# verses

text:
This is the work to be done by the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the meeting tent. Ithamar the son of Aaron the religious leader will watch over their duties.


text:
Number those who are thirty years old and older, to fifty years old, everyone who goes in to do the work of the meeting tent.


text:
This is what they are to carry for their work in the meeting tent: the wood pieces of the meeting tent, its cross pieces, pillars and its bases.


text:
And they are to carry the pillars which are around the open space and their bases and their nails and ropes, with all the things used for their work. You will tell each man by name what he is to carry.


text:
This is the work of the families of the sons of Merari, all their work in the meeting tent. Ithamar the son of Aaron the religious leader will watch over their duties."


text:
So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the people numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and by their fathers' houses.


text:
They numbered those who were thirty years old and older, to fifty years old, everyone who went in to do the work in the meeting tent.


text:
These are the numbered men of the Kohathite families, everyone who worked in the meeting tent. Moses and Aaron numbered them as the Lord told them to do through Moses.


text:
from thirty years old to fifty years old. Everyone who went in to do the work in the meeting tent was numbered.


text:
These are the numbered men of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who were working in the meeting tent. Moses and Aaron numbered them as the Lord told them to do.


text:
The men of the families of the sons of Merari were numbered, by their families and their fathers' houses,


text:
These are the numbered men of the families of the sons of Merari. Moses and Aaron numbered them as the Lord told them to do through Moses.


text:
Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered all the men of the Levites by their families and their fathers' houses,


text:
from thirty years old to fifty years old. Everyone who could go in to do the work and the carrying of the meeting tent was numbered.


text:
They were each given their work and load to carry, as the Lord told them to do through Moses. So these were his numbered men, just as the Lord had told Moses.


text:
"Tell the people of Israel to send away from the tents every person with a bad skin disease, every one with a flow that is unclean, and every one who is unclean because of a dead person.


text:
Send away both male and female. Send them away from the tents so they will not make the place sinful where I live among them."


text:
The people of Israel did so. They sent them away from the tents. The people of Israel did just as the Lord had said to Moses.


text:
"Say to the people of Israel, 'When a man or woman sins the way that man sins by not acting in faith toward the Lord, and that person is guilty,


text:
then he must tell about the sins he has done. He must pay in full for his wrong-doing, and add one-fifth part to it, and give it to the one he has sinned against.


text:
But if the man has no brother to whom pay for the wrong can be made, then it must go to the Lord for the religious leader. He must also give a ram to pay for his sins. And his sins will be forgiven.


text:
Every gift of all the holy things of the Israelites which they bring to the religious leader will become his.


text:
So every man's holy gifts will be his. Whatever any man gives to the religious leader will be his.' "


text:
and another man has sex with her and it is hidden from her husband's eyes, even if it is hidden, she will be unclean. And even if no one speaks against her, because she has not been caught in the act,


text:
but a spirit of jealousy comes over her husband, he will be jealous of his wife when she has made herself unclean. Or if he becomes jealous of his wife when she has done nothing to make herself unclean,


text:
then the man must bring his wife to the religious leader. He must bring one-tenth part of a basket of barley as the gift needed for her. He must not pour oil on it. He must not put special perfume on it. For it is a grain gift of jealousy. It is a grain gift to make the sin remembered.


text:
The religious leader will take holy water in a clay pot. He will take some of the dust on the floor of the meeting tent and put it into the water.


text:
Then the religious leader will have the woman stand before the Lord and let the hair of the woman's head hang loose. He will put the grain gift of remembering into her hands. It is the grain gift of jealousy. In the religious leader's hand will be the bitter water that can bring a curse to the woman.


text:
Then the religious leader will have her make a promise. He will say to the woman, "If no man has lain with you and if you have not turned away into sin, while under the power of your husband, this bitter water that brings punishment will not hurt you.


text:
If you have turned away, while under the power of your husband, and have made yourself unclean by having another man who is not your husband,''


text:
then the religious leader will have the woman make a promise so she will be punished if she has sinned. He will say to the woman, "May the Lord make you a curse among your people. May the Lord make your leg waste away and your stomach grow bigger.


text:
This water that brings a curse will go into your stomach and make it grow bigger and your leg to waste away." And the woman will say, "Let it be so. Let it be so."


text:
'Then the religious leader will write these curses in a book. And he will wash them off into the bitter water.


text:
He will make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse. The water that brings a curse will go into her and give her pain.


text:
The religious leader will take the grain gift of jealousy from the woman's hand. He will wave the grain gift before the Lord and bring it to the altar.


text:
The religious leader will fill his hand with the grain gift, as the part to be remembered. And he will burn it on the altar. Then he will make the woman drink the water.


text:
If she has not been faithful to her husband, the water that brings a curse will go into her and give her pain. Her stomach will get larger and her leg will become as dead. A curse will come upon the woman among her people.


text:
'This is the law of jealousy. If a wife who is under the power of her husband turns away and makes herself unclean,


text:
and a spirit of jealousy comes upon a man, making him jealous of his wife, then he must make the woman stand before the Lord. And the religious leader will do to her all the rules of this Law.


text:
"Say to the people of Israel, 'A man or woman may make a special promise, the promise of a Nazirite, to set himself apart to the Lord.


text:
Then he must keep away from wine and strong drink. He will drink no sour wine, made from wine or strong drink. He will not drink any grape drink. And he will not eat new or dried grapes.


text:
All the days he is set apart, he must not eat anything made from the grape-field, not even the seeds or the skins.


text:
'No hair of his head will be cut, all the days of his promise to be set apart. He must be holy until the time is finished for which he set himself apart to the Lord. He will let the hair on his head grow long.


text:
He must not allow himself to be made unclean when his father, mother, brother or sister die. For he has made a promise to be set apart to God.


text:
'But if a man dies next to him, making his hair unclean which had been set apart to the Lord, then he must cut all the hair from his head on the day he is made clean. He will cut it off on the seventh day.


