Bible in 90 Days

Making Things “Clean” From Mold

³³ The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He told them to say to the people, ³⁴ “You will enter the land of Canaan. I am giving it to you as your own. When you enter it, suppose I put mold in one of your houses. And suppose the mold spreads. ³⁵ Then the owner of that house must go and speak to the priest. He must say, ‘I’ve seen something that looks like mold in my house.’ ³⁶ The priest must order everything to be taken out of the house. It must be done before he goes in to look carefully at the mold. If it is not done, the priest must announce that everything in the house is ‘unclean.’ After the house is empty the priest must go in and check it. ³⁷ He must look carefully at the mold on the walls. Suppose it looks as if it has green or red dents in it. And suppose the dents look as if they are behind the surface of the wall. ³⁸ Then the priest must go out the door. He must close the house up for seven days. ³⁹ On the seventh day the priest will return to check the house. Suppose the mold on the walls has spread. ⁴⁰ Then he must order someone to tear out the stones that have mold on them. He must have them thrown into an ‘unclean’ place outside the town. ⁴¹ He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped. Everything scraped off must be dumped into an ‘unclean’ place outside the town. ⁴² Then other stones must be put in the place of the stones that had mold on them. The inside walls of the house must be coated with new clay.

⁴³ “Suppose the stones have been torn out. The house has been scraped. And the walls have been coated with new clay. But the mold appears again. ⁴⁴ Then the priest must go and look things over carefully. Suppose the mold has spread in the house. Then it is the kind of mold that destroys things. The house is not ‘clean.’ ⁴⁵ It must be torn down. The stones, the wood and all the clay coating must be torn out. All of it must be taken out of the town to an ‘unclean’ place.

⁴⁶ “Suppose someone goes into the house while it is closed up. Then they will be ‘unclean’ until evening. ⁴⁷ If they sleep or eat in the house, they must wash their clothes.

⁴⁸ “But suppose the priest comes to look things over carefully. And suppose the mold has not spread after the walls had been coated with new clay. Then he will announce that the house is ‘clean.’ The mold is gone. ⁴⁹ To make the house pure, the priest must get two birds. He must also get some cedar wood, bright red yarn and branches of a hyssop plant. ⁵⁰ He must kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. ⁵¹ Then he must take the cedar wood, the hyssop plant, the bright red yarn and the live bird. He must dip all of them into the blood of the dead bird. He must also dip them into the fresh water. He must sprinkle the house seven times. ⁵² The priest will use the blood and the water to make the house pure. He will use the live bird to make it pure. He will also use the cedar wood, the hyssop plant and the bright red yarn to make it pure. ⁵³ Then he must let the live bird go free in the open fields outside the town. In that way he will make the house pure. It will be ‘clean.’ ”

⁵⁴ These are the rules for skin diseases. They apply to sores. ⁵⁵ They apply to mold in clothes or in houses. ⁵⁶ They also apply to swellings, rashes or shiny red spots on the skin. ⁵⁷ Use these rules to decide whether something is “clean” or not.

These are the rules for skin diseases and for mold.

Rules About Liquid Body Wastes

15 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Suppose liquid waste is flowing out of a man’s body. That liquid is not “clean.” ³ It does not matter whether it continues to flow out of his body or is blocked. It will make him “unclean.” Here is how his liquid body waste will make him “unclean.”

⁴ “ ‘Any bed the man who has the flow of liquid body waste lies on will be “unclean.” Anything he sits on will be “unclean.” ⁵ Anyone who touches the man’s bed must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening. ⁶ Suppose someone sits on something the man sat on. Then they must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.

⁷ “ ‘Suppose someone touches the man who has the flow of liquid body waste. Then they must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.

⁸ “ ‘Suppose someone is “clean.” And suppose the man who has the flow of liquid waste spits on them. Then they must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.

⁹ “ ‘Everything the man sits on when he is riding will be “unclean.” ¹⁰ Suppose someone touches any of the things that were under him. Then they will be “unclean” until evening. Even if they pick up those things, they must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.

¹¹ “ ‘Suppose the man who has the liquid flow touches someone. And suppose he does it without rinsing his hands with water. Then the person he touched must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.

¹² “ ‘Suppose the man touches a clay pot. Then that pot must be broken. Any wooden thing he touches must be rinsed with water.

¹³ “ ‘Suppose the man has been healed from his liquid flow. Then he must wait seven days. He must wash his clothes. He must take a bath in fresh water. After that, he will be “clean.” ¹⁴ On the eighth day he must get two doves or two young pigeons. He must come to the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. There he must give the birds to the priest. ¹⁵ The priest must sacrifice them. One is for a sin offering. The other is for a burnt offering. In that way the priest will pay for the man’s sin in the sight of the Lord. He will do it because the man had a liquid flow.

¹⁶ “ ‘Suppose semen flows from a man’s body. Then he must wash his whole body with water. He will be “unclean” until evening. ¹⁷ Suppose clothes or leather have semen on them. Then they must be washed with water. They will be “unclean” until evening. ¹⁸ Suppose a man sleeps with a woman. And suppose semen flows from his body and touches both of them. Then they must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.

¹⁹ “ ‘Suppose a woman is having her regular monthly period. Then for seven days she will be “unclean.” Anyone who touches her will be “unclean” until evening.

²⁰ “ ‘Anything she lies on during her period will be “unclean.” Anything she sits on will be “unclean.” ²¹ Anyone who touches her bed must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening. ²² Anyone who touches anything she sits on must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening. ²³ It does not matter whether it was her bed or anything she was sitting on. If anyone touches it, they will be “unclean” until evening.

²⁴ “ ‘Suppose a man sleeps with that woman. And suppose blood from her monthly period touches him. Then he will be “unclean” for seven days. Any bed he lies on will be “unclean.”

²⁵ “ ‘Suppose blood flows from a woman’s body for many days. And it happens at a time other than her monthly period. Or blood keeps flowing after her period is over. Then she will be “unclean” as long as the blood continues to flow. She will be “unclean,” just as she is during the days of her period. ²⁶ Any bed she lies on while her blood continues to flow will be “unclean.” It is the same as it is when she is having her period. Anything she sits on will be “unclean.” ²⁷ If anyone touches those things, they will be “unclean.” They must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.

²⁸ “ ‘Suppose the woman has been healed from her flow of blood. Then she must wait seven days. After that, she will be “clean.” ²⁹ On the eighth day she must get two doves or two young pigeons. She must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ³⁰ The priest must sacrifice them. One is for a sin offering. The other is for a burnt offering. In that way he will pay for her sin in the sight of the Lord. He will do it because her flow of blood made her “unclean.”

