Bible in 90 Days
12 “Choose a place outside the camp for a latrine. 13 Include a spade among your equipment so that when you squat to relieve yourself, you can dig a hole and then cover your excrement. 14 For the Lord your God is on the move within your camp to deliver you and to hand your enemies over to you. Therefore, your camp must be holy so that he will not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.”
Treatment of Slaves
15 “Don’t hand over a slave who escaped from his master when he runs to you. 16 Let him live among you wherever he chooses in any of your cities that he likes. Don’t mistreat him.”
Cultic Prostitution Prohibited
17 “There are to be no cultic prostitutes among the daughters or the sons of Israel. 18 Don’t bring the earnings of a female prostitute nor the income of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God as payment for any vow. Both of these are detestable to the Lord your God.”
Fair Dealings
19 “Don’t charge interest to your relatives, whether for money, food, or for anything that has been loaned at interest. 20 You may charge interest to a foreigner, but don’t charge interest to your relatives, so the Lord your God may bless you in everything you undertake in the land that you are about to enter and possess.
21 “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, don’t delay paying it, because the Lord your God will certainly demand payment from you, and then you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, then you won’t be guilty. 23 Be sure you do whatever you promise, because you have given your word voluntarily to the Lord your God.
24 “When you enter your countrymen’s vineyard, you may eat the grapes to your satisfaction, but don’t take any in a basket. 25 When you enter your countrymen’s grain fields, you may pluck the grain with your hand, but don’t put a sickle to his standing grain.”
Various Laws
24 “If a man chooses to enter into marriage with a woman, but she finds herself displeasing to him because he has found something objectionable[a] about her, he must draw up divorce papers, hand them to her, and then send her out of his house. 2 If she goes out from his house, becomes the wife of another man, 3 and this second husband[b] dislikes her, he, also, must draw up divorce papers, hand them to her, and then send her away from his house. Should the second husband die, 4 her first husband who married her and divorced her earlier must not remarry her,[c] because she was defiled, since this is detestable to the Lord. Don’t defile the land that the Lord your God is about to give you as a possession.
5 “When a man is newly married, he must not be sent out to war or have a related duty placed on him. Let him stay home for one year and be happy with his wife whom he has married.
6 “Don’t take a pair of millstones, especially the upper millstone, as collateral for a loan, because this means taking a man’s[d] livelihood.
7 “If a man is found kidnapping his relative, a fellow Israeli, and mistreats or sells him, that kidnapper must die. By doing this, you will remove this evil from among you.
8 “In cases of leprosy, be very careful to observe exactly what the Levitical priests instructed you. Carefully follow what I have commanded them. 9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam along the way as you were coming out of Egypt.”
Respecting the Poor
10 “When you loan something to your neighbor, don’t enter his house to seize what he offered as collateral. 11 Stay outside and let the man to whom you made the loan bring it[e] out to you. 12 If he is a poor man, don’t go to sleep with his collateral in your possession.[f] 13 Be sure to return his garment[g] to him at sunset so that he may sleep with it, and he will bless you. It will be a righteous deed in the presence of the Lord your God. 14 Don’t take advantage of a hired person who is poor and needy, whether he’s your fellow citizen or a foreigner who lives in your city. 15 Pay his wages that same day before the sun sets, because he is poor and his livelihood[h] depends on it. Otherwise, he may cry out to the Lord against you, and you will incur guilt.”
Practicing Justice
16 “Fathers are not to be put to death on account of their children’s sin; nor are children to die on account of their fathers’ sin. Each person is to be put to death for his own sin.
17 “Don’t deny justice to a foreigner or to an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment as collateral for a loan. 18 Remember to observe this because you were slaves in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I am commanding you to do this.
19 “When you are reaping in the field, and you overlook a sheaf, don’t return to get it. Let it remain for the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow, in order that the Lord your God may bless everything you undertake. 20 When you harvest the olives from your trees, don’t go back to the branches a second time. What remains is for the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, don’t go back a second time. What remains is for the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow. 22 Remember to do this because you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I’m commanding you to do this.”
Limitations on Punishment
25 “When there is a conflict between individuals, let them come to court to judge the case, decide who is innocent, and condemn the guilty person. 2 If the guilty person deserves a beating, the judge will make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of lashes fit for his crime. 3 But he must not be beaten more than 40 lashes, because if he receives more than 40 lashes, your brother will be humiliated in your eyes.
4 “Don’t muzzle an ox while it is threshing grain.”
Levirate Marriage
5 “When two brothers are living together and one of them dies without leaving a son, his widow must not be married outside the family to a foreigner. Instead, the brother-in-law must go to her, take her as his wife, and by doing so perform the duty of a brother-in-law. 6 The firstborn whom she will bear will continue the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be erased from Israel. 7 But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, then she[i] must go to the elders at the city gate and declare, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perform the duty of a brother-in-law in order to preserve the name of his brother in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law.’ 8 Then the elders of the city are to summon him and speak with him. If he insists on saying, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’ 9 then she is to approach her brother-in-law in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and say in response, ‘May this be done to the man who does not preserve the lineage[j] of his brother.’ 10 Then his family name in Israel will be known as ‘the family of the one whose sandal was removed.’”