text:
On the eighth day he must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the religious leader, to the door of the meeting tent.


text:
The religious leader will give one for a sin gift and the other for a burnt gift. He will pay for his sin because of the dead person. And he will make his head holy that same day.


text:
He will set apart to the Lord his days as a Nazirite. And he will bring a year old male lamb for a guilt gift. But the past days will be a loss, because he had become unclean during the time he was set apart.


text:
'This is the Law of the Nazirite when the time he is set apart is finished. He must bring the gift to the door of the meeting tent.


text:
He will give his gift to the Lord. It will be a perfect male lamb a year old for a burnt gift, one perfect female lamb a year old for a sin gift, and one perfect ram for a peace gift.


text:
And he will give a basket of bread made of fine flour mixed with oil, made without yeast. He will give hard bread spread with oil and made without yeast. With them he will give their grain gift and drink gifts.


text:
He will also give the ram for peace gifts to the Lord, together with the basket of bread made without yeast. Then the religious leader will give its grain gift and drink gift.


text:
Then at the door of the meeting tent the Nazirite will cut off the hair that has been set apart for holy use. He is to take the hair and put it in the fire under the peace gifts.


text:
The religious leader will take the shoulder of the ram when it has been boiled and a loaf of bread and a piece of hard bread, both made without yeast and put them in the hands of the Nazirite. This is done after he has cut off the hair that has been set apart.


text:
The religious leader will wave them for a wave gift before the Lord. They are holy and belong to the religious leader, together with the breast given as a wave gift and the thigh given by lifting it up. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.'


text:
"This is the Law of the Nazirite who makes a promise to give to the Lord what he promised as a Nazirite, and whatever else he is able to give. He must do what he has promised by the Law of being set apart as a Nazirite."


text:
"Say to Aaron and his sons, 'This is the way you should bring good to the people of Israel. Say to them,


text:
Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, brought their gifts. They were the leaders of the families, the heads of those who were numbered.


text:
As gifts to the Lord they brought six covered wagons and twelve bulls, a wagon for every two of the leaders and a bull for each one. Then they gave them in front of the meeting tent.


text:
"Receive these things from them, that they may be used in the work of the meeting tent. Give them to the Levites, to each man for the work he does."


text:
He gave four wagons and eight bulls to the sons of Merari, for the work they were doing under the leading of Ithamar the son of Aaron the religious leader.


text:
But Moses did not give any to the sons of Kohath. They had the duty of taking care of the holy objects which had to be carried on their shoulders.


text:
The leaders gave gifts to set apart the altar on the day the oil was poured on it. They gave their gifts in front of the altar.


text:
The one who gave his gift on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the family of Judah.


text:
His gift was one silver dish that weighed as much as 130 pieces of silver, and one silver dish that weighed as much as seventy pieces of silver. They were weighed by the weight of silver agreed upon for the meeting tent. Both of them were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain gift.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift given by Nahshon the son of Amminadab.


text:
He gave for his gift one silver dish that weighed as much as 130 pieces of silver, and one silver dish weighing as much as seventy pieces of silver. They were weighed by the weight of silver agreed upon for the meeting tent. Both of them were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain gift.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Nethanel the son of Zuar.


text:
His gift was one silver dish that weighed as much as 130 pieces of silver, and one silver dish weighing as much as seventy pieces of silver. They were weighed by the weight of silver agreed upon for the meeting tent. Both of them were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain gift.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Eliab the son of Helon.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Elizur the son of Shedeur.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Elishama the son of Ammihud.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Abidan the son of Gideoni.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Pagiel the son of Ochran.


text:
For the peace gifts he gave two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the gift of Ahira the son of Enan.


text:
This was the gift to set apart the altar on the day the oil was poured on it. The leaders of Israel gave twelve silver dishes, twelve deep dishes made of silver, and twelve gold dishes.


text:
Each silver dish weighed as much as 130 pieces of silver. Each deep dish weighed as much as seventy pieces of silver. All the silver of the dishes weighed as much as 2,400 pieces of silver. They were weighed by the weight of silver agreed upon for the meeting tent.


text:
The twelve gold dishes full of special perfume each weighed as much as ten pieces of silver. They were weighed by the weight of silver agreed upon for the meeting tent. All the gold of the dishes weighed as much as 120 pieces of silver.


text:
All the animals given for the burnt gift were twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve male lambs one year old with their grain gifts. Twelve male goats were given for a sin gift.


text:
All the animals given for the peace gifts were twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs one year old. This was the gift to set apart the altar after the oil was poured on it.


text:
Moses went into the meeting tent to speak with the Lord. And he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy-seat that was on the special box with the Law, between the two cherubim. So the Lord spoke to him.


text:
"Say to Aaron, 'When you put the seven lamps on the lamp-stand, they should give light in front of the lamp-stand.' "


text:
And Aaron did so. He put the lamps so they would give light in front of the lamp-stand, as the Lord had told Moses.


text:
Now this is the way the lamp-stand was made. It was made of beaten gold from the base to its flowers. He made the lamp-stand the way the Lord had shown Moses.


text:
To make them clean, put holy water on them that takes away sin. Let them cut all the hair from their body, and wash their clothes, and they shall be clean.


text:
Then let them take a young bull and its grain gift of fine flour mixed with oil. Take another young bull for a sin gift.


text:
Aaron will give the Levites to the Lord as a wave gift from the people of Israel so they will be able to do the work of the Lord.


text:
The Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. They will give one for a sin gift and the other for a burnt gift to the Lord, to pay for the sins of the Levites.


text:
Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, to give them as a wave gift to the Lord.


text:
After that the Levites may go in to work in the meeting tent. But you must make them clean and give them as a wave gift.


text:
For they are all given to Me from among the people of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first child to be born, the firstborn of all the people of Israel.