³¹ “ ‘You must keep the Israelites away from things that make them “unclean.” Then they will not die for being “unclean.” And they will not die for making the place “unclean” where I, the Lord, live. It is in the middle of the camp.’ ”

³² These are the rules for a man who has liquid waste flowing out of his body. They apply to a man made “unclean” by semen that flows from his body. ³³ They apply to a woman having her monthly period. They apply to a man or woman who has a liquid flow. And they apply to a man who sleeps with a woman who is “unclean.”

The Day When Sin Is Paid For

16 The Lord spoke to Moses after two of Aaron’s sons had died. They were the sons who died when they came near the Lord. ² The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to your brother Aaron. Tell him not to come into the Most Holy Room just anytime he wants to. Tell him not to come behind the curtain in front of the cover of the ark. The cover is the place where sin is paid for. If he comes behind the curtain, he will die. That is because I appear in the cloud over the cover.

³ “Aaron must not enter the area of the Most Holy Room without bringing a sacrifice. He must bring a young bull for a sin offering. He must also bring a ram for a burnt offering. ⁴ He must put on the sacred inner robe made out of linen. He must wear linen underwear next to his body. He must tie the linen belt around him. And he must put the linen turban on his head. Those are sacred clothes. So he must take a bath before he puts them on. ⁵ The community of Israel must give him two male goats and a ram. The goats are for a sin offering. The ram is for a burnt offering.

⁶ “Aaron must offer the bull for his own sin offering. It will pay for his own sin and the sin of his whole family. ⁷ Then he must take the two goats and bring them to me at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁸ He must cast lots for the two goats. One lot is for me. The other is for the goat that carries the people’s sins away. ⁹ Aaron must bring the goat chosen for me by lot. He must sacrifice it for a sin offering. ¹⁰ But the goat chosen by the other lot must remain alive. First, it must be brought in to me to pay for the people’s sins. Then, it must be sent into the desert as a goat that carries the people’s sins away.

¹¹ “Aaron must bring the bull for his own sin offering. It will pay for his own sin and the sin of his whole family. He must kill the bull for his own sin offering. ¹² He must take a shallow cup full of burning coals from the altar in my sight. He must get two handfuls of incense completely ground up. The incense must smell sweet. He must take the cup and the incense behind the curtain. ¹³ He must put the incense on the fire in my sight. The smoke from the incense will hide the cover of the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. The cover is the place where sin is paid for. Aaron must burn the incense so that he will not die. ¹⁴ He must dip his finger in the bull’s blood. He must sprinkle it on the front of the cover of the ark. He must sprinkle some in front of the cover. He must do it seven times.

¹⁵ “Then Aaron must kill the goat for the sin offering for the people. He must take its blood behind the curtain. There he must do the same thing with it as he did with the bull’s blood. He must sprinkle it on the cover of the ark. He must also sprinkle some in front of it. ¹⁶ That is how he will make the Most Holy Room pure. He must do it because the Israelites are not ‘clean.’ They have not obeyed me. They have also committed other sins. Aaron must do the same for the tent of meeting because it stands in the middle of the camp. And the camp is ‘unclean.’ ¹⁷ Aaron will go into the Most Holy Room to pay for the people’s sin. While Aaron is there, no one may be in the tent of meeting. No one may enter the tent until Aaron comes out. He will not come out until he has paid for his own sin and the sin of his whole family. He will not come out until he has also paid for the sin of the whole community of Israel.

¹⁸ “Then he will come out to the altar for burnt offerings. It is in front of the tent where the ark of the Lord is. He will make the altar pure and clean. He will take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood. Then he will put the blood on all the horns that stick out from the upper four corners of the altar. ¹⁹ He will sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times. He will do it to make the altar pure. He will do it to set it apart from the Israelites. They are ‘unclean.’

²⁰ “Aaron will finish making the Most Holy Room pure and ‘clean.’ He will finish making the tent of meeting and the altar pure. Then he will bring out the live goat. ²¹ He must place both of his hands on its head. While he does that, he must tell me about all the sins the Israelites have committed. He must tell me about all their evil acts and the times they did not obey me. In that way he puts their sins on the goat’s head. Then he will send the goat away into the desert. The goat will be led away by a man appointed to do it. ²² The goat will carry all their sins on itself to a place where there are no people. And the man will set the goat free in the desert.

²³ “Then Aaron must go into the tent of meeting. He must take off the linen clothes he put on before he entered the Most Holy Room. He must leave them there. ²⁴ He must take a bath in the holy area. And he must put on his regular clothes. Then he will come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself. He will also sacrifice the burnt offering for the people. That will pay for his own sin and the people’s sin. ²⁵ He will also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

²⁶ “The man who sets free the goat that carries the people’s sins away must wash his clothes. He must take a bath. After that, he can come back into the camp. ²⁷ The bull and the goat for the sin offerings must be taken outside the camp. Their blood was brought into the Most Holy Room. It paid for sin. The hides, meat and guts of the animals must be burned up. ²⁸ The man who burns them must wash his clothes. He must take a bath. After that, he can come back into the camp.

²⁹ “Here is a law for you that will last for all time to come. On the tenth day of the seventh month you must not eat anything. You must not do any work. It does not matter whether you are Israelites or outsiders. ³⁰ On that day your sin will be paid for. You will be made pure and clean. You will be clean from all your sins in my sight. ³¹ That day is a sabbath for you. You must rest on it. You must not eat anything on that day. This is a law that will last for all time to come. ³² The high priest must pay for sin. He must make everything pure and clean. He has been anointed and prepared to become the next high priest after his father. He must put on the sacred clothes that are made out of linen. ³³ He must make the Most Holy Room, the tent of meeting and the altar pure. And he must pay for the sin of the priests and all the members of the community.

³⁴ “Here is a law for you that will last for all time to come. Once a year you must pay for all the sin of the Israelites.”