Limiting a Wife’s Defense
11 “If two men are fighting together, and the wife of one comes to rescue her husband from the grasp of his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes his genitals, 12 you are to cut off her hand. Don’t show any pity.”
Honest Weights
13 “Don’t have different weights in your bag—one heavy and one light. 14 Don’t have different measuring devices in your house—one large and one small. 15 You must have honest weights and measuring devices,[k] so you may live long in the land that the Lord your God is about to give you, 16 for anyone who does these things—anyone who deals dishonestly—is detestable to the Lord your God.”
Annihilation of the Amalekites
17 “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the road while you were coming out of Egypt, 18 how when you were very tired and weary, they lay in wait for you on the road and eliminated everyone who was lagging behind. They had no fear of God. 19 Therefore, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies who surround you in the land that he[l] is about to give you to possess as an inheritance, you must completely erase the memory of the Amalekites from under heaven. Don’t forget!”
Gift of the First Produce
26 “When you arrive in the land that the Lord your God is about to give you as an inheritance, take possession of it and settle in it. 2 Gather all the first produce of the ground that you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is about to give you, place it in a basket, and bring it to the place where the Lord your God will choose to establish his name. 3 Approach the priest who is in charge at that time and say to him, ‘I acknowledge today to the Lord your[m] God that I’ve arrived in the land that the Lord promised our ancestors to give us.’ 4 Then the priest will take the basket from you[n] and place it in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you are to affirm and declare in the presence of the Lord your God:
‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, who went down to Egypt and traveled there with very few family members,[o] yet there he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. 6 But the Egyptians oppressed us, afflicted us, and assigned us to hard labor. 7 So we cried out to the Lord God of our ancestors, and he[p] heard our cries and observed our affliction, trouble, and oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with his awesome power,[q] with great terror, signs, and wonders. 9 And then we arrived at this place, and he gave this land to us, flowing with milk and honey. 10 Now, look—I brought the first produce of the land that you, Lord, have given me.’
Then set it in the presence of the Lord your God and worship him.[r] 11 Rejoice with the descendants of Levi and the foreigner among you at all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family.”
Levitical Tithes
12 “When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities. 13 Then declare in the presence of the Lord your God:
‘I’ve removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven’t violated or forgotten your commands. 14 I haven’t eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I’ve obeyed the voice of the Lord my God and did all that he commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey.’”
Living for the Glory of God
16 “The Lord your God is commanding you this very day to observe these statutes and judgments. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and soul. 17 You have declared this very day that the Lord will be your God. You are to walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commands, and judgments, and obey his voice. 18 The Lord affirmed this day that you are his prized possession. Therefore, observe his commands, 19 so he may elevate you far above all the nations that he has made. Then you will live to the praise, fame, and glory of God,[s] and so be a nation that is holy to the Lord your God, as he has promised.”
Stone Memorials
27 Moses and the elders of Israel gave these orders to the people: “Observe all of the commandments[t] that I’m giving[u] you today. 2 On the day you cross over the Jordan River to the land that the Lord your God is about to give you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 Then inscribe on them all the words of this Law when you’ve crossed over into the land that the Lord your God is about to give you—a land flowing with milk and honey—just as the Lord God of your ancestors promised you.
4 “When you have crossed the Jordan River, set up these stones about which I’m commanding you today on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster. 5 Then build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones that hasn’t been worked with iron tools. 6 Build the altar to the Lord your God with uncut stones, then offer a burnt offering to him.[v] 7 Offer a burnt offering there, then eat and rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God. 8 Inscribe on the stones plainly and distinctly[w] all the words of this Law.”
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to Israel. They said, “Be quiet and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Listen to his voice[x] and carry out his commands and statutes that I’m giving[y] you today.”
Penalties for Disobedience
11 Moses gave the people these commands that day:
12 “When you cross the Jordan River, these tribes[z] are to stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people—Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 The tribes of[aa] Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali are to stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curse. 14 The descendants of Levi are to declare in a loud voice to every Israeli:
15 “‘Cursed is the one[ab] who makes a sculptured or cast image—a detestable thing to the Lord, the work of a craftsman—and sets it up secretly.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
16 “‘Cursed is the one who treats his father and mother with dishonor.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
17 “‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
18 “‘Cursed is the one who misleads a blind person on the road.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
19 “‘Cursed is the one who perverts justice due the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
20 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his father’s wife, because he has disgraced his father.’[ac]
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
21 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with any animal.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
22 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his sister, the daughter of his father or mother.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
23 “‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
24 “‘Cursed is one who strikes his neighbor secretly.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
25 “‘Cursed is one who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
26 “‘Cursed is the one who doesn’t uphold the words of this Law and observe them.’