text:
For every first-born among the people of Israel is Mine, both of man and animal. I set them apart for Myself on the day that I killed all the first-born in the land of Egypt.


text:
And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel. They will do the work of the people of Israel at the meeting tent. By this they take away the sins of the people of Israel. So no trouble will come upon the people of Israel if they come near the meeting tent."


text:
Moses and Aaron and all the people of Israel did this to the Levites. The people of Israel did to them all the things the Lord had told Moses about the Levites.


text:
The Levites made themselves pure, putting away their sin. And they washed their clothes. Aaron gave them as a wave gift before the Lord. He did what had to be done to pay for their sin so they would be clean.


text:
After that the Levites went in to do their work in the meeting tent in front of Aaron and his sons. So they did to the Levites just what the Lord had told Moses to do.


text:
"This is the rule for the Levites. Those who are twenty-five years old and older will go in to do the work of the meeting tent.


text:
They may help their brothers in the meeting tent to do what needs to be done but they themselves must not do the work. These are the rules for the Levites when giving them their duties."


text:
The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt. The Lord said,


text:
Keep it at its given time, in the evening of the fourteenth day of this month. Keep it by obeying all its Laws."


text:
And they kept the Passover in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month, in the Sinai desert. The people of Israel did all that the Lord had told Moses.


text:
But there were some men who were unclean because they had touched a dead person. So they could not keep the Passover on that day. They came to Moses and Aaron that day


text:
and said to Moses, "We are unclean because we touched a dead person. But why are we kept from giving the Lord's gift at its given time among the people of Israel?"


text:
"Say to the people of Israel, 'If anyone of you or your children touch a dead person and become unclean, or if you are traveling far away, even so, he may still keep the Passover to the Lord.


text:
They will keep it in the evening of the fourteenth day of the second month. They will eat it with bread without yeast and with bitter tasting plants.


text:
They must not leave any of it until morning. And they must not break a bone of the lamb. They must obey all of the Law of the Passover.


text:
But if a man is clean and is not away traveling, yet does not keep the Passover, he must be cut off from his people. For he did not give the Lord's gift at the time he was to do so. That man will be guilty of his sin.


text:
If a stranger staying with you wants to keep the Passover to the Lord and obey the Law of the Passover, he may do so. You will have one law, both for the stranger and for the one who was born in the land.' "


text:
On the day that the meeting tent was set up, the cloud covered the meeting tent, the tent of the law. In the evening it was over the meeting tent. It looked like fire until morning.


text:
It was like this always. The cloud would cover it during the day. What looked like fire would cover it during the night.


text:
When the cloud was lifted from over the meeting tent, the people of Israel would move on. Where the cloud rested, there the people of Israel would set up their tents.


text:
The people of Israel would move on as the Lord told them. And they would set up their tents as the Lord told them. They stayed in one place as long as the cloud rested over the meeting tent.


text:
Even when the cloud rested over the meeting tent for many days, the people of Israel would obey the Lord and not leave.


text:
Sometimes the cloud stayed a few days over the meeting tent. But they obeyed the Lord and stayed in that place. Then they would leave when the Lord told them.


text:
Sometimes the cloud stayed from evening until morning. When the cloud lifted in the morning, they would leave. If the cloud stayed during the day and the night, when it was lifted, they would leave that place.


text:
Even when the cloud stayed over the meeting tent for two days, or a month, or a year the people of Israel would stay in that place and not leave. They would leave when it was lifted.


text:
They set up their tents as the Lord told them. And they moved on as the Lord told them. They obeyed what the Lord had told them to do through Moses.


text:
"Make two silver horns of beaten silver. Use them for calling the people together and for having the people move on.


text:
If only one horn sounds, then the leaders, the heads of the families of Israel, will gather in front of you.


text:
When you blow the horn to tell of danger a second time, the people whose tents are on the south side will leave. A horn telling of danger will be blown when they are to move on.


text:
But when the people are to be gathered together, you will blow the horn without the sound of danger.


text:
Aaron's sons, the religious leaders, will blow the horns. This will be a Law for all your people forever.


text:
When you go to war in your land against those who fight you, then sound the horns to tell of war. That way you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and be saved from those who hate you.


text:
On the days you are glad and at the time of your special suppers and on the first days of your months, blow the horns. Blow the horns over your burnt gifts and over your peace gifts. Then you will be remembered before your God. I am the Lord your God."


text:
On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud was lifted from over the meeting tent of the Law.


text:
The people of Israel moved on from the Desert of Sinai. Then the cloud came down and rested in the desert of Paran.


text:
The flag of the people of Judah left first, by their armies. Amminadab's son Nahshon was the head of their army.


text:
Next the flag of the people of Reuben left, by their armies. Shedeur's son Elizur was the head over this army.


text:
Then the Kohathites left, carrying the holy objects. The meeting tent was set up before they came to the next place.


text:
Next the flag of the people of Ephraim left, by their armies. Ammihud's son Elishama was the head over this army.


text:
Then the flag of the people of Dan left, by their armies. They followed behind all the people of Israel, to watch for danger. Ammishaddai's son Ahiezer was the head over this army.


text:
Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are going to the place the Lord said He will give to us. Come with us and we will do you good. For the Lord has promised good to Israel."


text:
Moses said, "I beg you, do not leave us. For you know where we should stay in the desert. You will be like eyes for us.


text:
So they traveled for three days from the mountain of the Lord with the special box with the Law of the Lord in front of them looking for a place for them to rest.


text:
When the special box of the Lord moved on, Moses said, "Rise up, O Lord! Let those who hate You be divided. Let those who hate You run away before You."


text:
Now the people complained about their troubles in the hearing of the Lord. When the Lord heard it, His anger burned. The fire of the Lord burned among them, and destroyed some around the outer parts of the tents.


text:
The mixed group of people among them had strong desires. The people of Israel cried again and said, "Who will give us meat to eat?