So it was done, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Do Not Eat Meat With Blood in It

17 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to Aaron and his sons. Speak to all the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, ³ “Suppose someone sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat. They sacrifice it in the camp or outside of it. ⁴ They do it instead of bringing the animal to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They sacrifice it instead of giving it as an offering to me in front of my holy tent. Then they will be thought of as guilty of spilling blood. Because they have done that, they must be separated from their people. ⁵ The Israelites are now making sacrifices in the open fields. But they must bring their sacrifices to the priest. They must bring them to me at the entrance to the tent of meeting. There they must sacrifice them as friendship offerings. ⁶ The priest must splash the blood against my altar. It is the altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He must burn the fat. Its smell will please me. ⁷ The Israelites must stop offering any of their sacrifices to statues of gods that look like goats. When they offer sacrifices to those statues, they are not faithful to me. This is a law for them that will last for all time to come.” ’

⁸ “Tell them, ‘Suppose someone offers a burnt offering or sacrifice. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. ⁹ And suppose they do not bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to me. Then they must be separated from their people.

¹⁰ “ ‘Suppose someone eats meat that still has blood in it. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. I will turn against them if they eat it. I will separate them from their people. ¹¹ The life of each creature is in its blood. So I have given you the blood of animals to pay for your sin on the altar. Blood is life. That is why blood pays for your sin. ¹² So I say to the Israelites, “You must not eat meat that still has blood in it. And an outsider who lives among you must not eat it either.”

¹³ “ ‘Suppose any of you hunts any animal or bird that can be eaten. It does not matter whether you are an Israelite or an outsider. You must let the blood flow out of the animal or bird. You must cover the blood with dirt. ¹⁴ That is because every creature’s life is its blood. And that is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat any creature’s meat that still has blood in it. Every creature’s life is its blood. Anyone who eats that kind of meat must be separated from the community of Israel.”

¹⁵ “ ‘Suppose someone eats anything found dead or torn apart by wild animals. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. They must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening. After that, they will be “clean.” ¹⁶ But suppose they do not wash their clothes. And suppose they do not take a bath. Then they will be held responsible for what they have done.’ ”

Do Not Commit Sexual Sins

18 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ² “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘I am the Lord your God. ³ Do not do what the people of Egypt do. You used to live there. And do not do what the people of Canaan do. I am bringing you into their land. Do not follow their practices. ⁴ Obey my laws. Be careful to follow my rules. I am the Lord your God. ⁵ Keep my rules and laws. The one who obeys them will benefit from living by them. I am the Lord.

⁶ “ ‘Do not have sex with any of your close relatives. I am the Lord.

⁷ “ ‘Do not bring shame on your father by having sex with your mother. Do not have sex with her. She is your mother.

⁸ “ ‘Do not have sex with any other wife of your father. That would bring shame on your father.

⁹ “ ‘Do not have sex with your sister. It does not matter whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter. It does not matter whether she was born in the same home as you were or somewhere else.

¹⁰ “ ‘Do not have sex with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter. That would bring shame on you.

¹¹ “ ‘Do not have sex with the daughter of your father’s wife. She was born to your father. She is your sister.

¹² “ ‘Do not have sex with your father’s sister. She is a close relative on your father’s side.

¹³ “ ‘Do not have sex with your mother’s sister. She is a close relative on your mother’s side.

¹⁴ “ ‘Do not bring shame on your father’s brother by having sex with his wife. She is your aunt.

¹⁵ “ ‘Do not have sex with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. Do not have sex with her.

¹⁶ “ ‘Do not have sex with your brother’s wife. That would bring shame on your brother.

¹⁷ “ ‘Do not have sex with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sex with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter. They are close relatives on her side. Having sex with them is an evil thing.

¹⁸ “ ‘Do not take your wife’s sister as another wife and have sex with her. Do not do it while your wife is still living.

¹⁹ “ ‘Do not have sex with a woman during her monthly period. She is “unclean” at that time.

²⁰ “ ‘Do not have sex with your neighbor’s wife. That would make you “unclean.”

²¹ “ ‘Do not hand over any of your children to be sacrificed to the god Molek. That would be treating my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord your God.

²² “ ‘Do not have sex with a man as you would have sex with a woman. I hate that.

²³ “ ‘Do not have sex with an animal. Do not make yourself “unclean” by doing that. A woman must not offer herself to an animal to have sex with it. That is a wrong use of sex.

²⁴ “ ‘Do not make yourselves “unclean” in any of these ways. That is how other nations became “unclean.” So I am going to drive those nations out of the land to make room for you. ²⁵ Even their land was not “clean.” So I punished it because of its sin. The land itself threw out the people who lived there. ²⁶ But you must keep my rules and my laws. You must not do any of the things I hate. It does not matter whether you are Israelites or outsiders. ²⁷ All these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you. That is how the land became “unclean.” ²⁸ If you make the land “unclean,” it will throw you out. It will get rid of you just as it got rid of the nations there before you.

²⁹ “ ‘Suppose you do any of the things I hate. Then you must be separated from your people. ³⁰ Do exactly what I require. When you arrive in Canaan, do not follow any of the practices of its people. I hate the things they do. Do not make yourselves “unclean” by doing them. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

Other Laws

19 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ² “Speak to the whole community of Israel. Tell them, ‘Be holy, because I am holy. I am the Lord your God.

³ “ ‘All of you must have respect for your mother and father. You must always keep my Sabbath days. I am the Lord your God.

⁴ “ ‘Do not turn away from me to worship statues of gods. Do not make for yourselves metal statues of gods. I am the Lord your God.

⁵ “ ‘Suppose you sacrifice a friendship offering to me. Then do it in the right way. And I will accept it from you. ⁶ You must eat it on the same day you sacrifice it or on the next day. Anything left over until the third day must be burned up. ⁷ If you eat any of it on the third day, it is not pure. I will not accept it. ⁸ Whoever eats it will be held responsible. They have misused what is holy to me. They will be separated from their people.

⁹ “ ‘Suppose you are harvesting your crops. Then do not harvest all the way to the edges of your field. And do not pick up the grain you missed. ¹⁰ Do not go over your vineyard a second time. Do not pick up the grapes that have fallen to the ground. Leave them for poor people and outsiders. I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ “ ‘Do not steal.

“ ‘Do not tell lies.

“ ‘Do not cheat one another.

¹² “ ‘Do not give your word in my name and then be a false witness. That would be treating the name of your God as if it were not holy. I am the Lord.

¹³ “ ‘Do not cheat your neighbor. Do not rob him.

“ ‘Do not hold back the pay of a hired worker until morning.

¹⁴ “ ‘Do not ask for bad things to happen to deaf people. Do not put anything in front of blind people that will make them trip. Instead, have respect for me. I am the Lord your God.

¹⁵ “ ‘Do not make something wrong appear to be right. Treat poor people and rich people in the same way. Do not favor one person over another. Instead, judge everyone fairly.

