Chapter 1

1 These are the things that Moses said to all the Israelites when they were on the west side of the desert at the Jordan near the Red Sea (between Pharan-Tophol, Lobon, Aulon, and the gold works), 2 eleven day’s journey from Horeb and Mount Seir, near Kadesh Barne.

3 It was the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year that Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and [he recounted] all the instructions that Jehovah had given Him concerning them. 4 This was after he had cut down Seon, the king of the Amorites (who lived in Esebon), as well as Og and the king of Bashan (who lived in AstarOth and Edrain) 5 in the land of Moab. Moses said this about [God’s] Law:

6 ‘It was while we were at Mount Horeb that Jehovah your God spoke to us and said, You have lived on this mountain long enough. 7 Now, turn away… leave and go to the mountains of the Amorites and to those who live near the Araba; to the mountains and valleys south of the land of the Canaanites, from the [Mediterranean] Sea to Lebanon, and as far as the great Euphrates River. 8 {Look!} God has given you all the land that’s before you; so go there and inherit the land that I swore to your ancestors (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) that I would give to them and their seed.

9 ‘As I told you before, I was unable to lead you all by myself, 10 for Jehovah your God has made you grow. Look! There are so many of you… like the stars in the sky in numbers. 11 Jehovah the God of your ancestors has made you grow a thousand-times more, and He blest you and He spoke to you. 12 So, how could I handle all the work, burdens, and complaints by myself? 13 Therefore, [I told you to] select some wise, understanding, and sensible men from your tribes who I would make your leaders. 14 Then you answered me and said, What you have told us to do is a good thing.

15 ‘So, I took your wise, understanding, and sensible men and assigned them to be the rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and to serve as your officers and judges. 16 And at the time, I told your judges to hear cases between you brothers, and to judge honestly, whether it is [a dispute] between a man and His brother, or with strangers who are living among you. 17 And they were not to favor one over the other when it comes to judgment. Rather, they were to judge both the rich and the poor the same way. Nor were they to fear anyone, because the judgment is God’s. 18 And whenever a case was too hard for them, they were to bring it to me and I would hear it.

19 ‘Then we left Horeb and traveled through that great and terrible desert, and (as Jehovah our God instructed us) you saw all the land from the mountains of the Amorites to Kadesh Barne. 20 Then, when we reached the mountains of the Amorites, I told you: 21 {Look!} Jehovah your God has given you all the land that lies before you. So, go there and inherit it. And as Jehovah the God of your ancestors said to you, don’t be afraid!

22 ‘But you all came to me and said, Let’s send men ahead of us into the land and have them bring back a report on which way we should travel and which of the cities we should enter.

23 ‘Well, that sounded good to me, so I chose twelve men, one man from each tribe, 24 and they went to the mountain and traveled as far as the valley of the [grape] clusters and surveyed it. 25 Then they took some of the fruit of the land and brought it back to you, and they said, The land that Jehovah our God is giving us is good!

26 ‘However, you refused to enter it and you rebelled against the words of our God Jehovah. 27 Then you went back to your tents and started complaining, saying, Jehovah hates us, because he has brought us out of the land of Egypt just to put us into the hands of the Amorites who will destroy us. 28 Why would we want to go there?

‘Then your brothers grabbed at your heart strings when they said, It’s a big country and they have many more people who are stronger than we are. And their cities are huge, with walls that are as high as the sky. And we saw the sons of the giants there!

29 ‘But I told you, Don’t be afraid and don’t fear them, 30 because Jehovah your God is traveling before you and He will fight them with you… and He will win, just as He did for you in the land of Egypt! 31 Why, you’ve seen this [many times] while you were in this desert on the way to the mountains of the Amorites. Jehovah your God has carried you as dearly as any man could nurse his child during all your travels coming to this place.

32 ‘But you didn’t believe Jehovah your God, 33 who travels before you and chooses where you will stay… who guides you with a fire each night and shows you the way to go with a cloud each day.

34 ‘And when Jehovah heard the things you were saying, He became very angry. So, He swore and said, 35 None of these men will see the good land that I swore to give to their ancestors, 36 except Caleb (the son of Jephonne) – he will see it and I will give this land that he traveled to, to him and his sons, because he did what Jehovah said.

37 ‘Then Jehovah became angry with me because of you. For he told me, You won’t enter the land either. 38 Rather, JoShua (the son of Naue) who stands at your side will enter [the land]. So, you must give him [your] strength, because he will help Israel to inherit it. 39 But only the young children who haven’t yet come to know good from evil will enter [the land with him]. I’m going to give it to them and they will inherit it.

40 ‘Then you turned and marched back into the desert, along the banks of the Red Sea.

41 ’But then you said, We have sinned against Jehovah our God. And now we will go there and fight, just as Jehovah our God commanded us. So, everyone grabbed his weapons of war and assembled to go back to the mountain.

42 ‘But Jehovah said to me, Tell them not to go and fight, because I’m not with them. They will be destroyed by their enemies.