text:
The people would go and gather it and beat it between stones. They boiled it in a pot or made bread with it. It tasted like bread made with oil.


text:
Moses heard all the people crying in every family, each man at the door of his tent. The Lord became very angry with them and Moses was not pleased.


text:
So Moses said to the Lord, "Why have You been so hard on Your servant? Why have I not found favor in Your eyes, that You have laid the troubles of all these people on me?


text:
Did I give birth to all these people? Did I bring them out, that You should say to me, 'Carry them close to your heart as a nurse carries a nursing baby, to the land You promised their fathers'?


text:
Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? They cry in front of me, saying, 'Give us meat so we may eat!'


text:
So if You are going to act this way toward me, I beg You to kill me now, if I have found favor in Your eyes. Do not let me see how bad off I am."


text:
The Lord said to Moses, "Gather for Me seventy men from the leaders of Israel, whom you know to be the leaders of the people, the men who rule over them. Bring them to the meeting tent and let them stand there with you.


text:
Then I will come down and speak with you there. I will take of the Spirit Who is upon you, and will put Him upon them. Then they will carry the troubles of the people with you so you will not carry them all alone.


text:
Say to the people, 'Make yourselves holy for tomorrow, and you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you cried and said, "If only someone would give us meat to eat! For it was well with us in Egypt." So the Lord will give you meat and you will eat.


text:
But you will eat it a whole month, until it comes out of your nose and you hate it, because you have turned away from the Lord Who is among you. You have cried before Him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' "


text:
But Moses said, "The people whom I am among are 600,000 on foot. And You have said, 'I will give them meat so they may eat for a whole month.'


text:
Will enough flocks and cattle be killed to feed them? Or will enough fish be gathered from the sea to feed them?"


text:
The Lord said to Moses, "Is there an end to the Lord's power? Now you will see if My Word will come true for you or not."


text:
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men from the leaders of the people, and had them stand around the meeting tent.


text:
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him. He took of the Spirit Who was upon him and put Him upon the seventy leaders. When the Spirit rested upon them, they spoke the word of the Lord. But they did not do it again.


text:
But two men had stayed among the tents. Their names were Eldad and Medad, and the Spirit rested upon them. They were among those who had been chosen, but had not gone out to the meeting tent. So they spoke the word of the Lord among the tents.


text:
A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are speaking the word of the Lord among the tents."


text:
Then Joshua the son of Nun, the helper of Moses since he was young, said, "Moses, my lord, do not let them."


text:
But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my good? If only all the Lord's people would speak for God, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!"


text:
Now a wind went out from the Lord. It brought quail from the sea, and let them fall beside the place where the tents were set up. They fell all around the tents, about as far on each side as it takes to travel in a day. They lay on the ground as deep as two arm-lengths.


text:
The people worked all day and all night and all the next day gathering the quail. He who gathered the least gathered enough to fill 110 baskets. And they spread them out for themselves all around the tents.


text:
While the meat was still between their teeth and not yet eaten, the Lord became angry with the people. The Lord sent a bad sickness upon the people.


text:
So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah. Because there they buried the people who had wanted meat to eat.


text:
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite woman.


text:
They said, "Is it true that the Lord has spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it.


text:
At once the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam, "You three come out to the meeting tent." So the three of them came out.


text:
Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood at the door of the meeting tent, and called Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had come near,


text:
the Lord said, "Now listen to Me. If there is a man who speaks for God among you, I the Lord will make Myself known to him in a special dream. I will speak with him in a dream.


text:
With him I speak face to face in ways he understands, and not in ways he does not understand. And he sees what the Lord is like. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?"


text:
When the cloud lifted from over the meeting tent, Miriam had a very bad skin disease. She was as white as snow. Aaron turned toward Miriam and saw that she had a bad skin disease.


text:
Then Aaron said to Moses, "O, my lord, I beg you. Do not punish us because we have been foolish and have sinned.


text:
But the Lord said to Moses, "If her father had only spit in her face, would she not carry her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days away from the tents. After that, she may be brought in again."


text:
So Miriam was shut up away from the tents for seven days. And the people did not travel on until Miriam was brought in again.


text:
"Send men to spy out the land of Canaan which I am going to give to the people of Israel. Send a man from each of their fathers' families, every one a leader among them."


text:
So Moses sent them from the desert of Paran, as the Lord had told him. All of the men were heads of the people of Israel.


text:
These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. But Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua.


text:
Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan. He said to them, "Go up there into the Negev. Then go up into the hill country.


text:
See what the land is like. See if the people who live in it are strong or weak, and if they are few or many.


text:
Find out if the land they live in is good or bad. See if the cities they live in are open or if they have walls.


text:
Find out if the land is rich or poor, and if there are trees in it or not. Then try to get some of the fruit of the land." Now this was the gathering time of the first grown grapes.


text:
When they had gone up into the Negev, they came to Hebron. Anak's sons Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai were there. <n>(Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)</n>


text:
Then they came to the valley of Eshcol. They cut down a branch from there with some grapes on it. And they carried it on a long piece of wood between two men, with some pomegranates and figs.


text:
That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of much fruit the men of Israel cut down from there.


text:
And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the people of Israel in the desert of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought news to them and to all the people, and showed them the fruit of the land.


text:
They told Moses, "We went to the land where you sent us. It does flow with milk and honey. This is its fruit.


text:
But the people who live in the land are strong. The cities have walls and are very large. And we saw the children of Anak there.


text:
Amalek is living in the land of the Negev. The Hittites and Jebusites and Amorites are living in the hill country. And the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan."


text:
Then Caleb told the people in front of Moses to be quiet. And he said, "Let us go up at once and take the land. For we are well able to take it in battle."


text:
But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go against the people. They are too strong for us."


text:
So they brought the people of Israel bad news about the land they had spied out, saying, "The land we have gone to spy out is a land that destroys those who go there to live. All the people we saw in it are very large.


