13 Don't feel sorry for him. He has killed someone who hadn't done anything wrong. Crimes like that must be punished in Israel. Then things will go well with you.

14 Don't move your neighbor's boundary stone. It was set up by people who lived there before you. It marks the border of a field in the land you will receive as your own. The LORD your God is giving you that land. You will take it over.

15 Suppose someone is charged with committing a crime of any kind. Then one witness won't be enough to prove he is guilty. Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses.

16 Suppose a witness who tells lies goes to court and brings charges against someone. The witness says that person committed a crime.

17 Then the two people in the case must stand in front of the Lord. They must stand in front of the priests and the judges who are in office at that time.

18 The judges must check out the matter carefully. And suppose the witness is proved to be lying. Then he has given false witness against another Israelite.

19 So do to the lying witness what he tried to do to the other person. Get rid of that evil person.

20 The rest of the people will hear about it. And they will be afraid. They won't allow such an evil thing to be done among them again.

21 Don't feel sorry for that evil person. A life must be taken for a life. An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth. A hand must be cut off for a hand and a foot for a foot.

Deuteronomy 20

1 When you go to war against your enemies, you might see that they have horses and chariots. They might even have an army that is stronger than yours. But don't be afraid of them. The LORD your God will be with you. After all, he brought you up out of Egypt.

2 Just before you go into battle, the priest will come forward. He'll speak to the army.

3 He'll say, "Men of Israel, listen to me. Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Don't be scared. Don't be afraid. Don't panic. Don't be terrified by them.

4 The LORD your God is going with you. He'll fight for you. He'll help you win the battle over your enemies."

5 The officers will speak to the army. They will say, "Has anyone built a new house and not started to live in it? Let him go home. If he doesn't, he might die in battle. Then someone else will live in his house.

6 Has anyone planted a vineyard and not started to enjoy it? Let him go home. If he doesn't, he might die in battle. Then someone else will enjoy his vineyard.

7 Has anyone promised to get married to a woman but hasn't done it yet? Let him go home. If he doesn't, he might die in battle. Then someone else will marry her."

8 The officers will continue, "Is any man afraid? Is anyone scared? Let him go home. Then the other men won't lose hope too."

9 The officers will finish speaking to the army. When they do, they'll appoint commanders over it.

10 Suppose you march up to attack a city. Before you attack it, offer peace to its people.

11 Suppose they accept your offer and open their gates. Then force all of the people in the city to be your slaves. They will have to work for you.

12 But suppose they refuse your offer of peace and prepare for battle. Then surround that city. Get ready to attack it.

13 The LORD your God will hand it over to you. When he does, kill all of the men with your swords.

14 But you can take the women and children for yourselves. You can also take the livestock and everything else in the city. What you have captured from your enemies you can use for yourselves. The LORD your God has given it to you.

15 That's how you must treat all of the cities that are far away from you. Those cities don't belong to the nations that are nearby.

16 But what about the cities the LORD your God is giving you as your own? Kill everything in those cities that breathes.

17 Completely destroy them. Wipe out the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. That's what the LORD your God commanded you to do.

18 If you don't destroy them, they'll teach you to follow all of the things the LORD hates. He hates the way they worship their gods. If you do those things, you will sin against the LORD your God.

19 Suppose you surround a city and get ready to attack it. And suppose you fight against it for a long time in order to capture it. Then don't chop its trees down and destroy them. You can eat their fruit. So don't cut them down. The trees of the field aren't people. So why should you attack them?

20 But you can cut down trees that you know aren't fruit trees. You can build war machines out of their wood. You can use them until you capture the city you are fighting against.

Deuteronomy 21

1 Suppose you find someone who has been killed. The body is lying in a field in the land the LORD your God is giving you to take as your own. But no one knows who the killer was.

2 Then your elders and judges will go out and measure how far it is from the body to the nearby towns.

3 The elders from the town that is nearest to the body will get a young cow. It must never have been used for work. It must never have pulled a load.

4 The elders must lead it down into a valley. The valley must not have been farmed. There must be a stream flowing through it. There in the valley the elders must break the cow's neck.

