12"These are the decrees and regulations you must be careful to obey when you live in the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must obey them as long as you live.H2706H4941H8104H6213H776H3068H430H1H5414H3423H3117H2416H127 2"When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods—high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree.H6H6H4725H1471H834H3423H5647H430H7311H2022H1389H7488H6086 3Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods!H5422H4196H7665H4676H8313H842H784H1438H6456H430H6H8034H4725 4"Do not worship the LORD your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.H6213H3068H430 5Rather, you must seek the LORD your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored.H4725H3068H430H977H7626H7760H8034H7933H1875H935 6There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks.H935H5930H2077H4643H8641H3027H5088H5071H1062H1241H6629 7There you and your families will feast in the presence of the LORD your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the LORD your God has blessed you.H398H6440H3068H430H8055H4916H3027H1004H3068H430H1288 8"Your pattern of worship will change. Today all of you are doing as you please,H6213H6213H3117H376H3477H5869 9because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession.H935H4496H5159H3068H430H5414 10But you will soon cross the Jordan River and live in the land the LORD your God is giving you. When he gives you rest from all your enemies and you're living safely in the land,H5674H3383H3427H776H3068H430H5157H5117H341H5439H3427H983 11you must bring everything I command you—your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow—to the designated place of worship, the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored.H4725H3068H430H977H8034H7931H935H6680H5930H2077H4643H8641H3027H4005H5088H5087H3068 12"You must celebrate there in the presence of the LORD your God with your sons and daughters and all your servants. And remember to include the Levites who live in your towns, for they will receive no allotment of land among you.H8055H6440H3068H430H1121H1323H5650H519H3881H8179H3588H2506H5159 13Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like.H8104H5927H5930H4725H7200 14You may do so only at the place the LORD will choose within one of your tribal territories. There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you.H4725H3068H977H259H7626H5927H5930H6213H6680 15"But you may butcher your animals and eat their meat in any town whenever you want. You may freely eat the animals with which the LORD your God blesses you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you now eat gazelle and deer.H2076H398H1320H8179H5315H185H1293H3068H430H5414H2931H2889H398H6643H354 16But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.H398H1818H8210H776H4325 17"But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings.H3201H398H8179H4643H1715H8492H3323H1062H1241H6629H5088H5087H5071H8641H3027 18You must eat these in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose. Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the LORD your God in all you do.H398H6440H3068H430H4725H3068H430H977H1121H1323H5650H519H3881H8179H8055H6440H3068H430H4916H3027 19And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.H8104H5800H3881H3117H127 20"When the LORD your God expands your territory as he has promised, and you have the urge to eat meat, you may freely eat meat whenever you want.H3068H430H7337H1366H1696H559H398H1320H5315H183H398H1320H398H1320H5315H185 21It might happen that the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored—is a long way from your home. If so, you may butcher any of the cattle, sheep, or goats the LORD has given you, and you may freely eat the meat in your hometown, as I have commanded you.H4725H3068H430H977H7760H8034H7368H2076H1241H6629H3068H5414H6680H398H8179H5315H185 22Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you do now with gazelle and deer.H6643H354H398H398H2931H2889H398H3162 23But never consume the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the lifeblood with the meat.H2388H398H1818H1818H5315H398H5315H1320 24Instead, pour out the blood on the ground like water.H398H8210H776H4325 25Do not consume the blood, so that all may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what pleases the LORD.H398H3190H1121H310H6213H3477H5869H3068 26"Take your sacred gifts and your offerings given to fulfill a vow to the place the LORD chooses.H6944H5088H5375H935H4725H3068H977 27You must offer the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out on the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat.H6213H5930H1320H1818H4196H3068H430H1818H2077H8210H4196H3068H430H398H1320 28Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the LORD your God.H8104H8085H1697H6680H3190H1121H310H5704H5769H6213H2896H3477H5869H3068H430 29"When the LORD your God goes ahead of you and destroys the nations and you drive them out and live in their land,H3068H430H3772H1471H6440H935H3423H3423H3427H776 30do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, 'How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.'H8104H5367H310H310H8045H6440H1875H430H559H1471H5647H430H6213H1571 31You must not worship the LORD your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.H6213H3068H430H8441H3068H8130H6213H430H1121H1323H8313H784H430 32"So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.H1697H6680H8104H6213H3254H1639