¹⁶ “ ‘Do not go around spreading lies among your people.

“ ‘Do not do anything that puts your neighbor’s life in danger. I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “ ‘Do not hate another Israelite in your heart. Correct your neighbor boldly when they do something wrong. Then you will not share their guilt.

¹⁸ “ ‘Do not try to get even. Do not hold anything against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am the Lord.

¹⁹ “ ‘Obey my rules.

“ ‘Do not let different kinds of animals mate with each other.

“ ‘Do not mix two kinds of seeds and then plant them in your field.

“ ‘Do not wear clothes that are made out of two kinds of cloth.

²⁰ “ ‘Suppose a man sleeps with a female slave. But she and another man have promised to get married to each other. And her freedom has not yet been paid for or given to her. Then she and the man who slept with her must be punished. But they must not be put to death, because she had not been set free. ²¹ The man must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting. It is for a guilt offering to me. ²² The priest must take the ram for the guilt offering. He must sacrifice it to pay for the man’s sin in my sight. Then his sin will be forgiven.

²³ “ ‘When you enter the land, suppose you plant a fruit tree. Then do not eat its fruit for the first three years. The fruit is “unclean.” ²⁴ In the fourth year all the fruit will be holy. Offer it as a way of showing praise to me. ²⁵ But in the fifth year you can eat the fruit. Then you will gather more and more fruit. I am the Lord your God.

²⁶ “ ‘Do not eat any meat that still has blood in it.

“ ‘Do not practice any kind of evil magic.

²⁷ “ ‘Do not cut the hair on the sides of your head. Do not clip off the edges of your beard.

²⁸ “ ‘Do not make cuts on your bodies when someone dies. Do not put marks on your skin. I am the Lord.

²⁹ “ ‘Do not dishonor your daughter’s body by making a prostitute out of her. If you do, the Israelites will start going to prostitutes. The land will be filled with evil.

³⁰ “ ‘You must always keep my Sabbath days. Have respect for my sacred tent. I am the Lord.

³¹ “ ‘Do not look for advice from people who get messages from those who have died. Do not go to people who talk to the spirits of the dead. If you do, they will make you “unclean.” I am the Lord your God.

³² “ ‘Stand up in order to show your respect for old people. Also have respect for me. I am the Lord your God.

³³ “ ‘Suppose an outsider lives with you in your land. Then do not treat them badly. ³⁴ Treat them as if they were one of your own people. Love them as you love yourself. Remember that all of you were outsiders in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

³⁵ “ ‘Be honest when you measure lengths, weights or amounts. ³⁶ Use honest scales and honest weights. Use honest dry measures. And use honest liquid measures. I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt.

³⁷ “ ‘Obey all my rules and laws. Follow them. I am the Lord.’ ”

Israel Will Be Punished for Their Sins

20 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ² “Say to the Israelites, ‘Suppose a person sacrifices one of his children to the god Molek. It does not matter whether that person is an Israelite or an outsider who lives in Israel. He must be put to death. The members of the community must kill him by throwing stones at him. ³ I will turn against that man. I will separate him from his people. That’s because he has sacrificed his child to Molek. He has made my sacred tent “unclean.” He has treated my name as if it were not holy. ⁴ Suppose the members of the community act like they don’t know that the man has sacrificed his child to Molek. And suppose they don’t put him to death. ⁵ Then I will turn against that man and his family. I will separate them from their people. I will also separate all those who follow him by joining themselves to Molek. They are not faithful to me.

⁶ “ ‘Suppose someone looks for advice from people who get messages from those who have died. Or they go to people who talk to the spirits of the dead. And they do what those people say. Then they have not been faithful to me. So I will turn against them. I will separate them from their people.

⁷ “ ‘Set yourselves apart for me. Be holy, because I am the Lord your God. ⁸ Obey my rules. Follow them. I am the Lord. I make you holy.

⁹ “ ‘Anyone who asks for bad things to happen to their father or mother must be put to death. They have cursed their father or mother. So anything that happens to them will be their own fault.

¹⁰ “ ‘Suppose a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife. Then the man and the woman must be put to death.

¹¹ “ ‘Suppose a man has sex with his father’s wife. Then he has brought shame on his father. The man and the woman must be put to death. Anything that happens to them will be their own fault.

¹² “ ‘Suppose a man has sex with his daughter-in-law. Then they must be put to death. They have used sex in the wrong way. Anything that happens to them will be their own fault.

¹³ “ ‘Suppose a man has sex with another man as he would have sex with a woman. I hate what they have done. They must be put to death. Anything that happens to them will be their own fault.

¹⁴ “ ‘Suppose a man gets married to both a woman and her mother. That is evil. All of them must be burned to death. Then there will not be any evil among you.

¹⁵ “ ‘Suppose a man has sex with an animal. Then he must be put to death. You must also kill the animal.

¹⁶ “ ‘Suppose a woman has sex with an animal. Then kill the woman and the animal. They must be put to death. Anything that happens to them will be their own fault.

¹⁷ “ ‘Suppose a man gets married to his sister and has sex with her. That is a shameful thing to do. It does not matter whether she is the daughter of his father or of his mother. They must be separated from their community in front of everyone. That man has brought shame on his sister. He will be responsible for what he has done.

¹⁸ “ ‘Suppose a man has sex with a woman during her monthly period. He has uncovered the place where her bleeding was coming from. And she has let him do it. So both of them must be separated from their people.

¹⁹ “ ‘Do not have sex with the sister of either your mother or your father. That would bring shame on a close relative. Both of you would be held responsible for what you have done.

²⁰ “ ‘Suppose a man has sex with his aunt. Then he has brought shame on his uncle. Both of them will be held accountable for what they have done. They will die without having any children.

²¹ “ ‘Suppose a man gets married to his brother’s wife. That is something that should never be done. He has brought shame on his brother. Neither of them will have any children.

²² “ ‘Obey all my rules and laws. Follow them. Then the land where I am bringing you to live will not throw you out. ²³ To make room for you, I am going to drive out the nations that are in the land. You must not follow the practices of those nations. I hated those nations because they did all those things. ²⁴ But I said to you, “You will take over their land as your own. I will give it to you. It will belong to you. It is a land that has plenty of milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God. I have set you apart from the other nations.

²⁵ “ ‘So you must be able to tell the difference between animals that are “clean” and those that are not. You must know which birds are “clean” and which are not. Do not make yourselves “unclean” by eating any “unclean” animal or bird. Do not make yourselves “unclean” by eating anything that moves along the ground. I have set all of them apart as “unclean” for you. ²⁶ You must be holy. You must be set apart to me. I am the Lord. I am holy. I have set you apart from the other nations to be my own people.