5 The priests, who are sons of Levi, will step forward. The LORD your God has chosen them to serve him. He wants them to bless the people in his name. He wants them to decide all cases that have to do with people arguing and attacking others.

6 Then all of the elders from the town that is nearest to the body will wash their hands. They will wash them over the young cow whose neck they broke in the valley.

7 They'll say to the Lord, "We didn't kill that person. We didn't see it happen.

8 Accept this payment for the sin of your people Israel. Lord, you have set your people free. Don't hold them guilty for spilling the blood of someone who hasn't done anything wrong." That will pay for the death of that person.

9 So you will get rid of the guilt of killing someone who didn't do anything wrong. That's because you have done what is right in the LORD's eyes.

10 Suppose you go to war against your enemies. And the LORD your God hands them over to you and you take them as prisoners.

11 Then you notice a beautiful woman among them. If you like her, you can get married to her.

12 Bring her home. Have her shave her head. Have her cut her nails.

13 Have her throw away the clothes she was wearing when she was captured. Let her live in your house and sob over her parents for a full month. Then you can go to her and be her husband. And she will be your wife.

14 But suppose you aren't pleased with her. Then let her go where she wants to. You must not sell her. You must not treat her as a slave. You have already brought shame on her.

15 Suppose a man has two wives. He loves one but not the other. And both of them have sons by him. But the oldest son is the son of the wife the man doesn't love.

16 Someday he'll leave his property to his sons. When he does, he must not give the rights of the oldest son to the son of the wife he loves. He must give those rights to his oldest son. He must do it even though his oldest son is the son of the wife he doesn't love.

17 He must recognize the full rights of the oldest son, even though that son is the son of the wife he doesn't love. He must give that son a double share of everything he has. That son is the first sign of his father's strength. So the rights of the oldest son belong to him.

18 Suppose someone has a very stubborn son. He doesn't obey his father and mother. And he won't listen to them when they try to correct him.

19 Then his parents will take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town.

20 They will say to the elders, "This son of ours is very stubborn. He won't obey us. He wastes his money. He's always getting drunk."

21 Then all of the people in his town will put him to death by throwing stones at him. Get rid of that evil person. All of the people of Israel will hear about it. And they will be afraid to disobey their parents.

22 Suppose a man is put to death for a crime that is worthy of death. And a pole is stuck through his body and set up where people can see it.

23 Then you must not leave the body on the pole all night. Make sure you bury it that same day. Everyone who is hung on a pole is under God's curse. You must not make the land "unclean." The LORD your God is giving it to you as your own.

Deuteronomy 22

1 Suppose you see your neighbor's ox or sheep wandering away. Then don't act as if you didn't see it. Instead, make sure you take it back to him.

2 Your neighbor might not live near you. Or you might not know who he is. Then take the animal home with you. Keep it until he comes looking for it. Then give it back.

3 Do the same thing if you find his donkey, coat or anything he loses. Don't act as if you didn't see it.

4 Suppose you see your neighbor's donkey or ox that has fallen down on the road. Then don't act as if you didn't see it. Help him get it up on its feet again.

5 A woman must not wear men's clothes. And a man must not wear women's clothes. The LORD your God hates it when anyone does that.

6 Suppose you happen to find a bird's nest beside the road. It might be in a tree or on the ground. And suppose the mother bird is sitting on her little birds or on the eggs. Then don't take the mother along with the little ones.

7 You can take the little ones. But make sure you let the mother go. Then things will go well with you. You will live for a long time.

8 If you build a new house, put a low wall around the edge of your roof. Then you won't be held accountable if someone falls off your roof and dies.

9 Don't plant two kinds of seeds in your vineyard. If you do, the crops you grow there will be polluted. Your grapes will also be polluted.

10 Don't let an ox and a donkey pull the same plow together.

11 Don't wear clothes made of wool and linen that are woven together.

12 Make tassels on the four corners of the coat you wear.

13 Suppose a man gets married to a woman and makes love to her. But then he doesn't like her.

14 So he tells lies about her and says she's a bad woman. He says, "I got married to this woman. But when I made love to her, I discovered she wasn't a virgin."