43 ‘So, I told you, but you wouldn’t listen to me. You disobeyed Jehovah’s Commandments and you forced your way up the mountain. 44 Then the Amorites who lived there came out to meet you and chased you like bees all the way from [Mount] Seir to [Mount] Herman. 45 And then you sat down and bawled before our God Jehovah, but He wouldn’t listen to you or pay any attention to you. 46 So, you spent a long time living in Kadesh.’

Chapter 2

1 ‘Then we turned left and [traveled] through the desert following the Red Sea, as Jehovah told me, and we circled Mount Seir for many days. 2 Finally, Jehovah said to me: 3 You have circled this Mountain long enough, now turn and head north. 4 Tell the people that you’re going to cross the borders of your brothers, the children of Esau who live in Seir, and that will really make them fear you. 5 But don’t fight against them, because I won’t give you enough of their land to stand on. For, I have given Mount Seir to the children of Esau as their inheritance. 6 You may buy food from them with money and eat it, and you will have to pay for any water that you drink.

7 ‘Yet, Jehovah our God has blest you in everything that you’ve done. Just think of how you went through that great and terrible desert. {Look!} During those forty years under Jehovah your God, you haven’t lacked anything.

8 ‘Then we passed by our brothers, the children of Esau who lived in Seir, walking through the Araba from AiLon to Gesion Gaber, and we turned and walked through the desert of Moab. 9 It was then that Jehovah said to me, Don’t argue with the Moabites and don’t war against them, for I won’t give you their land as an inheritance, since I have given AroEr to the children of Lot as their inheritance. 10 The Ommin, a nation that was as large and powerful as the Enakim used to live there. 11 They are also called the Raphain, as were the Enakim, but the Moabites call them the Ommin. 12 The Chorrhites also lived in Seir before the sons of Esau destroyed them and wiped them out; and then they took possession of the land, as Israel will take possession of the land that Jehovah is giving them as an inheritance.

13 ‘Then I told them to leave and cross the Valley of Zaret. 14 And we spent the next thirty-eight years traveling between Kadesh Barne and the Zaret Valley… until the whole generation of the men of war had died (as Jehovah God swore to them). 15 For, it was the hand of Jehovah that destroyed them from among the camp, until they were all gone.

16 ‘It was after all the men of war had died 17 that Jehovah spoke to me and said, 18 Now cross the borders of Moab and go on to AroEr today. 19 But don’t go near the children of Amman... don’t argue with them or war with them, for I won’t give you the children of Amman’s land as an inheritance, because I’ve given it to the children of Lot as their inheritance. 20 It is also called the land of Raphain, because the Raphain (who the Ammanites call the Zochommin) also used to live there. 21 They were once a great nation. They had more people and they were mightier than you are (as were the Enakim). But Jehovah destroyed them and [the Ammanites] inherited the land, where they live to this day, 22 [in the same way that] the children of Esau who live in Seir destroyed the Chorrhites and inherited their land, where they live to this day. 23 And the Evites (who lived between AsedOth and Gaza) were conquered by the Cappadocians. They came from Cappadocia to destroy them and live in their property.

24 ‘Now, get up and cross the Arnon Valley, for {Look!} I have given Seon (the Amorite king of Esebon) and his land into your hands. War with him and inherit his land today. 25 Start putting fear and terror into the faces of all the nations under heaven, for they will be disturbed whenever they hear your name, and they will become very sad when you’re heading toward them.

26 ‘Then I sent ambassadors (from the KedaMoth Desert) to Seon the king of Esebon, with words of peace, saying, 27 I wish to pass through your land. I will just travel along the road and I won’t turn to the right or to the left. 28 We will pay for any food that we eat with money, and we will pay for any water that we drink. We will pass through on foot, 29 as we did with the sons of Esau who lived in Seir, and with the Moabites who lived in AroEr, until we reach the Jordan and the land that Jehovah our God is giving us.

30 ‘But Seon (the king of Esebon) wouldn’t allow us to pass through his land, because Jehovah our God hardened his spirit and gave him a stubborn heart, so he would be delivered into our hands that day.

31 ‘Jehovah said to me, Look! I’m putting Seon (the Amorite king of Esebon) and his land into your hands. Now inherit his land.

32 ‘Then Seon (the king of Esebon) came out with all his people to fight against us at JasSa. 33 But our God Jehovah handed him over to us and we cut them all down (him, his sons, and all his people). 34 Then we took over all of his cities, and we destroyed each city in succession, along with their wives and children… we left no one alive. 35 However, we took their cattle and plundered the cities. 36 And all the way from AroEr (which lies at the edge of the brook of Arnon, and its city in the valley) to Mount Gilead, there was not a town that escaped us. Jehovah our God gave them all into our hands. 37 However, following Jehovah’s instructions, we didn’t go near the children of Amman or even close to its border at the Jaboc Brook and their cities in the mountains.’

Chapter 3

1 ‘Then we turned and traveled toward Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan came out to fight us with all his people at Edraim. 2 And Jehovah said to me, Don’t be afraid of him, because I’m giving him, all his people, and all of his land into your hands. So, do to him as you did to Seon, the king of the Amorites who lived in Esebon.

