13"Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,H6965H7130H5030H2492H2472H5414H226H41592and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, 'Come, let us worship other gods'—gods you have not known before—H226H4159H935H1696H559H3212H310H312H430H3045H56473do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.H8085H1697H5030H2492H2472H3068H430H5254H3045H3426H157H3068H430H3824H53154Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.H3212H310H3068H430H3372H8104H4687H8085H6963H5647H16925The 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.H5030H2492H2472H4191H1696H5627H3068H430H3318H776H4714H6299H1004H5650H5080H1870H3068H430H6680H3212H1197H7451H1197H71306"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.H251H1121H517H1121H1323H802H2436H7453H5315H5496H5643H559H3212H5647H312H430H3045H17They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth.H430H5971H5439H7138H7350H7097H776H7097H7768But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them.H14H8085H5869H2347H2550H36809You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in.H2026H2026H3027H7223H4191H314H3027H597110Stone 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.H5619H68H4191H1245H5080H3068H430H3318H776H4714H1004H565011Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one will act so wickedly again.H3478H8085H3372H6213H3254H1697H7451H713012"When you begin living in the towns the LORD your God is giving you, you may hearH8085H259H5892H3068H430H5414H3427H55913that scoundrels among you are leading their fellow citizens astray by saying, 'Let us go worship other gods'—gods you have not known before.H582H1121H1100H3318H7130H5080H3427H5892H559H3212H5647H312H430H304514In 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,H1875H2713H7592H3190H571H1697H3559H2063H8441H6213H713015you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.H5221H5221H3427H5892H6310H2719H2763H929H6310H271916Then 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.H6908H7998H8432H7339H8313H784H5892H7998H3632H3068H430H8510H5769H112917Keep 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.H1692H3972H2764H3027H3068H7725H2740H639H5414H7356H7355H7235H7650H118"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
Ceremonially Clean and Unclean Animals
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.H398H5038H5414H1616H8179H398H4376H5237H6918H5971H3068H430H1310H1423H517H2461
The Giving of Tithes
22"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
57[For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”] Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.H5329H516H4387H1732H1272H6440H7586H4631H2603H430H2603H5315H2620H6738H3671H2620H1942H56742I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.H7121H430H5945H410H15843He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.H7971H8064H3467H2778H7602H5542H430H7971H2617H5714I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey—whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords.H5315H8432H3833H7901H3857H1121H120H8127H2595H2671H3956H2299H27195Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth.H7311H430H8064H3519H7766My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it. InterludeH3559H7568H6471H5315H3721H3738H7882H6440H8432H5307H55427My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!H3820H3559H430H3820H3559H7891H21678Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.H5782H3519H5782H5035H3658H5782H78379I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.H3034H136H5971H2167H381610For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.H2617H1419H8064H571H783411Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.H7311H430H8064H3519H776
"Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,H6965