15 Then the woman's parents must bring proof that she was a virgin. They must give the proof to the elders at the gate of the town.

16 The woman's father will speak to the elders. He'll say, "I gave my daughter to this man to be his wife. But he doesn't like her.

17 So now he has told lies about her. He has said, 'I discovered that your daughter wasn't a virgin.' But here's the proof that my daughter was a virgin." Then her parents will show the elders of the town the cloth that has her blood on it.

18 The elders will punish the man.

19 They'll make him weigh out two and a half pounds of silver. They'll give it to the woman's father. That's because the man has said an Israelite virgin is a bad woman. She will continue to be his wife. He must not divorce her as long as he lives.

20 But suppose the charge is true. And there isn't any proof that the woman was a virgin.

21 Then she must be brought to the door of her father's house. There the people of her town will put her to death by throwing stones at her. She has done a very terrible thing in Israel. She has had sex before she got married. Get rid of that evil person.

22 Suppose a man is seen having sex with another man's wife. Then the man and the woman must both die. Get rid of those evil people.

23 Suppose a man happens to see a virgin in a town. And she has promised to get married to another man. But the man who happens to see her has sex with her.

24 Then you must take both of them to the gate of that town. You must put them to death by throwing stones at them. You must kill the woman because she was in a town and didn't scream for help. And you must kill the man because he had sex with another man's wife. Get rid of those evil people.

25 But suppose a man happens to see a woman out in the country. And she has promised to marry another man. But the man who happens to see her rapes her. Then only the man who has done that will die.

26 Don't do anything to the woman. She hasn't committed a sin that is worthy of death. That case is like the case of someone who attacks and murders his neighbor.

27 The man found the woman out in the country. And she screamed. But there wasn't anyone around who could save her.

28 Suppose a man happens to see a virgin who hasn't promised to marry another man. And the man who happens to see her rapes her. But someone discovers them.

29 Then the man must weigh out 20 ounces of silver. He must give it to the woman's father. The man must marry the woman, because he raped her. And he can never divorce her as long as he lives.

30 A man must not get married to his stepmother. He must not bring shame on his father by having sex with her.

Deuteronomy 23

1 No man whose sex organs have been crushed or cut can join in worship with the LORD's people.

2 No one who was born to a woman who wasn't married can join in worship with the LORD's people. That also applies to the person's children for all time to come.

3 The people of Ammon and Moab can't join in worship with the LORD's people. That also applies to their children after them for all time to come.

4 The Ammonites and Moabites didn't come to meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt. They even hired Balaam from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to call down a curse on you. Balaam was the son of Beor

5 The LORD your God wouldn't listen to Balaam. Instead, he turned the curse into a blessing for you. He did it because he loves you.

6 So don't make a peace treaty with the Ammonites and Moabites as long as you live.

7 Don't hate the people of Edom. They are your relatives. Don't hate the people of Egypt. After all, you lived as outsiders in their country.

8 The great-grandchildren of the Edomites and Egyptians can join in worship with the LORD's people.

9 There will be times when you are at war with your enemies. And your soldiers will be in camp. Then keep away from anything that isn't pure and clean.

10 Suppose semen flows from the body of one of your soldiers during the night. Then that will make him "unclean." He must go outside the camp and stay there.

11 But as evening approaches, he must wash himself. When the sun goes down, he can return to the camp.

12 Choose a place outside the camp where you can go to the toilet.

13 Keep a shovel among your tools. When you go to the toilet, dig a hole. Then cover up your waste.

14 The LORD your God walks around in your camp. He's there to keep you safe. He's also there to hand your enemies over to you. So your camp must be holy. Then he won't see anything among you that is shameful. He won't turn away from you

15 If a slave comes to you for safety, don't hand him over to his master.

16 Let him live among you anywhere he wants to. Let him live in any town he chooses. Don't crush him.

17 A man or woman in Israel must not become a temple prostitute.

18 The LORD your God hates the money that men and women get for being prostitutes. So don't take that money into the house of the LORD to pay what you promised to give.