²⁷ “ ‘Suppose a man or woman gets messages from those who have died. Or suppose a man or woman talks to the spirits of the dead. Then you must put that man or woman to death. You must kill them by throwing stones at them. Anything that happens to them will be their own fault.’ ”

Rules for Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron. Tell them, ‘A priest must not make himself “unclean” by going near the dead body of any of his people. ² But he can go near the body of a close relative. It could be his mother, father, son, daughter or brother. ³ He can also go near a sister who is not married. She would have depended on him because she did not have a husband. The priest can make himself “unclean” by going near her body. ⁴ But he must not make himself “unclean” by going near the bodies of people only related to him by marriage. Going near them would make him “unclean.”

⁵ “ ‘Priests must not shave any part of their heads. They must not shave off the edges of their beards. They must not make cuts on their bodies when someone dies. ⁶ Priests must be holy. They must be set apart for me. I am their God. They must not treat my name as if it were not holy. They must be holy because they bring food offerings to me. That is my food.

⁷ “ ‘They must not get married to women who are “unclean” because they are prostitutes. They must not marry women who are divorced from their husbands. That is because priests are holy. They are set apart for me. I am their God. ⁸ Consider them as holy, because they offer up food to me. Consider them as holy, because I am holy. I am the Lord. I make you holy.

⁹ “ ‘Suppose a priest’s daughter makes herself “unclean” by becoming a prostitute. Then she brings shame on her father. She must be burned to death.

¹⁰ “ ‘The high priest is the one among his brothers whose head has been anointed with olive oil. He has been appointed to wear the priest’s clothes. When someone dies, the high priest must not let his own hair hang loose. He must not tear his clothes to show how sad he is. ¹¹ He must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself “unclean,” even if his father or mother dies. ¹² He must not leave the sacred tent of the Lord to take part in burying a body. That would bring shame on the tent. The anointing oil has set the high priest apart. I am the Lord.

¹³ “ ‘The woman the high priest gets married to must be a virgin. ¹⁴ He must not marry a widow or a woman who is divorced. He must not marry a woman who is “unclean” because she is a prostitute. He must only marry a virgin. She must come from his own people. ¹⁵ If he doesn’t marry a virgin, he makes the children he has by her “unclean.” I am the Lord. I make him holy.’ ”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁷ “Speak to Aaron. Tell him, ‘No man in your family line with any flaws may come near to offer food to the Lord. This is true for all time to come. ¹⁸ No man who has any flaws can come near. No man who is blind or disabled can come. No man whose body is scarred or twisted can come. ¹⁹ No man whose foot or hand is disabled can come. ²⁰ No man whose back is bent can come. No man who is too short can come. No man who has anything wrong with his eyes can come. No man who has boils or running sores can come. No man whose sex glands are crushed can come. ²¹ No man with any flaws who is in the family line of Aaron the priest may come near me. He can’t come to bring the food offerings to the Lord. If he has any flaws, he must not come near to offer food to the Lord. ²² He can eat the holy food. He can also eat my very holy food. ²³ But because he has a flaw, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar. If he does, he will make my sacred tent “unclean.” I am the Lord. I make everything holy.’ ”

²⁴ So Moses told all these things to Aaron and his sons. He also told them to all the Israelites.

22 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Here is what I want you to tell Aaron and his sons. Tell them to treat the sacred offerings with respect. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. So Aaron and his sons must never treat my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord.

³ “Say to them, ‘Suppose a man in your family line is “unclean.” And suppose he comes near the sacred offerings. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. That man must not be allowed to serve me as a priest. That applies for all time to come. I am the Lord.

⁴ “ ‘Suppose a man in Aaron’s family line has a skin disease. Or suppose liquid waste is flowing out of his body. Then he can’t eat the sacred offerings until he is made pure and clean. Suppose he touches something made “unclean” by coming near a dead body. Or suppose he touches someone who has semen flowing from his body. Then he will be “unclean.” ⁵ Or suppose he touches any crawling thing that makes him “unclean.” Or suppose he touches any person who makes him “unclean.” It does not matter what “unclean” thing he touches. It will make him “unclean.” ⁶ The one who touches anything of that kind will be “unclean” until evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has taken a bath. ⁷ When the sun goes down, he will be “clean.” After that, he can eat the sacred offerings. They are his food. ⁸ He must not eat anything found dead or torn apart by wild animals. If he does, it will make him “unclean.” I am the Lord.

⁹ “ ‘The priests must do what I require. But suppose they make fun of what I require. Then they will become guilty and die. I am the Lord. I make them holy.

¹⁰ “ ‘Only a member of a priest’s family can eat the sacred offering. The guest of a priest can’t eat it. A priest’s hired worker can’t eat it either. ¹¹ But suppose a priest buys a slave with money. Or suppose slaves are born in his house. Then they can eat the sacred food. ¹² Suppose a priest’s daughter marries someone who is not a priest. Then she can’t eat any of the food brought as a sacred gift. ¹³ But suppose the priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced. She does not have any children. And she returns to live in her father’s house, where she lived when she was young. Then she can eat her father’s food. But a person who does not belong to a priest’s family can’t eat any of it.

¹⁴ “ ‘Suppose someone eats a sacred offering by mistake. Then they must pay back the priest for the offering. They must also add a fifth of its value to it. ¹⁵ The priests must not allow the sacred offerings to become “unclean.” They are the offerings the Israelites bring to the Lord. ¹⁶ The priests must not allow the offerings to become “unclean” by letting the people eat them. If they do, they will bring guilt on the people. They will have to pay for what they have done. I am the Lord. I make them holy.’ ”