text:
We saw the Nephilim there. <n>(The sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim.)</n> We looked like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."


text:
All the people of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this desert!


text:
Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to be killed by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be taken away. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?"


text:
And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh tore their clothes. They were among those who had spied out the land.


text:
If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us. It is a land which flows with milk and honey.


text:
Only do not go against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land. For they will be our food. They have no way to keep safe, and the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them."


text:
But all the people said to throw stones at Joshua and Caleb. Then the shining-greatness of the Lord was seen in the meeting tent by all the people of Israel.


text:
The Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people turn away from Me? How long will they not believe in Me, even after all the great works I have done among them?


text:
I will punish them with disease, and will not give them the land. And I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they."


text:
But Moses said to the Lord, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it. For You brought this people here by Your strength from among them.


text:
And they will tell the people who live in this land. They have heard that You, O Lord, are with these people and that You, O Lord, are seen face to face as Your cloud is over them. You go before them in a cloud during the day, and in fire during the night.


text:
'The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land He promised to give them. So He has killed them in the desert.'


text:
'The Lord is slow to anger and filled with loving-kindness, forgiving sin and wrong-doing. But He will not let the guilty go without being punished. He brings the sin of fathers down upon the children, even the great-grandchildren.'


text:
I pray that You will forgive the sin of this people by the greatness of Your loving-kindness. Forgive them as You have forgiven them from Egypt until now."


text:
All the men who have seen My greatness and My wonderful works which I did in Egypt and in the desert but have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, for sure, they


text:
will not see the land I promised to their fathers. None of those who have turned away from Me will see it.


text:
But My servant Caleb has had a different spirit and has followed Me in every way. I will bring him into the land where he went, and his children will take it for themselves.


text:
Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys. So turn tomorrow and move on to the desert by the way of the Red Sea."


text:
"How long will these sinful people speak against Me? I have heard the people of Israel complaining against Me.


text:
'Your dead bodies will fall in this desert, all of you who were numbered from twenty years old and older, who have spoken against Me.


text:
For sure, not one will go into the land where I promised to have you live, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.


text:
You said that your children would be taken and killed. But I will bring them in, and they will know the land you have turned away from.


text:
Your children will be shepherds in the desert for forty years. They will suffer because you were not faithful, until your dead bodies lie in the desert.


text:
You spied out the land for forty days. For each day you will carry your guilt a year, forty years. And you will know that I am against you.


text:
I the Lord have spoken. For sure I will do this to all these sinful people who are gathered together against Me. They will be destroyed in this desert. And there they will die.' "


text:
Moses had sent men to spy out the land. They returned and made all the people complain against him by bringing bad news about the land.


text:
But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh stayed alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.


text:
They got up early in the morning and went up to the top of the hill country, saying, "Here we are. It is true we have sinned. But we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised."


text:
But Moses said, "Why now do you sin against the Word of the Lord? It will not get you what you want.


text:
The Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will be killed by the sword. Because you have turned away from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you."


text:
But they would not listen and went up to the top of the hill country. The special box with the Law of the Lord, and Moses, did not leave the tents.


text:
Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and went against them and beat them down as far as Hormah.


text:
"Say to the people of Israel, 'When you go into the land where you are to live, which I am giving you,


text:
then give a gift in worship by fire to the Lord. Give a gift from the herd or the flock, a burnt gift, or a gift to keep a special promise, or a free-will gift, or one during special suppers. This will be to make a pleasing smell to the Lord.


text:
The one who brings his gift will bring to the Lord a grain gift of one-tenth part of a basket of fine flour mixed with one-fourth part of a large jar of oil.


text:
And make ready one-fourth part of a large jar of wine to pour over the burnt gift or for each lamb given on the altar in worship.


text:
Or for a ram, make ready a grain gift of two-tenths part of a basket of fine flour mixed with one-third part of a large jar of oil.


text:
You may make ready a bull for a burnt gift or give an animal on the altar in worship, to keep a special promise, or give peace gifts to the Lord.


text:
With the bull bring a grain gift of three-tenths part of a basket of fine flour mixed with half a large jar of oil.


text:
'It must be done this way for each bull, or for each ram, or for each of the male lambs or young goats.


text:
All who are born in the land must do these things in this way by giving a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord.


text:
A stranger staying with you, or a man living among your people, may want to give a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord. Then he must do just as you do.


text:
There will be one Law for you and for the stranger who stays with you. It will be a Law forever for all your children-to-come. As you are, so will the stranger be before the Lord.


text:
even all that the Lord has told you to do through Moses, from the day when the Lord told you and through all your children-to-come.


text:
If this is done without the people knowing it, then all the people must give one bull for a burnt gift. It will be a pleasing smell to the Lord. It must be brought with its grain gift and its drink gift, by the Law, and with one male goat for a sin gift.


text:
Then the religious leader will pay for the sins of all the people of Israel, and they will be forgiven. Because it was a mistake, they brought their gift, a gift by fire to the Lord, and their sin gift to the Lord, for their mistake.


text:
So all the people of Israel and the stranger who stays among them will be forgiven. For it happened to all the people by mistake.


text:
And the religious leader before the Lord will pay for the sin of the person who sins without knowing it. He will pay for his sin so he may be forgiven.


text:
You will have one Law for him who does anything without knowing it, for him who is one of the people of Israel and for the stranger who lives among them.


text:
But if a person born in the land or a stranger does anything wrong and means to do it, he is speaking against the Lord. That person must be cut off from among his people.


text:
Because he has hated the Word of the Lord and has broken His Law, that person must be cut off for sure. His guilt will be on him.' "


text:
They put him in chains, because they did not know what should be done to him for gathering wood on the Day of Rest.


text:
Then the Lord said to Moses: "The man must be put to death. All the people must kill him with stones away from the tents."


text:
So all the people took him away from the tents and killed him with stones, just as the Lord had told Moses.