19 Don't charge your own people any interest. Don't charge them when they borrow money, food or anything else

20 You can charge interest to people from another country. But don't charge your own people. Then the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. He will bless you in the land you are entering to take as your own.

21 Don't put off giving to the LORD your God everything you promise him. He will certainly require it from you. And you will be guilty of committing a sin

22 But if you don't make a promise, you won't be guilty.

23 Make sure you do what you promised to do. With your own mouth you made the promise to the LORD your God. No one forced you to do it.

24 When you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you can eat all of the grapes you want. But don't put any of them in your basket.

25 When you enter your neighbor's field, you can pick heads of grain. But don't cut down his standing grain.

Deuteronomy 24

1 Suppose a man gets married to a woman. But later he decides he doesn't like her. He finds something shameful about her. So he gives her a letter of divorce and sends her away from his house.

2 Then after she leaves his house she becomes another man's wife.

3 But her second husband doesn't like her either. So he gives her a letter of divorce and sends her away from his house. Or perhaps he dies.

4 Then her first husband isn't allowed to marry her again. The LORD would hate that. When her first husband divorced her, she became "unclean." Don't bring sin on the land the LORD your God is giving you as your own.

5 Suppose a man has just gotten married. Then don't send him into battle. Don't give him any other duty either. He's free to stay home for one year. He needs time to make his new wife happy.

6 Someone might borrow money from you and give you two millstones to keep until you are paid back. Don't keep them. Don't even keep the upper one. That person depends on the millstones to make a living.

7 Suppose a man is caught kidnapping another Israelite. And he sells or treats that person as a slave. Then the kidnapper must die. Get rid of that evil person.

8 What about skin diseases? Be very careful to do exactly what the priests, who are Levites, tell you to do. You must be careful to follow the commands I've given them.

9 Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on your way out of Egypt.

10 Suppose your neighbor borrows something from you. And he offers you something to keep until you get paid back. Then don't go into his house to get it.

11 Stay outside. Let the man bring it out to you.

12 He might be poor. You might be given his coat to keep until you get paid back. Don't go to sleep while you still have it.

13 Return it before the sun goes down. He needs it to sleep in and will thank you for returning it. The LORD your God will see it and know that you have done the right thing.

14 Don't take advantage of any hired worker who is poor and needy. That applies to your own people. It also applies to outsiders who are living in one of your towns.

15 Give them their pay every day. They are poor and are counting on it. If you don't pay them, they might cry out to the LORD against you. Then you will be guilty of committing a sin.

16 Parents must not be put to death because of what their children do. And children must not be put to death because of what their parents do. People must die because of their own sins.

17 Do what is right and fair for outsiders and for children whose fathers have died. Suppose a widow borrows something from you. And she offers to give you her coat until she pays you back. Don't take it.

18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. Remember that the LORD your God set you free from there. That's why I'm commanding you to do those things.

19 When you are gathering crops in your field, you might leave some grain behind by mistake. Don't go back to get it. Leave it for outsiders and widows. Leave it for children whose fathers have died. Then the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.

20 When you knock olives off your trees, don't go back over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for outsiders and widows. Leave it for children whose fathers have died.

21 When you pick grapes in your vineyard, don't go back over the vines a second time. Leave what remains for outsiders and widows. Leave it for children whose fathers have died.

22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That's why I'm commanding you to do those things.

Deuteronomy 25

1 Suppose two men don't agree about something. Then they must take their case to court. The judges will decide the case. They will let the one who isn't guilty go free. And they will punish the one who is guilty.

2 The guilty one might have done something that's worthy of a beating. Then the judge will make him lie down and be beaten with a whip right there in court. The number of strokes should fit the crime.

3 But the judge must not give the guilty man more than 40 strokes. If more than that are used, you will look down on your Israelite neighbor.

4 Don't stop an ox from eating while you use it to separate grain from straw.

5 Suppose two brothers are living near each other. And one of them dies without having a son. Then his widow must not get married to anyone outside the family. Her husband's brother should marry her. That's what a brother-in-law is supposed to do.