3 ‘And Jehovah our God did give him into our hands, as well as all of his people. We cut them down until none of his seed was left, 4 and then we captured all his cities. For at that time, there were sixty cities all around the country of Argob that belonged to King Og. 5 They were all strong cities with high walls, high gates, and strong locks. [We also captured] many Pherezite cities, 6 and we destroyed everything, as we had done to Seon the king of Esebon. We destroyed each city in its order, as well as all the women and children. 7 However, we took all the cattle and plundered the cities.

8 ‘At that time, we also captured land that belonged to two Amorite kings who [lived on] the other side of the Jordan, which land ran from the brook of Arnon to Hermon. 9 (The Phoenicians call Hermon, SaniOr, but the Amorites called it SanIr). 10 We captured all the cities of Misor, all of Gilead, all of Bashan as far as Elcha and Edraim, which were cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

11 ‘Og, the king of Bashan was the last of the Raphain. {Look!} His bed (which was found in the capital city of the children of Ammon) was made of iron. {Look!} It was thirteen feet long and six feet wide!

12 ‘So at that time, we inherited all the land from AroEr (along the border of the Arnon), plus half of Mount Gilead, whose cities I gave to Reuben and Gad. 13 Then I gave the rest of Gilead and all of Og’s kingdom of Bashan to the half-tribe of Manasseh, which included all the country around Argob (which [used to be] the land of the Raphain).

14 ‘Then JaIr (the son of Manasseh) took all the country around Argob, as far as the borders of Gargasi and Machathi, and he named them after himself – Bashan, ThavOth, and JaIr – which is what they are still called today. 15 Then I gave Gilead to Machir, 16 and I gave the land below Gilead – from the middle of the brook of Arnon, which borders the children of Amman, all the way to Jaboc – to Reuben and Gad. 17 So, the Araba and the Jordan are the boundaries of MachanAreth, running east from the Sea of [Galilee] to the [Dead] Sea below AsedOth Phasga.

18 ‘And at that time, I told [the men of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh] that Jehovah their God had given them this land by lottery, and that all the mighty [men] should then arm themselves and march ahead of their brothers, the children of Israel. 19 However, they are to leave their wives, children, and cattle (I know that they have many cattle) in the cities that I have given them, 20 until Jehovah our God provides their brothers a haven (as He has given them) and they inherit the land that Jehovah is giving them on the other side of Jordan… when each one has his own inheritance.

21 ‘That’s when I told JoShua: You have seen everything that Jehovah our God did to these two kings, and that’s what He’s going to do to all the kingdoms that you are crossing over to there. 22 So, you must not be afraid of them, because Jehovah our God will fight for you.

23 ‘Then I went to Jehovah and asked, 24 Lord God; You have just begun to show Your strength, Your power, Your mighty hand and mighty arm to Your servants. For, what God is there in heaven or on earth that can do as You have done by Your might? 25 So, [please] allow me to cross into this good land and see what’s beyond the Jordan… its wonderful mountains and the borders of Lebanon.

26 ‘But Jehovah replied, ‘Because you didn’t show respect or listen Me, don’t ask Me about this anymore. 27 Now, climb to the top of the rocks and look west, north, south, and east. Look with your eyes, because you may not cross the Jordan. 28 Then speak to JoShua… give him strength and encourage him, because he’s going to lead these people, and it is he who will give them their inheritance in the land that you’ve seen.

29 ‘Thereafter, we camped in the valley near the house of Phogor.’

Chapter 4

1 ‘And now, O Israel, listen to the rules and decisions – everything that I’m going to teach you today – so that you can live, grow, and inherit the land that Jehovah the God of your ancestors is giving you. 2 And don’t add anything to or take anything away from these Commandments that I’m giving you. Obey the Commandments of Jehovah our God and do everything that I’m commanding you today.

3 ‘Why, you’ve seen everything that Jehovah our God did to the men [who started worshiping] Beel Phegor. Jehovah destroyed them all from among you… 4 and it’s only because you stayed close to your God that you’re all still alive today.

5 ‘{Look} I’ve shown you the rules and decisions, just as Jehovah gave them to me, so you may follow them in the land that you’re traveling to and which you will inherit. 6 Obey them and do them, because this is what will brand you as a wise and understanding people to the gentiles. For when they hear all these rules they will say, Look, they’re a great nation of wise and understanding people.

7 ‘Why, what other nation is so great that they have a God as close to them as Jehovah our God is [to us], so that we may call to Him about everything? 8 And what other nation has rules and decisions that are as righteous as all these laws that I’m setting before you today?

9 ‘Keep an eye on yourselves and carefully guard your hearts. Don’t forget any of the things that you’ve seen, and keep them in your hearts throughout your lives. You must teach your sons and your grandsons 10 the things that happened when you gathered before Jehovah our God at Horeb… when Jehovah said to me, Gather the people to Me and have them listen to My words, so they can learn to fear Me for as long as they live on the earth, and then teach this to their sons.

11 ‘Why, you went and stood at the base of the mountain as it burned with fire all the way to heaven… and there was darkness, blackness, and wind. 12 Then Jehovah spoke to you from the midst of the fire with a voice and words that you heard… and although you saw no shape, you heard the voice. 13 Then He proclaimed His Sacred Agreement with you, and He commanded you to keep the Ten Commandments that He wrote on the two tablets of stone.