Sacrifices the Lord Does Not Accept

¹⁷ The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ¹⁸ “Speak to Aaron and his sons. Speak to all the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Suppose any of you brings a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord. It does not matter whether you are an Israelite or an outsider who lives in Israel. It does not matter whether you bring the offering to keep a promise or because you choose to give it. ¹⁹ You must bring a male animal without any flaws if you want the Lord to accept it from you. It does not matter whether it is from your cattle, sheep or goats. ²⁰ Do not bring an animal that has any flaws. If you do, the Lord will not accept it from you. ²¹ Suppose any of you brings an animal for a friendship offering to the Lord. Then it must not have any flaws at all. If it does, the Lord will not accept it. It does not matter whether the animal is from your herd or flock. It does not matter whether you bring it to keep a promise or because you choose to give it. ²² Do not offer a blind animal to the Lord. Do not bring a hurt or wounded animal. And do not offer one that has warts or boils or running sores. Do not place any of them on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord. ²³ But suppose you bring an offering you choose to give. Then you can bring an ox or a sheep whose body is twisted or too small. But the Lord will not accept it if you offer it to keep a promise. ²⁴ You must not offer the Lord a male animal whose sex glands have been hurt. The glands also must not be crushed, torn or cut. You must not offer that kind of animal in your own land. ²⁵ And you must not accept that kind of animal from someone who comes from another land. You must not offer it as food for your God. He will not accept it from you. Its body is twisted and has flaws.’ ”

²⁶ The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ²⁷ “When a calf, lamb or goat is born, it must remain with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day on, I will accept it as a food offering presented to me. ²⁸ Do not kill a cow and its calf on the same day. Do not kill a female sheep and its lamb on the same day.

²⁹ “Sacrifice a thank offering to me in the right way. Then I will accept it from you. ³⁰ You must eat it that same day. Do not leave any of it until morning. I am the Lord.

³¹ “Obey my commands. Follow them. I am the Lord. ³² Do not treat my name as if it were not holy. The Israelites must recognize me as the holy God. I am the Lord. I made you holy. ³³ I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.”

The Appointed Feast Days

23 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Here are my appointed feast days. They are the appointed feast days of the Lord. Tell the people that they must come together for these sacred assemblies.

The Sabbath Day

³ “ ‘There are six days when you can work. But the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest. You must rest on it. Come together on that sacred day. You must not do any work on it. No matter where you live, it is a Sabbath day to honor the Lord.

Passover and Unleavened Bread

⁴ “ ‘Here are the Lord’s appointed feasts. Tell the people that they must come together for these sacred gatherings at their appointed times. ⁵ The Lord’s Passover begins when the sun goes down on the 14th day of the first month. ⁶ The Lord’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th day of that month. For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. ⁷ On the first day you must come together for a special service. Do not do any regular work on that day. ⁸ On each of the seven days bring a food offering to the Lord. On the seventh day come together for a special service. Do not do any regular work on that day.’ ”

The First Share of Israel’s Crops Belongs to the Lord

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, bring an offering to the Lord. Gather your crops. Bring the first bundle of grain to the priest. ¹¹ He must lift up the grain and wave it in front of the Lord. Then the Lord will accept it from you. The priest must wave it on the day after the Sabbath. ¹² On the day he waves the grain for you, you must sacrifice a burnt offering to me. It must be a lamb that does not have any flaws. It must be a year old. ¹³ You must bring it together with its grain offering. The grain offering must be seven pounds of the finest flour. Mix it with olive oil. It is a food offering presented to the Lord. It has a pleasant smell. You must offer a drink offering along with the burnt offering. It must be a quart of wine. ¹⁴ You must not eat any bread until the day you bring your offering to the Lord your God. You must not eat any cooked grain or any of your first grain until that time. This is a law that will last for all time to come. It applies no matter where you live.

The Feast of Weeks

¹⁵ “ ‘The day you brought the grain for the wave offering was the day after the Sabbath. Count off seven full weeks from that day. ¹⁶ Count off 50 days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath. On that day bring to the Lord an offering of your first grain. ¹⁷ Bring two loaves of bread that are made with seven pounds of the finest flour. They must be baked with yeast. Bring them to me as a wave offering from the first share of your crops. That applies no matter where you live. ¹⁸ Together with the bread, bring seven male lambs. Each lamb must be a year old. It must not have any flaws. Also bring one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord. They will be offered together with their grain offerings and drink offerings. They are food offerings. Their smell pleases the Lord. ¹⁹ Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering. Also sacrifice two lambs for a friendship offering. Each of the lambs must be a year old. ²⁰ The priest must lift up the two lambs and wave them in front of me as a wave offering. He must offer them together with the bread made out of the first share of your crops. They are a sacred offering to the Lord. They will be given to the priest. ²¹ On that same day tell the people that they must come together for a special worship service. They must not do any regular work. That is a law that will last for all time to come. It applies no matter where you live.

²² “ ‘Suppose you are gathering your crops. Then do not harvest all the way to the edges of your field. And do not pick up the grain you missed. Leave some for the poor people and the outsiders who live among you. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

The Feast of Trumpets

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Say to the Israelites, ‘On the first day of the seventh month you must have a day of sabbath rest. It must be a special service announced with trumpet blasts. ²⁵ Do not do any regular work on that day. Instead, bring a food offering to the Lord.’ ”

The Day When Sin Is Paid For

²⁶ The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ²⁷ “The tenth day of the seventh month is the day when sin is paid for. Come together for a special service. Do not eat any food. Bring a food offering to the Lord. ²⁸ Do not do any work on that day. It is the day when sin is paid for. On that day your sin will be paid for in my sight. I am the Lord your God. ²⁹ Suppose you do eat food on that day. Then you will be separated from your people. ³⁰ I will destroy anyone among your people who does any work on that day. ³¹ You must not do any work at all. This is a law that will last for all time to come. It applies no matter where you live. ³² That day is a day of sabbath rest for you. You must rest on it. You must not eat anything on that day. You must follow the rules of the sabbath rest. Follow them from the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening.”

The Feast of Booths

³³ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁴ “Say to the Israelites, ‘On the 15th day of the seventh month the Lord’s Feast of Booths begins. It lasts for seven days. ³⁵ On the first day you must come together for a special service. Do not do any regular work on that day. ³⁶ On each of the seven days bring a food offering to the Lord. On the eighth day come together for a special service. Bring a food offering to the Lord. That special service is the closing service. Do not do any regular work on that day.

³⁷ “ ‘These are the Lord’s appointed feasts. Tell the people that they must come together for these sacred assemblies. During those times, the people must bring food offerings to the Lord. They are burnt offerings and grain offerings. They are sacrifices and drink offerings. Each offering must be brought at its required time. ³⁸ The offerings are in addition to those of the days of sabbath rest. The offerings are also in addition to your gifts and anything you have promised. They are also in addition to all the offerings you choose to give to the Lord.