text:
"Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them that they and all their children-to-come are to make tassels for themselves on the corners of their clothing. And they are to put a blue rope on the tassel of each corner.


text:
It will be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the Laws of the Lord, and to do them. Do not follow your own heart and your own eyes, as you did when you acted like a woman selling the use of her body.


text:
I am the Lord your God Who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God."


text:
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, caused trouble.


text:
They came in front of Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel. They had chosen 250 leaders of the people of Israel, well-known men.


text:
They all gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all the people are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. So why do you honor yourselves more than the people of the Lord?"


text:
He said to Korah and all who were with him, "Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His, and who is holy. He will have him come near to Him. He will bring near to Himself the one whom He will choose.


text:
Put fire in them, and put special perfume upon them before the Lord tomorrow. The man whom the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You have gone too far, you sons of Levi!"


text:
Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from the rest of the people of Israel? He has brought you near to Himself. He has you do the work around the meeting tent of the Lord. And He has you stand in front of the people to care for them.


text:
He has brought you near to Him, Korah, and all your brothers who are the sons of Levi, with you. Would you try to be the religious leaders also?


text:
So you and all who are with you are gathered together against the Lord. But as for Aaron, who is he that you complain against him?"


text:
Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the desert? Must you make yourself a ruler over us also?


text:
More than this, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey. You have not given us any land with fields and grape vines. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!"


text:
Moses became very angry. He said to the Lord, "Do not respect their gift! I have not taken one donkey from them. And I have not hurt one of them."


text:
Then Moses said to Korah, "You and all who are with you be before the Lord tomorrow, you and they, and Aaron.


text:
Each of you take his fire pot and put special perfume on it. And each of you bring his fire pot before the Lord, 250 fire pots. Let both you and Aaron bring his fire pot also."


text:
So each man took his fire pot and put fire in it and put special perfume on it. And they stood at the door of the meeting tent with Moses and Aaron.


text:
Korah gathered together all the people against them at the door of the meeting tent. And the shining-greatness of the Lord was seen by all the people.


text:
But they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with all the people?"


text:
And he said to the people, "Go away now from the tents of these sinful men. Touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be destroyed because of all their sin."


text:
So they went away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.


text:
Moses said, "By this you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works. For this is not my doing.


text:
If these men die in the same way all men die, or if what happens to everyone happens to them, then the Lord has not sent me.


text:
But the Lord will do something new. The ground will open its mouth and take them with all that belongs to them. And they will go down alive into the place of the dead. Then you will understand that these men have turned against the Lord."


text:
The earth opened its mouth and took them and all those of their house, and all Korah's men and all that belonged to them.


text:
They and all that belonged to them went down alive to the place of the dead, and the earth closed over them. They were destroyed from among the people.


text:
And all Israel who were around them ran away at their cry. For they said, "The earth may take us too!"


text:
"Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the religious leader to take the fire pots out of the fire. For they are holy. Then spread the burning pieces far apart.


text:
Let the fire pots of these men who have sinned and lost their lives be made into beaten plates to cover the altar. For they did bring them to the Lord and they are holy. They will be something special for the people of Israel to see."


text:
So Eleazar the religious leader took the brass fire pots which the men who were burned had brought. And they beat them into plates to cover the altar.


text:
They were to make the people of Israel remember that no man who is not a religious leader and a son of Aaron should come to burn special perfume before the Lord. Or he might become like Korah and those who were with him, as the Lord said to Eleazar through Moses.


text:
But on the next day all the people of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord's people."


text:
When the people had gathered against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the meeting tent. There the cloud covered it and they saw the shining-greatness of the Lord.


text:
Moses said to Aaron, "Take your fire pot and put fire in it from the altar, and lay special perfume on it. Then be quick to bring it to the people and pay for their sin. For anger has gone out from the Lord. The disease has come!"


text:
So Aaron took it as Moses said, and ran to the people. The disease had already come upon them. He put on the special perfume and paid for the sin of the people.


text:
"Speak to the people of Israel. Get walking sticks from them, one for each father's house. Get twelve walking sticks, from all their leaders by their fathers' houses. Write each man's name on his stick.


text:
Write Aaron's name on the walking stick of Levi. For there will be one walking stick for the head of each father's house.


text:
And the walking stick of the man I choose will begin to grow. In this way I will stop the complaining of the people of Israel, who are complaining against you."


text:
So Moses spoke to the people of Israel. All their leaders each gave him a walking stick, one for each leader by their fathers' houses, twelve walking sticks. And the walking stick of Aaron was among their walking sticks.


text:
The next day Moses went into the meeting tent of the Law. And he saw that the walking stick of Aaron for the house of Levi had begun to grow buds and flowers and almonds.


text:
Moses brought out all the walking sticks from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. They looked, and each man took his stick.


text:
But the Lord said to Moses, "Put the walking stick of Aaron in front of the Law again. It will be something special to see against those who go against My Word. Then you may put an end to their complaining against Me, so they will not die."


text:
Then the people of Israel said to Moses, "See, we are being destroyed! We are dying! We are all dying!


text:
Everyone who comes near, who comes near the meeting tent of the Lord, must die. Are we all to be destroyed?"


text:
The Lord said to Aaron, "You and your sons and those of your father's house will carry the guilt for any sin done in the meeting tent. And you and your sons with you will carry the guilt of any sin of the religious leaders.


text:
Bring with you your brothers also, the family of Levi, the family of your father. Then they may join you and help you while you and your sons are in front of the meeting tent of the Law.


text:
They will help you and help in doing all the work of the tent. But they must not come near the objects of the meeting tent and the altar, or both they and you will die.


text:
You must do the work of the meeting tent and the work of the altar, so there will no longer be anger on the people of Israel.


text:
See, I Myself have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the work for the meeting tent.


text:
But you and your sons with you will do the religious work, in all that has to do with the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the work of being the religious leader as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the holy objects will be put to death."