“Then all the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’”
Rewards for Obedience
28 “Indeed, if you diligently obey[ad] the Lord your God to carry out all his commands that I’m giving you today, then the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 Moreover, all these blessings will come upon you in abundance,[ae] if you obey the Lord your God:
3 “Blessed will you be in the city and blessed will you be in the country.
4 “Blessed will your children[af] be, as well as the produce of your land, the offspring of your beasts and cattle, and the offspring of your flock.
5 “Blessed will be your grain[ag] basket and your kneading bowl.
6 “Blessed will you be in your comings and goings.
7 “The Lord will make your enemies, who rise against you and attack from one direction, to flee from you in seven directions.
8 “The Lord will send blessings for you with regard to your barns and everything you undertake. Indeed, he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is about to give you.
9 “The Lord will assign you to be a holy people[ah] for himself, just as he promised you, as long as you keep his[ai] commands and walk in his ways.
10 “Then all the people of the earth will observe that the name of the Lord is proclaimed[aj] among you, and they will fear you.
11 “The Lord will show his abundant goodness with respect to your children,[ak] the offspring of your animals, and the produce of your farmland that he[al] promised your ancestors he would give you.
12 “The Lord will open his rich[am] treasury, the heavens, to release rain upon your land in season and bless everything you undertake so that you’ll lend to many nations but won’t borrow.
13 “The Lord your God will make you the head and not the tail—placing you above and not beneath—if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I’m giving you today to keep and observe. 14 Do not deviate from any of his commands that I’m giving you today—neither to the right nor the left—to follow and serve other gods.”
Reversal of Blessings
15 “But if you don’t obey the Lord your God and faithfully carry out all his commands and statutes that I’m giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overwhelm you:
16 “Cursed will you be in the city and cursed will you be in the country.
17 “Cursed will be your grain[an] basket and your kneading bowl.
18 “Cursed will your children[ao] be, as well as the produce of your land, the offspring of your beasts and cattle, and the offspring of your flock.
19 “Cursed will you be in your comings and goings.”
Diseases and Drought
20 “The Lord will send the curse among you, will confuse you, and will rebuke you in everything you undertake until you are destroyed and perish quickly because of your evil deeds, since you will have forsaken him.[ap] 21 The Lord will cause you to be ill with long-lasting diseases until you are wiped out from the land that you are entering to possess. 22 The Lord will afflict you with tuberculosis, fever, inflammation, high fever, drought, blight, and mildew. These will attack you until you are completely destroyed. 23 The sky above your head will become bronze while the ground beneath you will become iron. 24 The Lord will change the rain on your land to powder and dust. It will come down from the sky until you are exterminated.”
From Defeat to Exile
25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated[aq] by your enemies. You’ll go out against them in one direction, but you’ll flee from them in seven directions. Consequently, you’ll be in a state of great terror throughout all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 Your dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, with no one to chase them away.
27 “The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, skin disease, and festering rashes, and none of them will be curable. 28 The Lord will afflict you with insanity, blindness, and mental confusion.[ar] 29 As a result, you’ll wander aimlessly in broad daylight just as a blind person wanders in darkness. You won’t prosper in life.[as] Instead, you’ll be oppressed and plundered all day long, with no deliverer.
30 “You’ll be engaged to a woman, but another man will rape[at] her. You’ll build a house, but you won’t live in it. You’ll plant a vineyard, but you won’t harvest[au] it. 31 Your ox will be slaughtered in front of you, and you won’t be able to eat it. Your donkey will be stolen from you while you watch and won’t be returned to you. Your flock of sheep will be handed to your enemies, and there will be no deliverer. 32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another people while you watch. You won’t be able to approach them at all,[av] and you’ll be powerless to help.[aw]
33 “A people whom you don’t know will devour what your land and labor produces. You’ll be only oppressed and discouraged continuously 34 until you are driven insane from what your eyes will see.
35 “The Lord will afflict you with incurable boils on your knees and legs, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.
36 “The Lord will banish you and your king whom you will appoint over you to go to a nation that neither you nor your ancestors have known, and there you’ll serve other gods of wood and stone. 37 You’ll become a desolation and a proverb, and you’ll be mocked among the people where the Lord will drive you.”
Complete Reversal
38 “You’ll plant many seeds in a field, but your harvest will be small because the locust will consume it. 39 You’ll plant a vineyard, but you won’t drink wine or harvest any grapes because worms will consume it. 40 You’ll have olive trees throughout your territory, but you won’t be able to anoint yourself with oil because the olives will drop off the trees. 41 You’ll bear sons and daughters, but they won’t belong to you because they’ll go into captivity. 42 Whirling locusts will consume every tree and the produce of your land. 43 The foreigner in your midst will be elevated higher and higher over you, while you are brought low little by little. 44 He will lend to you, but you won’t lend to him. He’ll be the head, but you’ll be the tail. 45 All these curses will come upon you and will overwhelm you until you are exterminated, because you didn’t obey[ax] the Lord your God to keep his commands and statutes, which he had commanded you. 46 These curses[ay] will serve as a sign and wonder for you and your descendants[az] as long as you live.”[ba]
Servitude and Bondage
47 “Because you didn’t serve the Lord your God joyfully and wholeheartedly,[bb] despite the abundance of everything you have, 48 you’ll serve your enemies whom the Lord your God will send against you. You will serve in famine and in drought,[bc] in nakedness, and in lack of everything. They’ll[bd] set a yoke of iron upon your neck until they[be] have exterminated you.