14 ‘And then Jehovah commanded me to teach you His rules and decisions, so that you should obey them in the land that you’re going to inherit. 15 Now, keep them in your hearts, for you’ve never seen another day like the one when Jehovah spoke to you on Mount Horeb from the midst of the fire.

16 ‘So, don’t sin by carveing images of any kind – not in the shape of males or females, 17 or of any animals on the ground, or of any winged creatures that fly in the sky, 18 or of any slithering animals that crawl on the ground, or of any creatures that live in the waters under the ground, 19 or look up in the sky and see the sun, moon, stars, or any of the other heavenly bodies that Jehovah your God provided to all the nations under heaven, and then go off and worship and serve them. 20 For God took you and led you out of the land of Egypt – out of its iron furnace – to be His people and His inheritance today.

21 ‘Then Jehovah God became angry with me over things that you said, and He swore that I wouldn’t cross the Jordan and enter the land that He’s giving you as an inheritance. 22 So, I will die in this land and I won’t [be allowed to] cross the Jordan, but you will cross it and inherit that good land.

23 ‘Now, pay attention to yourselves and don’t forget the Sacred Agreement that Jehovah our God made with you, by sinning and carving images of any of the things that Jehovah your God told you not to do. 24 You see, Jehovah your God is zealous, and He can be a consuming fire.

25 ‘For, after you have fathered sons then grown old and had grandchildren; if you sin and carve images of things and start acting wickedly toward Jehovah your God and anger Him, 26 then I swear before heaven and earth that you will be destroyed from the land that you’re going to inherit across the Jordan… you won’t live to get any older and you’ll be cut off. 27 Then Jehovah will scatter you among all nations and you will become the minority among all the [people] wherever Jehovah sends you. 28 And there you will serve other gods that men make with their hands from wood and stones… gods that can’t see, hear, eat, or smell.

29 ‘But if you search for Jehovah your God there, you’ll find Him. For, whenever you are oppressed and you search for Him with all your hearts and souls, [you will find Him]… 30 and that’s what will happen to you in the last days. Then you must turn to Jehovah your God and listen to His voice, 31 because Jehovah your God is also a God of pity, so He won’t forget the Sacred Agreement that He promised to your ancestors, and He won’t leave you or destroy you.

32 ‘Ask from one end of the sky to the other: Since the time when God created man on the earth, has anyone has ever heard of such a great thing happening… 33 whether any nation has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst fire, as you’ve heard it and experienced it? 34 What [other] nation has God elevated and taken as His own with trials, signs, wonders, and war (with His mighty hand and mighty arm)… with all these great things that we saw Jehovah our God do in Egypt? 35 So, you should know that Jehovah your God is The God, and that there is none other than Him. 36 For, it was His voice that you heard from heaven and that was teaching you when He showed you His great fire and when you heard His words from the midst of the fire!

37 ‘It was only because He loved your ancestors that He chose you (because you’re their seed) and drew you to Him; and with His great strength He brought you out of Egypt. 38 Then He destroyed nations that were much greater and stronger than you are – right in front of you – to bring you here today and give you their land as your inheritance.

39 ‘So, recognize all of this and consider it in your hearts. For, Jehovah your God is the God of heaven above and earth below, and there are no others! 40 And if you keep His Commandments and rules – all that I’m giving you today – it will go well for you and your descendants, and you may live on the land that Jehovah your God is giving you for a long time… for ages.’

41 Then Moses set aside three towns on the east side of the Jordan 42 as refuge cities where men who have unintentionally killed a neighbor (someone who they never hated) can run to and live. 43 [They were] Bosor in the plains of Reuben, RamOth in Gilead (Gad’s land), and Gaulon in Bashan (Manasseh’s land).

44 These were the laws that Moses laid out before the children of Israel… 45 they are the testimonies, rules, and decisions that Moses told the sons of Israel after they left Egypt, 46 while they were on the other side of Jordan in the valley near the house of Phogor in the land of Seon (the king of the Amorites who lived in Esebon), who Moses and the sons of Israel destroyed.

47 So, they inherited this land, the land of Og (the king of Bashan) and of the two Amorite kings, east of the Jordan 48 from AroEr (which borders on the Arnon Brook) to Mount Seon (or Hermon)… 49 the entire Araba from the Jordan east, down to [Mount Pisgah].

Chapter 5

1 Then Moses called all of Israel and said to them, ‘Listen to the rules and decisions… all that I’m going to tell you today! Learn them and obey them, O Israel. 2 For, Jehovah your God made a Sacred Agreement with you at the Dry Place (Horeb). 3 He didn’t make it with your ancestors, but with you… you who are all here and living today. 4 Jehovah spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire. 5 And I stood between Jehovah and you at that time, and reported the words of Jehovah to you, because you were afraid of the fire and you didn’t want to get close to the mountain. And [there He] said:

6 ‘I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of slavery. 7 So, you must have no other gods other than Me.