6 Her first baby boy will be named after her first husband. Then the dead man's name will not be wiped out in Israel.

7 But suppose the man doesn't want to get married to his brother's wife. Then she will go to the elders at the gate of the town. She will say, "My husband's brother refuses to keep his brother's name alive in Israel. He won't do for me what a brother-in-law is supposed to do."

8 Then the elders in his town will send for him. They will talk to him. But he still might say, "I don't want to marry her."

9 Then his brother's widow will go up to him in front of the elders. She'll pull one of his sandals off his foot. She'll spit in his face. And she'll say, "That's what we do to a man who won't build up his brother's family line."

10 That man's family line will be known in Israel as The Family of the Man Whose Sandal Was Pulled Off.

11 Suppose two men are fighting. And the wife of one of them comes to save her husband from his attacker. So she reaches out and grabs hold of his sex organs.

12 Then you must cut off her hand. Don't feel sorry for her.

13 Don't have two different scales. You must not have one that weighs things heavier than they really are and another that weighs them lighter than they are.

14 And don't have two different sets of measures. You must not have one set that measures things larger than they really are and another that measures them smaller than they are.

15 You must use weights and measures that are honest and exact. Then you will live a long time in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

16 He hates anyone who cheats.

17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you on your way out of Egypt.

18 You were tired and worn out. They met you on your journey. They attacked everyone who was lagging behind. They didn't have any respect for God.

19 The LORD your God will give you peace and rest from all of the enemies who are around you. He'll do it in the land he's giving you to take over as your very own. Then you will wipe out the memory of the Amalekites from the earth. Don't forget to do it!

Deuteronomy 30

1 I have told you about all of those blessings and curses. The LORD will bring them on you. Then you will think carefully about them everywhere the LORD your God scatters you among the nations.

2 You and your children will return to the LORD your God. You will obey him with all your heart and with all your soul. That will be in keeping with everything I'm commanding you today.

3 When all of that happens, the LORD your God will bless you with great success again. He will be very kind to you. He'll bring you back from all of the nations where he scattered you.

4 Suppose you have been forced to go away to the farthest land on earth. The LORD your God will bring you back even from there.

5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your people long ago. You will take it over. He'll make you better off than your people were. He'll increase your numbers more than he increased theirs.

6 The LORD your God will keep your hearts from being stubborn. He'll do the same thing for your children and their children. Then you will love him with all your heart and with all your soul. And you will live.

7 The LORD your God will put all of those curses on your enemies. They hated you and hunted you down.

8 You will obey the LORD again. You will follow all of his commands that I'm giving you today.

9 Then the LORD your God will give you great success in everything you do. You will have many children. Your livestock will have many little ones. Your crops will do very well. The LORD will take delight in you again. He'll give you success. That's what he did for your people long ago.

10 But you must obey the LORD your God. You must keep his commands and rules. They are written in this Scroll of the Law. You must turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

11 What I'm commanding you today is not too hard for you. It isn't beyond your reach.

12 It isn't up in heaven. So you don't have to ask, "Who will go up into heaven to get it? Who will announce it to us so we can obey it?"

13 And it isn't beyond the ocean. So you don't have to ask, "Who will go across the ocean to get it? Who will announce it to us so we can obey it?"

14 No, the message isn't far away at all. In fact, it's really near you. It's in your mouth and in your heart so that you can obey it.

15 Today I'm giving you a choice. You can have life and success. Or you can have death and harm.

16 I'm commanding you today to love the LORD your God. I'm commanding you to live exactly as he wants you to live. You must obey his commands, rules and laws. Then you will live. Your numbers will increase. The LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to take as your own.

17 Don't let your hearts turn away from the Lord. Instead, obey him. Don't let yourselves be drawn away to other gods. And don't bow down to them and worship them.

18 If you do, I announce to you this very day that you will certainly be destroyed. You are about to go across the Jordan River and take over the land. But you won't live there very long.

19 I'm calling for heaven and earth to give witness against you this very day. I'm offering you the choice of life or death. You can choose either blessings or curses. But I want you to choose life. Then you and your children will live.

20 And you will love the LORD your God. You will obey him. You will remain true to him. The LORD is your very life. He will give you many years in the land. He took an oath. He promised to give that land to your fathers. He promised it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.