49 “The Lord will raise a distant nation against you from the other side of the earth. Swooping down like a vulture, 50 it will be a nation whose language you don’t understand, whose[bf] stern appearance[bg] neither shows regard[bh] nor extends grace to anyone whether old or young. 51 Its army[bi] will consume the offspring of your animals and the produce of your soil until you are exterminated. They[bj] will leave you without your grain, wine, oil, the increase of your cattle, and the lamb of your flock, until you are completely destroyed. 52 They’ll[bk] besiege all your cities until your high and fortified walls in which you have trusted collapse throughout the land. Indeed, they will besiege all your cities, which the Lord your God gave you.”
Cannibalism
53 “You’ll eat your own children[bl]—the flesh of your sons and daughters, whom the Lord your God gave you—on account of the siege and the distress with which your enemy will oppress you. 54 Even the compassionate man among you—the very sensitive one—will look with evil in his eyes toward his brother, his beloved wife, and his surviving sons, whom he spared. 55 He will withhold from each of them the flesh of his sons that he is eating—since there will be nothing left—on account of the siege and distress with which your enemy will oppress you in all your cities. 56 The most tender and sensitive lady among you, who doesn’t venture to touch the soles of her feet to the ground on account of her daintiness, will look with hostility in her eyes against her beloved husband, her sons, and her daughters. 57 She will eat her afterbirth[bm] and her newborn children[bn] secretly—since there will be nothing left—on account of the siege and distress with which your enemy will oppress you in your cities.”
Reduction in Population
58 “If you aren’t careful to observe all the words of this Law that have been written in this book, instructing you[bo] to fear this glorious and awesome name of the Lord your God, 59 then he[bp] will inflict extraordinary plagues on you and your children, great and lasting plagues, and severe and lasting illnesses. 60 He will inflict[bq] on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they won’t be curable.[br] 61 Moreover, the Lord will inflict you with illnesses and plagues that were not written in this Book of the Law, until you are exterminated. 62 Because you will not have obeyed[bs] the Lord your God, very few of you will be left—instead of you being as numerous as the stars in the heavens. 63 Just as the Lord delighted to prosper and increase you, so now the Lord will delight to destroy, exterminate, and banish you from the land that you are about to enter to possess.”
Scattering among the Nations
64 “He’ll[bt] scatter you among the nations[bu] from one end of the earth to the other,[bv] and there you’ll serve other gods made of wood and stones, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. 65 Among those nations you’ll have no rest. There’ll be no resting place for the soles of your feet. Instead, the Lord will give you an anxious heart, failing eyesight, and a despairing spirit. 66 You’ll cling to life, being fearful by both night and day, with no assurance of survival. 67 In the morning you’ll say, ‘I wish it were evening.’ Yet in the evening you’ll say, “I wish it were morning,” on account of what you’ll dread[bw] and what you’ll see.[bx] 68 Finally, the Lord will bring you back to Egypt by ship, a place that I said you’ll never see again. There you’ll try to sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”
Remembering the Exodus and Conquest
29 [by]These are the terms of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelis in the land of Moab in addition to the covenant that he made with them in Horeb. 2 [bz]Moses called all Israel together and addressed them: “You saw everything that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his servants,[ca] and to his whole country. 3 Those great feats that you saw with your own eyes are signs and great wonders. 4 Yet to this day, the Lord hasn’t given you a heart that understands, eyes that perceive, and ears that discern. 5 Though I’ve led you for 40 years in the desert, neither your clothes nor your shoes have worn out. 6 You didn’t have bread to eat or wine or anything intoxicating to drink, so that you would learn[cb] that I am the Lord your God. 7 Then you reached this place, where King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan had come out to meet and fight with us, but we defeated them. 8 We captured their land and handed it as an inheritance to the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. 9 Therefore, keep the terms of this covenant, carrying them out so that you’ll be wise in everything you do.”
Entering into a Covenant Relationship
10 “All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God—the heads of your tribes, your elders, your magistrates, all the men of Israel, 11 along with your children, your wives, even the foreigner in your camp, including the woodchopper and the water drawer— 12 to enter into a covenant with the Lord your God and into the oath that he[cc] is about to make with you today, 13 so that he will elevate you to be a people for him. And he will be God to you, just as he promised you and swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 14 Now, I’m not making this covenant and oath with you alone, 15 but with whoever is here with us standing in the presence of the Lord our God today, as well as with those who aren’t here with us today.”