8 ‘You must not make images for yourselves of anything in the skies above, on the earth below, or of things that live in the water beneath the ground. 9 You must not bow before them or serve them, for I, Jehovah your God, am a zealous God, and I bring the sins of the ancestors upon the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who hate Me. 10 But I am merciful to the thousands who love Me and keep My Commandments.

11 ‘You must not misuse the Name of your God Jehovah, for your God Jehovah will not forgive those who misuse His Name.

12 ‘Keep the Sabbath day and make it holy, as Jehovah your God commanded you. 13 You may work and get everything done in six days, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of your God Jehovah, and you must do no work… not you, your sons or daughters, your male or female servants, your oxen, your burros, any of your cattle, or any strangers that are visiting among you. Both you and your servants must rest. 15 For, remember that you were once slaves in the land of Egypt, then Jehovah your God brought you out of there with His strong hand and mighty arm. So, Jehovah has instructed you to keep the Sabbath and to make it holy.

16 ‘Honor your father and mother, as Jehovah your God commanded you, so that things may go well for you and that you may live a long time in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you.

17 ‘You must not commit murder.

18 ‘You must not commit adultery.

19 ‘You must not steal.

20 ‘You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

21 ‘You must not desire your neighbor’s wife, his house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his burro, any other animal, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

22 ‘These are the words that Jehovah spoke to the gathering with a loud voice at the mountain from the midst of the fire, darkness, blackness, and storms. He didn’t add any more. He wrote them on two tablets of stone, and then He gave them to me.

23 ‘And when you heard the voice from the midst of the fire (for the mountain was burning with fire when all of you came there, including all the heads of your tribes and your elders), 24 you said, {Look!} Jehovah our God has shown us His glory and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire today. We have seen that when God speaks to men we can still live. 25 And now we’re [afraid] that we will die, because this great fire will burn us up and kill us if we listen to the voice of Jehovah our God anymore. 26 For, what flesh has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking from a fire as we have, and still lived? 27 So, we want you to go closer and listen to everything that Jehovah our God wishes say, then tell us whatever Jehovah our God says to you and we will all do it.

28 ‘And when Jehovah heard what you said to me, He replied, I have heard all the things that these people have said to you, and everything that they’ve said is good. 29 Oh, how I wish that they had the type of heart in them that would cause them to fear Me and keep My commands, so things would always go well for them and their descendants through the ages.

30 ‘Now, go and tell them to return to their homes. 31 Then you can stand here with Me and I will give you all the Commandments, rules, and decisions… then you must teach it to them, and they must obey them all when they reach the land that I’m giving them as their inheritance. 32 They must pay attention and do as Jehovah their God commands them. They must not turn to the right or to the left, 33 but they must follow the path that Jehovah their God will tell them to walk, so He may provide them rest; so things may go well with them; and so that they may live even longer upon the land that they’re going to inherit.’

Chapter 6

1 ‘These are all the Commandments, rules, and decisions that Jehovah our God gave us and taught you to obey in the land that you will inherit. 2 So, fear Jehovah your God and follow all the rules and Commandments that I’m giving to you, your sons, and your grandsons, for as long as you all may live.

3 ‘Now listen, O Israel, and obey them, so that things may go well for you and your [families] will grow, just as Jehovah the God of your ancestors promised that He would do for you when He gives you a land flowing with milk and honey. Yes, these were the rules and decisions that Jehovah gave as Commandments to the children of Israel while they were in the desert, after they left the land of Egypt. 4 ‘[He said], Listen, O Israel; Jehovah our God is [the only] Lord, 5 and you must love Him with your whole mind, with your whole life force, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am commanding you today must stay in your hearts and in your lives. 7 Then you must teach them to your children… speak of them while you’re sitting [with them] at home, while you’re walking along, before you go to bed, and when you get up. 8 You must tie them to your hands as a sign and keep them before your eyes. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.

10 ‘And when Jehovah your God brings you into the land that He promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (that He would give you great and beautiful cities that you won’t build, 11 houses that are full of all sorts of good things that you won’t put there, wells dug in rock that you won’t dig, vineyards and olive groves that you won’t plant, and where you will eat and be filled) 12 you must be careful not to forget Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of slavery. 13 So, you must fear Jehovah your God and serve only Him. You must stick to Him and swear by His Name.

14 ‘Don’t follow other gods, such as the gods of the nations around you, 15 for Jehovah your God who is among you is a zealous God. Otherwise, Jehovah your God will be very angry with you and destroy you from the face of the earth.

16 ‘You must not test Jehovah your God as you tested Him in the [desert]. 17 You must absolutely keep all the Commandments, decisions, and rules that He gave you. 18 And you must do everything that is pleasing and good to Jehovah, so that things may go well for you, and so that you may enter and inherit the good land that Jehovah promised to your ancestors, 19 where He promised to chase away all your enemies before you.

20 ‘Then if your son should ever ask you, What are the words, rules, and decisions that Jehovah our God has given us? 21 You must tell him, We were once slaves to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt; then Jehovah brought us out of there with His strong hand and mighty arm. 22 For, Jehovah performed signs and great miracles before Pharaoh and His house for us there in Egypt. 23 Then He brought us out of there to give us this land, which He had promised our ancestors that He would give us. 24 Then Jehovah taught us to obey all His rules and to fear our God, so things will go well for us through the ages of our lives, down to today. 25 For, Jehovah our God will be merciful to us if we pay attention and obey all these Commandments that He has given us.’