text:
Then the Lord said to Aaron, "Now see, I am giving you all the gifts brought to Me that are not burned on the altar. I am giving them to you as a share, and to your sons as a share forever.


text:
This will be yours from the most holy gifts, kept from the fire: every gift of theirs, even every grain gift, every sin gift and every guilt gift, which they bring to Me. They will be most holy for you and your sons.


text:
And this is yours: their gift that is lifted up and all the wave gifts of the people of Israel. I am giving them to you and to your sons and daughters with you, as a share forever. Everyone in your house who is clean may eat it.


text:
I give to you all the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the first-fruits of what they give to the Lord.


text:
The first-fruits ready to eat of all that is in their land, which they bring to the Lord, will be yours. Everyone in your house who is clean may eat it.


text:
Every first-born of all flesh, man or animal, which they give to the Lord, will be yours. But you must pay the price and make free the firstborn of man and the first-born of animals that are unclean.


text:
You must make them free when they are one month old. The price to free them will be five large pieces of silver, the price decided upon at the meeting tent. One large piece of silver is worth twenty small pieces of silver.


text:
But do not free the first-born of a bull or sheep or goat. For they are holy. You will put their blood on the altar and burn their fat as a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord.


text:
I have given to you and your sons and daughters, for a share forever, all the holy gifts which the people of Israel bring to the Lord. It is an agreement of salt forever before the Lord for you and your children with you."


text:
Then the Lord said to Aaron, "You will have no share in their land. You will not own any part of land among them. I am your part and your share among the people of Israel.


text:
"See, I have given a tenth part of everything in Israel to the Levites, in return for the work they do, the work of the meeting tent.


text:
The people of Israel must not come near the meeting tent again, or they will be guilty of sin and die.


text:
Only the Levites may do the work around the meeting tent, and they will carry their sin. It will be a Law forever for all your children-to-come. And they will have no land among the people of Israel.


text:
For I have given to the Levites one-tenth part of what the people of Israel give to the Lord. This is why I have said of them, 'They will have no land among the people of Israel.' "


text:
"Say to the Levites, 'When you take from the people of Israel the tenth which I have given you from them for your share, then give a gift from it to the Lord. Give one-tenth part of the tenth.


text:
And your gift will be to you as if it were the grain from the grain-floor or all the wine from the crushed grapes.


text:
So you must give a gift to the Lord from the tenth of what you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you must give the Lord's gift to Aaron the religious leader.


text:
Out of all the gifts to you, you must give every gift that should go to the Lord, from all the best of them. Give the holy part from them.'


text:
"And say to them, 'When you have given the best part of it, the rest of it will be to you as if it were the grain from the grain-floor and the wine from the crushed grapes.


text:
You and those of your houses may eat it in any place. For it is your pay for your work in the meeting tent.


text:
You will not be guilty because of it, when you have given the best of it. But do not make unclean the holy gifts of the people of Israel, or you will die.' "


text:
"This is the Law which the Lord has told you. Tell the people of Israel to bring you a young red cow that is perfect, one that has never pulled a load.


text:
You will give it to Eleazar the religious leader. It will be brought away from the tents and killed in front of him.


text:
Next Eleazar the religious leader will take some of its blood with his finger, and put some of it toward the front of the meeting tent seven times.


text:
Then Eleazar will watch the young cow being burned. Its skin, its flesh, its blood and its waste will be burned.


text:
Then the religious leader will wash his clothes and wash his body in water. After this the religious leader may come among the tents, but he will be unclean until evening.


text:
The one who burns it will also wash his clothes and wash his body in water. And he will be unclean until evening.


text:
Now a man who is clean will gather up the ashes of the young cow and put them in a clean place away from the tents. They will be kept for the people of Israel to mix with the water used to make things clean, to take away sin.


text:
The one who gathers the ashes of the young cow must wash his clothes. He will be unclean until evening. This will be a Law forever to the people of Israel and to the stranger who lives among them.


text:
He must clean himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day. Then he will be clean. But if he does not clean himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will be unclean.


text:
Whoever touches the body of any man who has died, and does not make himself clean, makes the meeting tent of the Lord unclean. That person must be cut off from Israel. Because the water for cleaning was not put upon him, he will be unclean.


text:
"This is the Law when a man dies in a tent. Everyone who comes into the tent and everyone who is in the tent will be unclean for seven days.


text:
Anyone in an open field who touches one who has been killed with a sword, or who has died, or who touches a bone of a man, or a grave will be unclean for seven days.


text:
The person who is unclean must take some of the ashes from the burning of the sin gift. Clean water must be added to them in a pot.


text:
Then a clean person must take hyssop and put it in the water, and put it on the tent and on all the objects within the tent. He must put it on the persons who were there, and on the one who touched the bone or the man who was killed or the dead person or the grave.


text:
The clean person must put the water on whoever is unclean, on the third day and on the seventh day. He will make him clean on the seventh day. He will wash his clothes and wash himself in water, and will be clean at evening.


text:
"But the man who is unclean and does not make himself clean, will no longer be one of God's people. Because he has made unclean the holy place of the Lord. The water for cleaning has not been put on him. He is unclean.


text:
It will be a Law forever for them. He who puts the water on to be made clean must wash his clothes. And he who touches the water used to be made clean will be unclean until evening.


text:
Anything that the person who is unclean touches will be unclean. And the person who touches it will be unclean until evening."


text:
Then all the people of Israel came to the Desert of Zin in the first month. And the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried.


text:
The people complained to Moses, saying, "If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord!


text:
Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us into this bad place? It is not a place of grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink."


text:
Then Moses and Aaron went from the people to the door of the meeting tent, and bowed to the ground. They saw the shining-greatness of the Lord.


text:
"Take the special stick. You and your brother Aaron gather the people together. Speak to the rock in front of them and it will give its water. So you will bring water out of the rock for them. Let the people and their animals drink."