Incurring the Judgment of God
16 “Now, you know how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we traveled through the territory of[cd] other nations. 17 You have seen their detestable practices, their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold that they had with them. 18 Be alert so there is no man, woman, family, or tribe whose heart is turning away from the Lord your God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Be alert so there will be no root among you that produces poisonous and bitter fruit,[ce] 19 because when such a person[cf] hears the words of this oath, he will bless himself and say:
‘I will have a peaceful life, even though I’m determined to be stubborn.’[cg] By doing this he will be sweeping away both watered and parched ground alike.’
20 “The Lord won’t forgive such a person.[ch] Instead, the zealous anger of the Lord will blaze against him. All the curses that were written in this book will fall on him. Then the Lord will wipe out his memory[ci] from under heaven. 21 The Lord will set him apart from all the tribes of Israel for destruction,[cj] according to the curses of the covenant that were written in this Book of the Law.”
A Reminder of Sodom and Gomorrah
22 “Then the generation to come—your descendants after you and the foreigners who come from afar—will see plagues and illnesses infecting the land that the Lord will inflict on it. 23 The whole land will be covered[ck] with salt pits and burning sulfur, with nothing planted, nothing sprouting, and producing no vegetation—overthrown like Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, when the Lord overthrew them in his raging fury. 24 All the nations will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land? What is the meaning of this fierce and great anger?’ 25 Then they will answer themselves,[cl]
‘Because they’ve abandoned the covenant of their Lord, the God of their ancestors that he had made with them when he brought them out of Egypt. 26 They followed and worshipped other gods whom they had not known and whom he did not assign to them. 27 For this reason, the anger of the Lord raged against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that were written in this book. 28 The Lord uprooted them from the land in his anger, wrath, and great fury, deporting them to another land, and that’s the way things are today.’
29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but what has been revealed belongs to us and to our children forever, so that we might observe the words of this Law.”
Restoration after the Exile
30 “When all these things happen to you—both the blessings and the curses that I’ve presented to you—and you take them seriously[cm] in all the nations where the Lord your God will deport you, 2 and when you—you and your descendants, that is—will have returned to him[cn] and obeyed all the commands that I’m giving you today with all your heart and soul, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and will show compassion to you. He will gather you from among the nations[co] where he[cp] had scattered you. 4 Even if the Lord had banished you to the ends of the heavens, the Lord your God will gather you from there 5 and he’ll[cq] bring you to the land that your ancestors inherited. You’ll possess it, you’ll prosper, and you’ll greatly multiply more than your ancestors did. 6 Then the Lord your God will circumcise both your hearts and those[cr] of your descendants so that you can love him[cs] with your heart and with your soul and therefore live. 7 Then the Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you.”
Prosperity in Obedience
8 “So now, return and obey the Lord your God and observe all his commands that I’m giving you today, 9 and the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all that you do, along with your children,[ct] your livestock, and the produce of your fields, because the Lord your God will again be delighted with you for good, just as he was delighted with your ancestors, 10 if you obey him[cu] and keep his commands and statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, and if you return to him[cv] with all your heart and soul. 11 Indeed, these commands that I’m giving you today are neither confusing nor unattainable for you. 12 They aren’t in the heavens, so you have to ask, ‘Who’ll go up to the heavens for us and get it for us so we can hear it and act on it?’ 13 And they aren’t beyond the seas either, so you have to ask, ‘Who’ll cross the sea and get it for us so we can hear it and act on it?’ 14 No, the word is very near you—it’s within your mouth and heart for you to attain.”
Destruction in Disobedience
15 “Look! Today I have set before you life and what is good, along with death and what is evil. 16 That’s why I’m commanding you today to love the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by observing his commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live long, increase, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in the land that you are about to enter to possess. 17 But if you turn your heart away, and do not obey, but instead if you stray away to worship and serve other gods, 18 I’m declaring to you today that you will surely be destroyed. You won’t live long[cw] in the land that you are crossing the Jordan River to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to testify against you today! I’ve set life and death before you today: both blessings and curses. Choose life, that it may be well with you—you and your children. 20 Love the Lord your God, obey his voice, and cling to him, because he is your life—even your long life—so that you may live in the land that the Lord promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Moses Commissions Joshua
31 Moses went and explained these things to everyone in Israel. 2 Then he concluded, “I’m now 120 years old. I’m not able to get around anymore, 3 and the Lord told me, ‘You won’t be crossing the Jordan River.’ But the Lord your God is crossing over before you. He will destroy these nations in front of you and you will dispossess them. As for Joshua, he will cross over before you, just as the Lord promised. 4 The Lord will do to them just as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land when he destroyed them. 5 The Lord will hand them over to you, so you can do to them what I’ve instructed you to do. 6 Be strong and courageous. Don’t fear or tremble before them, because the Lord your God will be the one who keeps on walking with you—he won’t leave you or abandon you.”