13"Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,H6965H7130H5030H2492H2472H5414H226H4159 2and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, 'Come, let us worship other gods'—gods you have not known before—H226H4159H935H1696H559H3212H310H312H430H3045H5647 3do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.H8085H1697H5030H2492H2472H3068H430H5254H3045H3426H157H3068H430H3824H5315 4Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.H3212H310H3068H430H3372H8104H4687H8085H6963H5647H1692 5The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the LORD your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the LORD your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.H5030H2492H2472H4191H1696H5627H3068H430H3318H776H4714H6299H1004H5650H5080H1870H3068H430H6680H3212H1197H7451H1197H7130 6"Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, 'Let us go worship other gods'—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known.H251H1121H517H1121H1323H802H2436H7453H5315H5496H5643H559H3212H5647H312H430H3045H1 7They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth.H430H5971H5439H7138H7350H7097H776H7097H776 8But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them.H14H8085H5869H2347H2550H3680 9You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in.H2026H2026H3027H7223H4191H314H3027H5971 10Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery.H5619H68H4191H1245H5080H3068H430H3318H776H4714H1004H5650 11Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one will act so wickedly again.H3478H8085H3372H6213H3254H1697H7451H7130 12"When you begin living in the towns the LORD your God is giving you, you may hearH8085H259H5892H3068H430H5414H3427H559 13that scoundrels among you are leading their fellow citizens astray by saying, 'Let us go worship other gods'—gods you have not known before.H582H1121H1100H3318H7130H5080H3427H5892H559H3212H5647H312H430H3045 14In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find that the report is true and such a detestable act has been committed among you,H1875H2713H7592H3190H571H1697H3559H2063H8441H6213H7130 15you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.H5221H5221H3427H5892H6310H2719H2763H929H6310H2719 16Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the open square and burn it. Burn the entire town as a burnt offering to the LORD your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt.H6908H7998H8432H7339H8313H784H5892H7998H3632H3068H430H8510H5769H1129 17Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a large nation, just as he swore to your ancestors.H1692H3972H2764H3027H3068H7725H2740H639H5414H7356H7355H7235H7650H1 18"The LORD your God will be merciful only if you listen to his voice and keep all his commands that I am giving you today, doing what pleases him.H8085H6963H3068H430H8104H4687H6680H3117H6213H3477H5869H3068H430
14"Since you are the people of the LORD your God, never cut yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead.H1121H3068H430H1413H7760H7144H5869H41912You have been set apart as holy to the LORD your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.H6918H5971H3068H430H3068H977H5459H5971H5971H6440H1273"You must not eat any detestable animals that are ceremonially unclean.H398H84414These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat,H929H398H7794H7716H3775H57955the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the addax, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.H354H6643H3180H689H1788H8377H21696"You may eat any animal that has completely split hooves and chews the cud,H929H6536H6541H8157H8156H8147H6541H5927H1625H929H3987but if the animal doesn't have both, it may not be eaten. So you may not eat the camel, the hare, or the hyrax. They chew the cud but do not have split hooves, so they are ceremonially unclean for you.H398H5927H1625H6536H8156H6541H1581H768H8227H5927H1625H6536H6541H29318And you may not eat the pig. It has split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is ceremonially unclean for you. You may not eat the meat of these animals or even touch their carcasses.H2386H6536H6541H1625H2931H398H1320H5060H50389"Of all the marine animals, you may eat whatever has both fins and scales.H398H4325H5579H7193H39810You may not, however, eat marine animals that do not have both fins and scales. They are ceremonially unclean for you.H5579H7193H398H293111"You may eat any bird that is ceremonially clean.H2889H6833H39812These are the birds you may not eat: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,H398H5404H6538H582213the kite, the falcon, buzzards of all kinds,H7201H344H1772H432714ravens of all kinds,H6158H432715the eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the seagull, hawks of all kinds,H1323H3284H8464H7828H5322H432716the little owl, the great owl, the barn owl,H3563H3244H858017the desert owl, the Egyptian vulture, the cormorant,H6893H7360H799418the stork, herons of all kinds, the hoopoe, and the bat.H2624H601H4327H1744H584719"All winged insects that walk along the ground are ceremonially unclean for you and may not be eaten.H8318H5775H2931H39820But you may eat any winged bird or insect that is ceremonially clean.H2889H5775H39821"You must not eat anything that has died a natural death. You may give it to a foreigner living in your town, or you may sell it to a stranger. But do not