³⁹ “ ‘Begin with the 15th day of the seventh month. That is after you have gathered your crops. On that day celebrate the Lord’s Feast of Booths for seven days. The first day is a day of rest. The eighth day is also a day of rest. ⁴⁰ On the first day you must get branches from palms, willows and other leafy trees. You must be filled with joy in front of the Lord your God for seven days. ⁴¹ Celebrate the Lord’s Feast of Booths for seven days each year. This is a law that will last for all time to come. Celebrate the feast in the seventh month. ⁴² Live in booths for seven days. All the Israelites must live in booths. ⁴³ Then your children after you will know that I made the Israelites live in booths. I made them do it after I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

⁴⁴ So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed feasts of the Lord.

Olive Oil, Bread and Incense

24 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil made from pressed olives. Use it to keep the lamps burning and giving light all the time. ³ Aaron must take care of the lamps in front of the Lord from evening until morning all the time. This is a law that will last for all time to come. The lamps are outside the curtain in front of the tablets of the covenant law in the tent of meeting. ⁴ The lamps are on the pure gold lampstand in front of the Lord. They must be taken care of all the time.

⁵ “Get the finest flour and bake 12 loaves of bread. Use seven pounds of flour for each loaf. ⁶ Arrange them in two stacks. Put six loaves in each stack on the table made out of pure gold. The table stands in front of the Lord. ⁷ By each stack put some pure incense. It will remind you that all good things come from the Lord. Burn the incense in place of the bread. The incense is a food offering presented to the Lord. ⁸ The bread must be set out in front of the Lord regularly. Do it every Sabbath day. It will be Israel’s duty to provide it for all time to come. ⁹ The bread belongs to Aaron and his sons. They must eat it in the holy area. It is a very holy part of their regular share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”

A Person Who Speaks Evil Is Put to Death

¹⁰ There was a man who had an Israelite mother. His father was born in Egypt. The man went out among the Israelites. A fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. ¹¹ The son of the Israelite woman spoke evil things against the Lord by using a curse. So the people brought him to Moses. The name of the man’s mother was Shelomith. She was the daughter of Dibri. Dibri was from the tribe of Dan. ¹² The people kept her son under guard until they could find out what the Lord wanted them to do.

¹³ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ¹⁴ “Get the man who spoke evil things against the Lord. Take him outside the camp. All those who heard him say those things must place their hands on his head. Then the whole community must kill him by throwing stones at him. ¹⁵ Say to the Israelites, ‘Anyone who curses me will be held accountable. ¹⁶ Anyone who speaks evil things against my Name must be put to death. The whole community must kill them by throwing stones at them. It does not matter whether they are an outsider or an Israelite. When they speak evil things against my Name, they must be put to death.

¹⁷ “ ‘Anyone who kills another human being must be put to death. ¹⁸ Anyone who kills someone’s animal must pay its owner. A life must be taken for a life. ¹⁹ Suppose someone hurts their neighbor. Then what they have done must be done to them. ²⁰ A bone must be broken for a bone. An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth. The one who has hurt his neighbor must be hurt in the same way. ²¹ Whoever kills an animal must pay its owner. But if they kill a human being, they must be put to death. ²² The same law applies whether they are an outsider or an Israelite. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

²³ Then Moses spoke to the Israelites. They got the man who had spoken evil things against the Lord. They took him outside the camp. There they killed him by throwing stones at him. The Israelites did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Sabbath Year

25 The Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai. He said, ² “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘You will enter the land I am going to give you. When you do, you must honor the Lord every seventh year by not farming the land that year. ³ For six years plant your fields. Trim the branches in your vineyards and gather your crops. ⁴ But the seventh year must be a year of sabbath rest for the land. The land must rest during it. It is a sabbath year to honor the Lord. Do not plant your fields. Do not trim the branches in your vineyards. ⁵ Do not gather what grows without being planted. And do not gather the grapes from the vines you have not taken care of. The land must have a year of rest. ⁶ Anything the land produces during the sabbath year will be food for you. It will be for you and your male and female servants. Your hired workers will eat it. So will people who live with you for a while. ⁷ And so will your livestock and the wild animals that are in your land. Anything the land produces can be eaten.

The Year of Jubilee

⁸ “ ‘Count off seven sabbath years. Count off seven times seven years. The seven sabbath years add up to a total of 49 years. ⁹ The tenth day of the seventh month is the day when sin is paid for. On that day blow the trumpet all through your land. ¹⁰ Set the 50th year apart. Announce freedom all over the land to everyone who lives there. The 50th year will be a Year of Jubilee for you. Each of you must return to your own family property. And each of you must return to your own tribe. ¹¹ The 50th year will be a Year of Jubilee for you. Do not plant anything. Do not gather what grows without being planted. And do not gather the grapes from the vines you have not taken care of. ¹² It is a Year of Jubilee. It will be holy for you. Eat only what the fields produce.

¹³ “ ‘In the Year of Jubilee all of you must return to your own property.

¹⁴ “ ‘Suppose you sell land to any of your own people. Or you buy land from them. Then do not take advantage of each other. ¹⁵ The price you pay must be based on the number of years since the last Year of Jubilee. Here is how the price you charge must be decided. It must be based on the number of years left for gathering crops before the next Year of Jubilee. ¹⁶ When there are many years left, you must raise the price. When there are only a few years left, you must lower the price. That is because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops the land will produce. ¹⁷ Do not take advantage of each other. Instead, have respect for your God. I am the Lord your God.

¹⁸ “ ‘Follow my rules. Be careful to obey my laws. Then you will live safely in the land. ¹⁹ The land will produce its fruit. You will eat as much as you want. And you will live there in safety. ²⁰ Suppose you say, “In the seventh year we will not plant anything or gather our crops. So what will we eat?” ²¹ I will send you a great blessing in the sixth year. The land will produce enough for three years. ²² While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat food from the old crop. You will continue to eat food from it until the crops from the ninth year are gathered.

²³ “ ‘The land must not be sold without a way of getting it back. That is because it belongs to me. You are only outsiders and strangers in my land. ²⁴ You must make sure that you can buy the land back. That applies to all the land that belongs to you.

²⁵ “ ‘Suppose one of your own people becomes poor. And suppose they have to sell some of their land. Then their nearest relative must come and buy back what they have sold. ²⁶ But suppose they do not have anyone to buy it back for them. And suppose things go well for them and they earn enough money to buy it back themselves. ²⁷ Then they must decide how much the crops have become worth since the time they sold the land. They must take that amount off the price the land was sold for. They must give the one selling it back to them the money that is left. Then they can go back to their own property. ²⁸ But suppose they have not earned enough money to pay them back. Then the buyer they sold the land to will keep it until the Year of Jubilee. At that time it will be returned to them. Then they can go back to their property.