7 Then Moses called on Joshua and told him in the presence of everyone in Israel, “Be strong and courageous, because you’ll bring this people to the land that the Lord your God had promised to give your ancestors. You will be the one who causes them to possess it. 8 Indeed, the Lord is the one who will keep on walking in front of you. He’ll be with you and won’t leave you or abandon you, so never be afraid and never be dismayed.”
Moses Entrusts the Law to the Levitical Priests
9 Then Moses wrote down this Law and gave it to the Levitical priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and to all of Israel’s leaders.[cx] 10 Then he[cy] gave these[cz] orders: “At the end of seven years, the year designated for release,[da] during the Festival of Tents,[db] 11 when all of Israel comes to appear in the presence of the Lord your God at the place that he’ll choose, read this Law aloud to them.[dc] 12 Gather the people—the men, women, children, and the foreigners that live in your cities—so they may hear and fear the Lord your God, and so they may be careful to obey the words contained in this Law. 13 Their children who don’t know will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land that you are crossing the Jordan River to possess.”
Moses and Joshua Present Themselves to the Lord
14 Then the Lord told Moses: “Look! Because your time to die is approaching, call Joshua, present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting, and then I will commission him.” Moses and Joshua complied[dd] and presented[de] themselves at the Tent of Meeting. 15 So the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud that stood above the entrance.[df]
16 Then the Lord told Moses, “Look! You are about to join your ancestors.[dg] Afterwards, this people will rebel[dh] and commit prostitution with the foreign gods of the land that they are about to enter to possess. They will abandon me and break my covenant that I made with them.[di] 17 When that happens,[dj] my anger will burn against them,[dk] because they will have abandoned me. I’ll hide my face from them, they will be consumed, and many evils and distresses will find them. When this happens,[dl] they[dm] will say, ‘These troubles have happened to us because God isn’t among us.’ 18 I’ll surely hide my face in that day on account of the evil that they[dn] will have done, because they[do] will have turned to other gods.”
Moses Instructed to Teach a Song
19 “Now write this song and teach it to the Israelis. Put this song in their very mouths, so that it will be a witness for me against the Israelis, 20 because after I’ve brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey that I promised to their ancestors by an oath, they’ll eat, grow fat, and then they’ll turn to other gods and serve them, while despising me and breaking my covenant. 21 Then, when many evils and troubles will have come upon them, this song will serve as a witness against them, since their descendants won’t fail to sing it. I know the plan that they are devising even before I bring them into the land that I promised them[dp] by an oath.”
22 So Moses wrote the song that very day and taught it to the Israelis. 23 Then the Lord charged Nun’s son Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, because you’ll bring the Israelis to the land that I promised to them by an oath. I’ll be with you.”
24 When Moses had finished writing the words of this Law in a book, 25 he[dq] gave this[dr] charge to the descendants of Levi who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord: 26 “Take the book of this Law and set it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God. Let it remain there with you as a witness against you, 27 because indeed I know your rebellion and stubbornness. Note that even while I’m still alive, you’ve been rebelling against the Lord—how much more so after my death! 28 Gather together the leaders[ds] of your tribes and your foremen so I can speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and the earth as witnesses against them, 29 because I know that after my death, you’ll surely act wickedly and turn from the road that I’ve instructed you. As a result, evil will fall on you in days to come, because you’ll act wickedly in the sight of the Lord, causing him to become angry due to your behavior.” 30 So Moses spoke the words of this song—to the very end—in front of the entire assembly of Israel.
The Song of Moses
32 Hear, heavens, and I will speak!
Listen, earth, to the words of my mouth!
2 May my instructions descend like rain
and may my words flow like dew,
as light rain upon the grass,
and as showers upon new plants.
3 For I’ll proclaim the name of our Lord.
Ascribe greatness to our God!
4 Flawless is the work of the Rock,
because all his ways are just.
A faithful God—never unjust—
righteous and upright is he.
5 But those who are not his children
acted corruptly against him;
they are a defective and perverted generation.
6 This is not the way to repay the Lord, is it,
you foolish and witless people?
Is he not your father,
who bought you, formed you, and established you?
An Exhortation to Remember God’s Work
7 Remember the days of old,
reflect on the years of previous generations.
Ask your father,
and he’ll tell you;
your elders will inform you.
8 When the Most High gave nations as their inheritance,
when he separated the human race,
he set boundaries for the people
according to the number of the children of God.[dt]
9 For the Lord’s portion is his people;
Jacob is his allotted portion.
The Lord’s Work on Behalf of Israel
10 The Lord[du] found him[dv] in a desert land,
in a barren, eerie[dw] wilderness.
He surrounded, cared for, and guarded him
as the pupil of his eye.
11 Like an eagle stirs its nest,
hovering near its young,
spreading out his wings to take him
and carry him on his pinions,
12 the Lord alone guided him.
There was no foreign god with him.
13 He mounted him on a high place above the earth,
feeding him from the produce of the field.
He nourished[dx] him with honey from the rock
and with oil from the flint rock,
14 with curds from cattle and with milk from sheep,
with the fat of lambs, with rams from Bashan,
with the fat of goats, with the finest[dy] of wheat—
and from the juice of grapes you drank wine.