Chapter 7

1 ‘And when Jehovah your God brings you in and gives you the land where you are going, [He] will remove great nations before you – the Hittites, Gergesites, Amorites, Canaanites, Pherezites, Evites, and Jebusites – seven nations that are larger and stronger than you are. 2 Yet, Jehovah your God will give them into your hands and you must cut them down… destroy them. You must not make any treaties with them or feel pity for them, 3 nor may you marry among them. You may not give your daughters to their sons, nor may you take their daughters for your sons. 4 For, they will draw your sons away to serve other gods, and Jehovah will be very angry with you and will soon destroy you.

5 ‘This is what you should do to them: destroy their altars and break down their [sacred] columns, then cut down their sacred poles and burn the carved images of their gods with fire, 6 for you are a holy people to Jehovah your God. He chose you to be His people over all the other nations on the face of the earth.

7 ‘Jehovah didn’t prefer and choose you because there are more of you than there are in other nations, for you are smaller than the rest. 8 Rather, He chose you because He loves you, and because He wants to keep the promise that He made with your ancestors. So, He brought you out of the house of slavery – out of the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt – with His strong hand. 9 Therefore, you should know that Jehovah your God is a faithful God who keeps His Sacred Agreements, and that He is merciful to those who love Him and keep His Commandments through thousands of generations. 10 Yet, He pays back those who hate Him to their faces by destroying them… He doesn’t cut any slack for those who hate Him.

11 ‘So, you must keep His Commandments, rules, and these decisions that I am giving you today. 12 And after you hear them – if you decide to do them – Jehovah your God will keep His Sacred Agreement with you and show the mercy to you that He promised to your ancestors. 13 He will love you, bless you, make you grow, and He will bless the children who come from you, as well as the fruitage of your [fields] – your grain, wine, oil, herds of oxen, and flocks of sheep – in the land that Jehovah swore to your ancestors that He would give to you. 14 You will be blest beyond all other nations, and neither you nor your cattle will be impotent or sterile. 15 Jehovah your God will also take away all illnesses. He won’t bring any of the terrible diseases that you saw in Egypt upon you, but He will bring them upon all those who hate you.

16 ‘Also, you may eat all the plunder of the nations that Jehovah your God is giving you. But you must not spare them, nor may you serve their gods, because that would be a sin.

17 Now, if you start thinking that some nation is stronger than you are, and you wonder how you can destroy them, 18 just remember all that Jehovah your God did to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians. 19 For you have seen the great signs, wonders, and the strong hand and mighty arm that Jehovah your God used to bring you out of there, and that’s what He will do to all the nations… they will [shake in] fear when they see you. 20 Jehovah your God will send hornets against them until any who are left and hiding from you are destroyed. 21 Yet, none of you will even be wounded, because Jehovah your God who is among you, is a great and powerful God.

22 ‘However, Jehovah your God will destroy these nations a little at a time. You won’t be able to destroy them quickly, otherwise the land would become desert again and there would be too many wild animals in your fields. 23 Yet, Jehovah your God will give them all into your hands, so you must [keep on] destroying them until they are all gone. 24 For, He will deliver their kings into your hands and you will wipe away their names. No one will be able to stand before you until you’ve destroyed them all.

25 ‘Then you must burn the carved images of their gods in fires. You must not plunder their [images] of silver or gold, for that would offend Jehovah your God… because these things are disgusting to Him. 26 So, don’t bring their disgusting things into your homes, but hate them and consider them as cursed, because they really are cursed.’

Chapter 8

1 ‘You must be careful to obey all the Commandments that I’m giving you today, so you can live and grow, then enter and inherit the land that Jehovah your God promised to your ancestors. 2 Don’t forget how Jehovah your God led you through the desert where He tested and tried you in order to show what’s in your hearts… whether you would keep His Commandments or not. 3 For, He tested you and corrected you with hunger, and then He fed you with manna (which was something that your ancestors had never heard of) to show you that men don’t just need bread to live, they also require all the words that come from the mouth of God. 4 Also, your clothes didn’t wear out, nor did your shoes; and yet your feet never grew hard during these past forty years.

5 ‘So, in your hearts you must know that Jehovah your God is disciplining you in the same way that any man should discipline his son. 6 Therefore, you must keep His Commandments, follow His paths, and fear Him. 7 For Jehovah your God will bring you into a large and good land where there are flowing rivers and deep springs that run through the plains and through the mountains. 8 It’s a land where there is wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates – a land of olive oil and honey – 9 where no one will go hungry. Nobody will be [poor] there, because it’s a land where stones are made of iron, and copper is mined in the mountains.