eat it yourselves, for you are set apart as holy to the LORD your God. "You must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.H398H5038H5414H1616H8179H398H4376H5237H6918H5971H3068H430H1310H1423H517H246122"You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year.H6237H6237H8393H2233H7704H3318H8141H814123Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the LORD your God.H398H6440H3068H430H4725H977H7931H8034H4643H1715H8492H3323H1062H1241H6629H3925H3372H3068H430H311724"Now when the LORD your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honored might be too far for you to bring the tithe.H1870H7235H3588H3201H5375H4725H7368H3068H430H977H7760H8034H3068H430H128825If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the LORD your God has chosen.H5414H3701H6696H3701H3027H1980H4725H3068H430H97726When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and celebrate with your household.H5414H3701H5315H183H1241H6629H3196H7941H5315H7592H398H6440H3068H430H8055H100427And do not neglect the Levites in your town, for they will receive no allotment of land among you.H3881H8179H5800H2506H515928"At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year's harvest and store it in the nearest town.H7097H7969H8141H3318H4643H8393H8141H3240H817929Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the LORD your God will bless you in all your work.H3881H2506H5159H1616H3490H490H8179H935H398H7646H3068H430H1288H4639H3027H6213
15"At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money.H7093H7651H8141H6213H8059 2This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the LORD's time of release has arrived.H1697H8059H1167H4874H3027H5383H7453H8058H5065H7453H251H7121H3068H8059 3This release from debt, however, applies only to your fellow Israelites—not to the foreigners living among you.H5237H5065H251H3027H8058 4"There should be no poor among you, for the LORD your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession.H657H34H3068H1288H1288H776H3068H430H5414H5159H3423 5You will receive this blessing if you are careful to obey all the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today.H8085H8085H6963H3068H430H8104H6213H4687H6680H3117 6The LORD your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow. You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you.H3068H430H1288H1696H5670H7227H1471H5670H4910H7227H1471H4910 7"But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them.H34H259H251H259H8179H776H3068H430H5414H553H3824H7092H3027H34H251 8Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.H6605H3027H6605H5670H5670H1767H4270H2637 9Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the LORD, you will be considered guilty of sin.H8104H1697H1100H3824H559H7651H8141H8141H8059H7126H5869H7489H34H251H5414H7121H3068H2399 10Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.H5414H5414H3824H3415H5414H1558H1697H3068H430H1288H4639H4916H3027 11There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.H34H2308H7130H776H6680H559H6605H3027H6605H251H6041H34H776 12"If a fellow Hebrew sells himself or herself to be your servant and serves you for six years, in the seventh year you must set that servant free.H251H5680H5680H4376H5647H8337H8141H7637H8141H7971H2670 13"When you release a male servant, do not send him away empty-handed.H7971H2670H7971H7387 14Give him a generous farewell gift from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Share with him some of the bounty with which the LORD your God has blessed you.H6059H6059H6629H1637H3342H3068H430H1288H5414 15Remember that you were once slaves in the land of Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you! That is why I am giving you this command.H2142H5650H776H4714H3068H430H6299H6680H1697H3117 16"But suppose your servant says, 'I will not leave you,' because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you.H559H3318H157H1004H2895 17In that case, take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door. After that, he will be your servant for life. And do the same for your female servants.H3947H4836H5414H241H1817H5650H5769H519H6213 18"You must not consider it a hardship when you release your servants. Remember that for six years they have given you services worth double the wages of hired workers, and the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.H7185H5869H7971H2670H7939H4932H7916H5647H8337H8141H3068H430H1288H6213 19"You must set aside for the LORD your God all the firstborn males from your flocks and herds. Do not use the firstborn of your herds to work your fields, and do not shear the firstborn of your flocks.H1060H2145H3205H1241H6629H6942H3068H430H5647H1060H7794H1494H1060H6629 20Instead, you and your family must eat these animals in the presence of the LORD your God each year at the place he chooses.H398H6440H3068H430H8141H8141H4725H3068H977H1004 21But if this firstborn animal has any defect, such as lameness or blindness, or if anything else is wrong with it, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.H3971H6455H5787H7451H3971H2076H3068H430 22Instead, use it for food for your family in your hometown. Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat it, just as anyone may eat a gazelle or deer.H398H8179H2931H2889H3162H6643H354 23But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.H398H1818H8210H776H4325
Dublin, OH
"So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.H1697