Israel’s Rebellion
15 Jacob dined until satisfied;[dz]
Jeshurun[ea] grew fat and kicked.
He[eb] grew fat, coarse, and gross,
so that he abandoned the God who made him
and spurned the Rock that was his salvation.
16 They provoked him to jealousy over foreigners
and to anger over detestable things.
17 They sacrificed to demons—
not to the real God—
gods whom they didn’t know,
new neighbors who had recently appeared,
whom your ancestors never feared.
18 You[ec] neglected the Rock that fathered you;
you abandoned God, who was awaiting your birth.[ed]
The Lord’s Response
19 The Lord saw it and became jealous,[ee]
provoked by his sons and daughters.
20 So he said:
“Let me hide my face from them.
I will observe what their end will be,
because they are a perverted generation,
children within whom there is no loyalty.
21 They provoked me to jealousy over non-gods,
and to be angry over their vanity.
Now I’ll provoke them to jealousy over a non-people;
and over a foolish nation I’ll provoke them to anger.
22 For a fire breaks out in my anger—
burning to the deepest part of[ef] the afterlife,[eg]
consuming the earth and its produce
and igniting the foundations of the mountains.
23 I’ll bury them in misfortunes
and bring them to an end with my arrows.
24 Emaciated from famine,
feverish from plague,
and destroyed by bitterness,
I’ll send fanged beasts against them,
along with poisonous snakes that glide through the dust.
25 Outside, the sword will cause bereavement;
within,[eh] there will be terror
for the young man and virgin alike,
also for the nursing infant and the aged man.”[ei]
26 “I said,
‘I will scatter them,[ej]
erasing their memory from the human race,[ek]
27 if it weren’t for dreading the taunting of their enemies—
otherwise, their adversary might misinterpret and say,
“Our power is great.
It isn’t the Lord who made all of this happen.”’”
Moses Warns Israel
28 They are a nation devoid of purpose
and without insight.
29 O, that they were wise to understand this
and consider their future![el]
30 How can one person[em] chase a thousand of them
and two put a myriad[en] to flight,
unless their Rock delivers them
and the Lord gives them up?
31 For their rock isn’t like our Rock,
as even[eo] our enemies admit.[ep]
32 Instead,[eq] their vine is from the vines of Sodom
and the vineyards of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are poisonous,
their clusters bitter.
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
a poisonous cobra.
The Lord’s Response
34 “Is this not kept in reserve,
sealed up with me in my treasury?
35 To me belong vengeance and recompense.
In due time their feet will slip,
because their time of calamity is near
and the things prepared for them draw near.
36 For the Lord will vindicate his people
and bring comfort to his servants,
because he will observe that their power[er] has waned,
when neither prisoner[es] nor free person remain.
37 “He will say, ‘Where are their gods,
the rock in which they took refuge?
38 Who ate the fat of their offerings
and drank the wine that was their drink offering?
Let them rise and help you
and be your hiding place!’
39 “Look now! I AM,[et]
and there is no other god besides me.
I myself cause death
and I sustain life;
I wound severely
and I also heal;
from my power[eu] no one can deliver.
40 “I solemnly swear[ev] to heaven—
I say ‘As certainly as I’m alive and living forever,
41 I’ll whet my shining sword,
with my hands in firm grasp of judgment.
I’ll show vengeance on my adversary
and repay those who keep on hating me.
42 I’ll make my arrows drunk with blood.
My sword will devour flesh,
along with the blood of the slain,
and I’ll take their enemy leaders captive.’
43 “Sing for joy, nations!
Sing for joy,[ew] people who belong to him!
For he’ll avenge the blood of his servants,
turn on his adversary,
and cleanse both his land and his people.”
Moses’ Final Counsel
44 So Moses and Nun’s son Joshua came and recited all the words of this song while the people were assembled. 45 When Moses had finished addressing all of these words to all Israel, 46 he told them, “Take to heart my entire testimony against you today. Command your children to observe carefully every word of this Law, 47 because they’re not just empty words for you—they are your very life. Through these instructions you will live long in the land that you are about to cross over the Jordan River to possess.”
Moses Forbidden to Enter Canaan
48 Later that day, the Lord told Moses, 49 “Ascend this Abarim mountain range[ex] toward Mount Nebo in the land of Moab across from Jericho, and look out over the land of Canaan that I’m about to give to the Israelis as a possession. 50 You will die on the mountain that you are about to ascend and be taken to be with your ancestors, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was taken to be with his ancestors. 51 Both of you acted unfaithfully against me among the Israelis at Meribah-kadesh in the desert of Zin, when you failed to uphold my holiness among the Israelis. 52 You’ll see the land from a distance, but you won’t be able to enter the land that I am about to give to the Israelis.”
Moses Reviews the Tribes of Israel
33 This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelis before his death. 2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai.