10 ‘Then, when you have eaten and are filled, you must praise Jehovah your God in the good land that He’s giving you. 11 Pay attention to yourselves and don’t forget Jehovah your God or forget His Commandments, decisions, and rules, which I’m giving you today. 12 So, after you’ve eaten and are full, and have built good houses and are living in them, 13 and your herds of oxen and sheep have increased, and you’ve become wealthy and have many possessions, 14 don’t become proud in your in hearts and forget Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of slavery, 15 then through that great and terrible desert where there are scorpions, biting snakes, and drought. For, when there was no water, He brought you a fountain of water out of flinty rock. 16 Then He fed you with manna in the desert, which was something that you and your ancestors had never heard of. He did all of this to [discipline] you, so He could do good things for you in the future.

17 ‘So, you must never say in your hearts, I’ve gained all this wealth with my own hands and by my own power. 18 But you must remember that Jehovah your God is the One who gives you the power to gain your wealth… and this is due to the Sacred Agreement that He swore to your ancestors.

19 ‘And if you ever forget Jehovah your God and choose to follow, worship, and serve other gods, then I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that you will be destroyed! 20 For, just as Jehovah is destroying the nations before you, that’s how you will be destroyed if you fail to listen to the voice of your God.’

Chapter 9

1 ‘Listen [to me], O Israel: Today you’re going to cross the Jordan and you will inherit nations that are greater and stronger than you are, and large cities with walls that reach into the sky. 2 The people are great, numerous, and tall… such as the sons of Enac, who you are familiar with and of whom you’ve heard it said, Who can stand before the children of Enac? 3 But I want you to know today, that your God Jehovah will go ahead of you. For He is a consuming fire and He will destroy them. He will move them back before you and destroy them quickly, just as He promised.

4 ‘Now, after Jehovah your God has destroyed all these nations before you, don’t say in your hearts, Jehovah brought me here to inherit this good land because I’m so righteous. 5 For, it isn’t because of your righteousness or due to the holiness in your hearts that you’re inheriting their land. Rather, it’s because these nation are so wicked that Jehovah will destroy them; and [He’s doing it] so that He may fulfill the Sacred Agreement that He swore to our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

6 ‘No, it isn’t because of your righteousness that Jehovah your God is giving you this good land as an inheritance, for you are a [rebellious] people. 7 Don’t forget how much you angered Jehovah your God in the desert, starting from the day that you left Egypt until you arrived here, for you have continued to disobey Him!

8 ‘[Remember how] you made Jehovah so angry at [Mount] Horeb that He wanted to destroy you? 9 Why, when I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets of the Sacred Agreement that Jehovah made with you, I was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, during which I had nothing to eat or drink. 10 Then Jehovah gave me the two stone tablets that had been written by the finger of God; and all the words that Jehovah said to you on the day that you gathered at the mountain were written on them.

11 ‘It was at the end of those forty days and nights that Jehovah gave me the two stone tablets that contained the Sacred Agreement. 12 Then He said to me, Now get up and hurry down the mountain, because the people who you brought out of the land of Egypt have sinned! They’ve already left the Commandments that I told them and they’ve made an image for themselves against Me.

13 ‘Then Jehovah said to me, As I told you before, I have seen these people and {Look!} they are rebellious. 14 Now, may I destroy them – blot out their name from under the sky – and make a great and strong nation out of you… [a nation] that is even greater than [they are].

15 ‘So, as the mountain burned with fire into the skies, I turned and went down the mountain carrying the two tablets of Proofs, one in each hand. 16 And when I saw that you had sinned against Jehovah your God and made yourselves an idol – something that Jehovah had commanded you not to do – 17 I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands and broke them there before you. 18 Then [I went back up] and prayed, begging Jehovah for forty more days and nights. I didn’t eat or drink anything then either, because of all your sins and the evil things that you did before Jehovah God to anger Him. 19 And I was really frightened, because thenHe was so angry with you that He wanted to destroy you. However, Jehovah listened to me one more time.

20 ‘He was also so angry with Aaron that He wanted to destroy him, but I prayed for Aaron. 21 Then, because of your sin, I took the calf and burned it in a fire… I beat it down and ground it into dust and threw the dust into the brook that runs down the mountain!

22 ‘You also angered Jehovah at the Burning, at the Temptation, and at the Graves of Greed. 23 And when Jehovah sent you from Kadesh Barne and said, Now go and inherit the land that I am Giving you, you disobeyed Jehovah your God… you didn’t believe Him and your wouldn’t do what He said. 24 Why, you’ve been disobedient to everything that Jehovah has said since the day that you came to know Him.

25 ‘So, I prayed to Jehovah for forty days and forty nights – that’s how long I prayed to Jehovah – begging Him not to destroy you. 26 I prayed this to God: O Lord, King of gods, don’t destroy Your people… Your inheritance who You purchased and brought out of the land of Egypt with Your great power, strong hand, and mighty arm. 27 Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom You swore by Your [Name]. Don’t look at the hard hearts of these people and at their lack of respect and their sins. 28 Otherwise, those who live in the land that You took us from will say, It’s just because Jehovah couldn’t bring them into the land He promised to them that He didn’t care for them and carried them away from here to kill them in the desert. 29 These are Your people! They belong to You! For, You brought them out of the land of Egypt with Your great strength, Your mighty hand, and Your mighty arm!’