²⁹ “ ‘Suppose someone sells a house in a city that has a wall around it. Then for a full year after they sell it they have the right to buy it back. ³⁰ But suppose they do not buy it back before the full year has passed. Then the house in the walled city will continue to belong to the buyer and the buyer’s children. It will not be returned to the seller in the Year of Jubilee. ³¹ But houses in villages that do not have walls around them must be treated like property outside walled cities. Those houses can be bought back at any time. And they must be returned in the Year of Jubilee.

³² “ ‘The Levites always have the right to buy back their houses in the towns that belong to them. ³³ So their property among the Israelites can be bought back. That applies to a house sold in any of their towns. Any house that is sold must be returned to its original owner in the Year of Jubilee. That is because the houses of the Levites will always belong to them. ³⁴ But the grasslands around their towns must never be sold. They will belong to them for all time to come.

³⁵ “ ‘Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they can’t take care of themselves. Then help them just as you would help an outsider or a stranger. In that way, the poor can continue to live among you. ³⁶ Do not charge them interest of any kind. Instead, have respect for God. Then those who have become poor can continue to live among you. ³⁷ If you lend them money, you must not charge them interest. And you must not sell them food for more than it cost you. ³⁸ I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. I did it to give you the land of Canaan. I wanted to be your God.

³⁹ “ ‘Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they sell themselves to you. Then do not make them work as slaves. ⁴⁰ You must treat them like hired workers. Or you must treat them like those living among you for a while. They must work for you until the Year of Jubilee. ⁴¹ Then they and their children must be set free. They will go back to their own tribes. They will go back to the property their people have always owned. ⁴² The Israelites are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. So they must not be sold as slaves. ⁴³ Show them pity when you rule over them. Have respect for God.

⁴⁴ “ ‘You must get your male and female slaves from the nations that are around you. You can buy slaves from them. ⁴⁵ You can also buy as slaves some of the people living among you for a while. You can also buy members of their families born among you. They will become your property. ⁴⁶ You can leave them to your children as their share of your property. You can make them slaves for life. But when you rule over your own people, you must be kind to them.

⁴⁷ “ ‘Suppose an outsider living among you for a while becomes rich. Then suppose any of your own people become poor. Then they sell themselves to the outsider living among you. Or they sell themselves to a member of the outsider’s family. ⁴⁸ Then they keep the right to buy themselves back after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives can buy them back. ⁴⁹ An uncle or a cousin can buy them back after they have sold themselves. In fact, any relative in their tribe can do it. Or suppose things go well for them. Then they can buy themselves back. ⁵⁰ They and their buyer must count the number of years from the time of the sale up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for their freedom must be based on the amount paid to a hired man for that number of years. ⁵¹ Suppose there are many years until the Year of Jubilee. Then for their freedom they must pay a larger share of the price paid for them. ⁵² But suppose there are only a few years left until the Year of Jubilee. Then they must count the number of years that are left. The payment for their freedom must be based on that number. ⁵³ They must be treated as workers hired from year to year. You must make sure that those they must work for are kind to them when they rule over them.

⁵⁴ “ ‘Suppose they are not bought back in any of those ways. Then they and their children must still be set free in the Year of Jubilee. ⁵⁵ That’s because the Israelites belong to me. They are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Rewards for Obeying the Lord

26 “ ‘Do not make statues of gods for yourselves. Do not set up a likeness of a god or a sacred stone for yourselves. Do not place a carved stone in your land and bow down in front of it. I am the Lord your God.

² “ ‘You must always keep my Sabbath days. Have respect for my sacred tent. I am the Lord.

³ “ ‘Follow my rules. Be careful to obey my commands. ⁴ Then I will send you rain at the right time. The ground will produce its crops. The trees will bear their fruit. ⁵ You will continue to harvest your grain until you gather your grapes. You will continue to gather your grapes until you plant your crops. You will have all you want to eat. And you will live in safety in your land.

⁶ “ ‘I will give you peace in the land. You will be able to sleep because no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild animals from the land. There will not be any war in your country. ⁷ You will hunt down your enemies. You will kill them with your swords. ⁸ Five of you will chase 100. And 100 of you will chase 10,000. You will kill your enemies with your swords.

⁹ “ ‘I will bless you. I will give you many children so that there will be many of you. And I will be faithful to the covenant I made with you. ¹⁰ You will still be eating last year’s crops when you will have to make room for new crops. ¹¹ I will live among you. I will not turn away from you. ¹² I will walk among you. I will be your God. And you will be my people. ¹³ I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. I did not want you to be slaves in Egypt anymore. I threw off your heavy load. I helped you walk with your heads held high.

Punishment for Not Obeying the Lord

¹⁴ “ ‘On the other hand, suppose you do not listen to me. Suppose you do not carry out all my commands. ¹⁵ Suppose you say no to my rules and turn away from my laws. And suppose you break my covenant by failing to carry out all my commands. ¹⁶ Then here is what I will do to you. All at once I will bring terror on you. I will send sicknesses that will make you weak. I will send fever that will destroy your sight. It will slowly take your strength away. When you plant seeds, it will not do you any good. Instead, your enemies will eat what you have planted. ¹⁷ I will turn against you. Then your enemies will win the battle over you. Those who hate you will rule over you. You will run away even when no one is chasing you.

¹⁸ “ ‘After all that, suppose you still will not listen to me. Then I will punish you for your sins seven times. ¹⁹ I will break down your stubborn pride. I will make the sky above you like iron, and it will not rain. I will make the ground under you like bronze, and you will not be able to farm it. ²⁰ You will work with all your strength, but it will not do you any good. That is because your soil will not produce any crops. The trees of your land will not bear any fruit.

²¹ “ ‘Suppose you continue to be my enemy. And suppose you still refuse to listen to me. Then I will multiply your troubles many times because of your sins. ²² I will send wild animals against you. They will kill your children. They will destroy your cattle. There will be so few of you left that your roads will be deserted.

²³ “ ‘After all those things, suppose you still do not accept my warnings. And suppose you continue to be my enemy. ²⁴ Then I myself will be your enemy. I will make you suffer again and again for your sins. ²⁵ I will send war against you to punish you for breaking my covenant. When you go back into your cities, I will send a plague among you. You will be handed over to your enemies. ²⁶ I will cut off your supply of bread. Ten women will need only one oven to bake your bread. They will weigh out the bread piece by piece. Even when you eat all of it, it will not be enough to satisfy you.