Rising from Seir upon us,[ey]
he shone forth from Mount Paran,
accompanied[ez] by a myriad[fa] of his holy ones,
with flaming fire from his right hand for them.
3 Indeed, lover of people,
all of his holy ones are in your control.[fb]
They gather at your feet
to do as you have instructed.[fc]
4 Moses commanded with the Law,
an inheritance for the community of Jacob.
5 The Lord[fd] was king of Jeshurun[fe]
when the leaders of the people—
all the tribes of Israel—gathered together.”
Reuben
6 “May Reuben live and not die,
though his numbers are few.”
Judah
7 He declared this about Judah:
“Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah
and return him to his people.
With his own strength he fights for himself,
and you will be of assistance[ff] against[fg] his enemies.”
Levi
8 About Levi he said:
“Let your Thummim and Urim[fh] be with the man
to whom you showed gracious love,
whom you tested at Massah
and with whom you struggled
at the waters of Meribah,
9 the one who told his mother and father,
‘I don’t know[fi] them,’
and who would neither acknowledge his brothers
nor know his own children.
For they kept your word
and guarded your covenant.
10 They will teach your ordinances to Jacob,
and your Law to Israel.
They will offer incense as a pleasant aroma to you[fj]
and a whole burnt offering upon your altar.
11 Lord, bless his substance
and approve the work that he undertakes.[fk]
Shatter the legs[fl] of those who oppose against him;
may those who hate him stand no more.”
Benjamin
12 About Benjamin he said:
“The beloved of the Lord will live confidently,
the Most High protecting[fm] him all day long,
and resting in his bosom.[fn]”
Joseph
13 About Joseph he said:
“May the blessing of the Lord be on his land:
dew from the choicest of the heavens,
and from the depths beneath;
14 from the choicest products of the sun,
the rich fruit of the harvest moon,[fo]
15 the choicest portion[fp] of the eternal mountains,
and the best of the everlasting hills;
16 from the choicest of the earth and its fullness,
and the favor of the one who lived in the burning[fq] bush.
May blessing[fr] rest on Joseph’s head,
and on the crown of the head
of the one set apart from his brothers.
17 May the firstborn of his bull be honorable to him,
and may his horns be those of a wild ox.
With them may he push people all together,
to the ends of the earth.
These are the myriads[fs] of Ephraim
and the thousands of Manasseh.”
Zebulun and Issachar
18 About Zebulun he said:
“Zebulun, rejoice as you go out
and Issachar, in being inside your tents.
19 They will call the nations[ft] to the mountain,
and there they will offer righteous sacrifices,
for they’ll draw from the abundance of the sea
and from the hidden treasures of the sand.”
Gad
20 About Gad he said:
“Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad!
Like a roaring lion, he crouches,
tearing arm and scalp.
21 He chose the best part for himself,
when the leader’s portion was assigned.
He came at the head of the people,
carrying out the Lord’s justice
and his ordinances concerning Israel.”
Dan
22 About Dan he said:
“Dan is a lion’s cub,
leaping forth from Bashan.”
Naphtali
23 About Naphtali he said:
“Naphtali, full of favor and the Lord’s blessing,
take possession of the west[fu] and south.”
Asher
24 About Asher he said:
“May Asher be blessed, along with his descendants,
may his brothers be pleased with him,
may he dip his feet in oil,
25 may your bolts be made of iron and bronze,
and may your strength be sufficient for each day you live.”
Israel’s Defender
26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,[fv]
who rides through the heavens
with its lofty clouds to help you.
27 The God of old is a dwelling place,
with everlasting arms underneath.
He drove out your enemies before you
and said: ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel lives in confidence,
isolated as the fountain of Jacob
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens rain down dew.
29 How blessed are you, Israel!
Who can be like you,
a people delivered by the Lord,
your shield of help and
your finely crafted sword.
May your enemies cower before you.
You will tread down their high places.”
Moses Ascends Pisgah
34 Moses ascended from the desert plain of Moab toward Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There[fw] the Lord showed him the entire land, from Gilgal as far as Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territories[fx] of Ephraim and Manasseh, and the entire territory[fy] of Judah all the way to out over the sea,[fz] 3 including the Negev,[ga] the Arabah, the valley of Jericho, and the city of the palm trees as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord told him: “This is the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by an oath when I said, ‘I’ll give it to your descendants.’ I’ll let you see it with your eyes, but you won’t cross over there.”
Moses Dies
5 So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said.[gb] 6 He was buried in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Moab, but no one knows to this day where his burial place is. 7 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight wasn’t impaired and he was still vigorous and strong. 8 The Israelis mourned for Moses at the desert plain of Moab for 30 days, after which the period of mourning for Moses was completed.
The Epitaph for Moses
9 Now Nun’s son Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had placed his hands on him, so the Israelis listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 No prophet ever rose again in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew with such great intimacy.[gc]
11 What signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do throughout the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all of his servants who lived in the whole land!
12 What great power[gd] and great terror Moses displayed on behalf of all Israel!
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