The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 "When you have come to the land ADONAI your God is giving you as your inheritance, taken possession of it and settled there;
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Soon you will enter and take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you as your property. When you have settled there,
2 you are to take the firstfruits of all the crops the ground yields, which you will harvest from your land that ADONAI your God is giving you, put them in a basket and go to the place where ADONAI your God will choose to have his name live.
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take some of the first produce harvested from the fields in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket. Then go to the place where the LORD your God will choose for his name to live.
3 You will approach the cohen holding office at the time and say to him, 'Today I declare to ADONAI your God that I have come to the land ADONAI swore to our ancestors that he would give us.'
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Go to the priest who is serving at that time, and tell him, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land that the LORD is giving us, as he swore to our ancestors."
4 The cohen will take the basket from your hand and put it down in front of the altar of ADONAI your God.
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Then the priest will take the basket from you and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God.
5 "Then, in the presence of ADONAI your God, you are to say, 'My ancestor was a nomad from Aram. He went down into Egypt few in number and stayed. There he became a great, strong, populous nation.
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You will make this formal statement in the presence of the LORD your God: "My ancestors were wandering Arameans. There were only a few of them when they went to Egypt and lived as foreigners. But then they became a great, powerful, and large nation.
6 But the Egyptians treated us badly; they oppressed us and imposed harsh slavery on us.
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So the Egyptians treated us cruelly, oppressed us, and made us do back-breaking work for them.
7 So we cried out to ADONAI, the God of our ancestors. ADONAI heard us and saw our misery, toil and oppression;
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We cried out to the LORD God of our ancestors, and he heard us. He saw our misery, suffering, and oppression.
8 and ADONAI brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and a stretched-out arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders.
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Then the LORD used his mighty hand and powerful arm to bring us out of Egypt. He used spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds, miraculous signs, and amazing things.
9 Now he has brought us to this place and given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
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He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.
10 Therefore, as you see, I have now brought the firstfruits of the land which you, ADONAI, have given me.' You are then to put the basket down before ADONAI your God, prostrate yourself before ADONAI your God,
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So now I've brought the first produce harvested from the fields you gave me, LORD." You will place the basket in the presence of the LORD your God and bow down in front of him.
11 and take joy in all the good that ADONAI your God has given you, your household, the Levi and the foreigner living with you.
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Then you, the Levites, and the foreigners who live among you can enjoy all the good things which the LORD your God has given you and your family.
12 "After you have separated a tenth of the crops yielded in the third year, the year of separating a tenth, and have given it to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, so that they can have enough food to satisfy them while staying with you;
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Every third year is the year when you will store a tenth of that year's crops [in your houses]. During that year distribute what you have stored to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows in your cities, and they may eat all they want.
13 you are to say, in the presence of ADONAI your God, 'I have rid my house of the things set aside for God and given them to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, in keeping with every one of the mitzvot you gave me. I haven't disobeyed any of your mitzvot or forgotten them.
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When you have distributed all that was stored, say to the LORD your God, "Nothing is left of the holy offering stored in my house. I distributed it to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows as you commanded me. I disobeyed none of your commands, and I didn't forget to do what you commanded.
14 I haven't eaten any of this food when mourning, I haven't put any of it aside when unclean, nor have I given any of it for the dead. I have listened to what ADONAI my God has said, and I have done everything you ordered me to do.
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I didn't eat any of this holy offering while I was in mourning. I didn't distribute any of it while I was unclean. I didn't offer any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God. I have done everything you commanded me.
15 Look out from your holy dwelling-place, from heaven; and bless your people Isra'el and the land you gave us, as you swore to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.'
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Look down from your holy place in heaven. Bless your people Israel and the land flowing with milk and honey that you have given us, as you promised with an oath to our ancestors."
16 "Today ADONAI your God orders you to obey these laws and rulings. Therefore, you are to observe and obey them with all your heart and all your being.
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Today the LORD your God is commanding you to obey these laws and rules. You must faithfully obey them with all your heart and with all your soul.
17 You are agreeing today that ADONAI is your God and that you will follow his ways; observe his laws, mitzvot and rulings; and do what he says.
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Today you have declared that the LORD is your God and that you will follow his directions, obey his laws, commands, and rules, and listen to him.
18 In turn ADONAI is agreeing today that you are his own unique treasure, as he promised you; that you are to observe all his mitzvot;
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Today the LORD has declared that you are his people, his own special possession, as he told you. But you must be sure to obey his commands.
19 and that he will raise you high above all the nations he has made, in praise, reputation and glory; and that, as he said, you will be a holy people for ADONAI your God."
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Then he will place you high above all the other nations he has made. He will give you praise, fame, and honor, and you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.