Chapter 10

1 ‘Then Jehovah said to me, Cut two stone tablets for yourself, like the first ones, then come up to Me on the mountain. Also, make a wooden chest for yourself. 2 Then you must write the same words as were on the first tablets upon these tablets, and then put them into the chest.

3 ‘So I made a chest from boards of durable wood, and I cut stone tablets that were like the first ones, then I climbed the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. 4 And there He wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets, the same as He did on the first ones (what Jehovah told you from the midst of the fire on the mountain), and then He gave them to me. 5 Thereafter, I turned and came down the mountain. Then I put the tablets into the chest that I had made, just as Jehovah had commanded me.

6 ‘Well, the children of Israel left BeerOth (of the sons of JakIm) and traveled to MisadAi, where Aaron died and was buried. Then his son EliEzer replaced him as the Priest.

7 ‘Then we left for GadGad, and from GadGad [we went] to EteBatha, which is a land where there is a lot of running water. 8 It was there that Jehovah assigned the tribe of Levi to carry the Chest of Jehovah’s Sacred Agreement and to stand before Jehovah to serve and praise His Name to this day. 9 And from that point on, the Levites were to have no part in the inheritance of their brothers, because (as He told them) Jehovah is their inheritance.

10 ‘Well, I stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights. And Jehovah listened to me and decided not to destroy you. 11 And He told me, Now lead these people. Let them enter and inherit the land that I promised their ancestors that I would give to them.

12 ‘And now, O Israel, what does Jehovah your God require of you other than that you fear Him, walk in His paths, love Him, and serve Him with all your hearts and souls. 13 So, obey the Commandments of your God Jehovah and follow all His rules that I’m telling you today, so things may go well for you. 14 Look into the sky and into the heaven of heavens, for they, the earth, and all things that are in them belong to Jehovah your God.

15 ‘It is Jehovah who chose your ancestors and their seed (which includes you) over all other nations, to be loved by Him. 16 So, circumcise the hardness from your hearts and don’t be [rebellious], 17 for Jehovah your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He’s the great, strong, and terrifying God who doesn’t favor anyone or accept bribes. 18 He brings justice to strangers, orphans, and widows. He loves strangers and provides them with food and clothing. 19 So, you must love strangers too, for you were once strangers in the land of Egypt.

20 ‘You must fear Jehovah your God... serve Him, stick to Him, and swear by His Name. 21 He’s the One who you have to brag about, for He’s your God and it’s He who did all these great and glorious things that you’ve seen while He has been among you. 22 Why, there were only seventy people (your ancestors) who went down to Egypt, but Jehovah your God has made you like the stars in the sky in numbers!’

Chapter 11

1 ‘So, you must love your God Jehovah and follow His assignments, rules, Commandments, and decisions throughout your lives.

2 ‘Now, recognize that I’m not [addressing] your children here today... those who don’t know and haven’t seen the discipline of your God Jehovah, or His wonderful works, strong hand, mighty arm, 3 miracles, and the wonders that He performed before Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) and on his whole land, 4 or what He did to the Egyptian army and their chariots and cavalry when He made the waters of the Red Sea cover them and destroy them as they were chasing after us, 5 or all the things that He did for us in the desert as we were coming here, 6 or the things that he did to Dathan and AbiRam (the sons of EliAb and grandsons of Reuben) when the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them, their families, their tents, and all their belongings there in the midst of all Israel. 7 Rather, [I’m addressing you], for it was your eyes that have seen all these mighty deeds that Jehovah performed among us.

8 ‘So, as I’ve told you before, you must keep all His Commandments so you can live, grow, and inherit the land across the Jordan 9 that’s flowing with milk and honey; and then live a long time on the land that Jehovah promised your ancestors that He would give to them and their seed. 10 For the land that you’re going to inherit isn’t like the land of Egypt that you left, where you plant the seeds and then water them under your feet as in an herb garden. 11 Rather, the land that you’re going to inherit is a land of mountains and plains, so it will drink its water from the skies. 12 It’s a land that Jehovah your God will keep an eye on and watch over throughout the whole year.

13 Now, if you will listen to all the Commandments that I’m telling you today and love and serve Jehovah your God with your whole heart and soul, 14 He will bring the rains to your land (early rains and late rains in their seasons), you will have a full harvest of grain, wine, and oil, 15 and He will put food in the fields for your cattle. But after you’re full and satisfied, 16 be careful not to allow your hearts to become proud and cause you to sin by worshiping and serving other gods. 17 For, if Jehovah becomes angry with you, He will bind up the skies and there won’t be any rain, the earth won’t produce its fruit, and you will soon be destroyed from the good land that Jehovah is giving you.

18 ‘Keep these words in your hearts and in your souls... tie them on your hands as a sign, and keep them in front of your eyes, 19 then teach them to your children… talk to your children about them while you’re sitting at home, while you’re walking along, before you go to sleep, and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates, 21 so your days and the days of your children will last a long time in the land that Jehovah swore to your ancestors that He would give them for as long as the skies cover the earth.

22 ‘Now, if you listen to all these Commandments that I’m telling you today, and you love Jehovah your God, walk in all His ways, and stick close to Him, 23 He will drive out all these nations that are before you and you will inherit nations that are greater and stronger than yo