text:
Moses and Aaron gathered the people in front of the rock. And he said to them, "Listen now, you people who go against the Lord. Should we bring water for you out of this rock?"


text:
Then Moses lifted up his hand and hit the rock twice with his stick, and more than enough water came out. The people and their animals drank.


text:
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not believed Me and honored Me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, you will not bring these people into the land I have given them."


text:
These were the waters of Meribah because the people of Israel complained against the Lord, and He proved Himself holy among them.


text:
Moses sent men from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, "This is what your brother Israel has said: 'You know all the troubles we have had.


text:
Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians were bad in the way they acted toward us.


text:
But we cried out to the Lord. He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt. Now look, we are at Kadesh, a town at the side of your country.


text:
We ask you to let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vines. We will not even drink water from a well. We will go on the king's road and will not turn to the right or left, until we pass through your country.' "


text:
The people of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the straight road. If I and my animals do drink any of your water, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing else."


text:
But Edom said, "You must not pass through." And Edom came out against him with many men and much strength.


text:
"Aaron will be buried with his people. For he will not go into the land I have given to the people of Israel, because you went against what I told you to do at the waters of Meribah.


text:
Take the clothing off Aaron and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will die there and be buried with his people."


text:
Moses did just as the Lord had told him. They went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the people.


text:
After Moses had taken the clothing off Aaron and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.


text:
When all the people saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel cried in sorrow for Aaron thirty days.


text:
The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim. He fought against Israel, and took some of them against their will.


text:
So Israel made a promise to the Lord, and said, "If You will give this people into my hand, I will destroy every part of their cities."


text:
The Lord heard the voice of Israel, and gave them the Canaanites. Then Israel destroyed all of them and their cities. So the name of the place was called Hormah.


text:
Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people wanted to give up because of the long way.


text:
They spoke against God and Moses, saying, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? For there is no food and no water. And we hate this bad food."


text:
Then the Lord sent snakes with a bite of poison among the people. They bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.


text:
So the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord, that He will take away the snakes from us." So Moses prayed for the people.


text:
The Lord said to Moses, "Make a special snake and put it up on a long piece of wood. Everyone who is bitten will live when he looks at it."


text:
So Moses made a brass snake and put it up on the long piece of wood. If a snake bit any man, he would live when he looked at the brass snake.


text:
And from there they traveled on and set up their tents on the other side of the Arnon. It is in the desert that goes out from the land of the Amorites. For the Arnon is the side of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.


text:
From there they went on to Beer. That is the well where the Lord said to Moses, "Gather the people together, so I may give them water."


text:
The well, which the leaders dug, which the rulers of the people dug, with the special stick of power and with their walking sticks." From the desert they went on to Mattanah.


text:
From Bamoth they went to the valley in the land of Moab, at the top of Pisgah which looks down upon the desert.


text:
"Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vines. We will not drink water from wells. We will go on the king's road until we have passed through your country."


text:
But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his country. He gathered all his people and went out against Israel in the desert. He came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.


text:
Then Israel killed Sihon with the sword. They took his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the people of Ammon. For Jazer was the side of the land of the Ammonites.


text:
Israel took all these cities. They lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its towns.


text:
For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites. He had fought against the man who was once the king of Moab, and had taken all his land as far as the Arnon.


text:
So those who use wise sayings say, "Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! Let the city of Sihon be built.


text:
For a fire went out from Heshbon, fire from the city of Sihon. It burned up Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of the Arnon.


text:
It is bad for you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! His sons run for their lives. His daughters have been taken against their will by an Amorite king, Sihon.


text:
But we have put them down. Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We have destroyed even to Nophah, which goes to Medeba."


text:
Then Moses sent men to spy out Jazer in secret. And Israel took its towns and took the place of the Amorites who were there.


text:
Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan. Og the king of Bashan went out with all his people to battle at Edrei.


text:
But the Lord said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him. For I have given him into your hand, with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon."


text:
So the people of Israel killed Og and his sons and all his people, until there was not one left alive. And they took his land.


text:
Then the people of Israel traveled on and set up their tents in the plains of Moab on the other side of the Jordan beside Jericho.


text:
So Moab was filled with much fear because of the people, for they were many. Moab was very afraid of the people of Israel.


text:
And Moab said to the leaders of Midian, "Now these people will take away everything around us like the bull eats up the grass of the field." Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.


text:
So he sent men to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the children of his people. They said to him, "See, a people came out of Egypt. See, they cover the land, and they are living beside me.


text:
Now come, I beg you. Curse this people for me, because they are too strong for me. Then I may be able to win the battle against them and send them out of the land. For I know that good will come to the one you pray for, and trouble will come to the one you curse."


text:
So the leaders of Moab and the leaders of Midian left with the pay in their hand for the one who tells what will happen in the future. When they came to Balaam, they told him Balak's words.


text:
Balaam said to them, "Stay here tonight. I will bring word to you as the Lord may speak to me." So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam.


text:
'See, the people who came out of Egypt cover the land. Now come, curse them for me. Then I may be able to fight against them and send them away.' "


text:
God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. Do not curse the people, for I have decided that good would come to them."


text:
So Balaam got up in the morning and said to Balak's leaders, "Return to your land. For the Lord will not let me go with you."


text:
They came to Balaam and said to him, "Balak the son of Zippor says, 'I beg you, let nothing keep you from coming to me.


text:
I will give you much honor. I will do whatever you tell me. I beg you to come and curse these people for me.' "


text:
Balaam answered and said to Balak's men, "Balak could give me his house full of silver and gold. But I could not do anything, small or big, against the Word of the Lord my God.


text:
God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you."


text:
But God was angry because he was going. The angel of the Lord stood in the way against him. Balaam was sitting on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.


text:
When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword in his hand, the donkey turned off the road and went into the field. But Balaam hit the donkey to turn her on the road again.


text:
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord. So she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it, so he hit her again.


text:
Then the angel of the Lord went farther. He stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right or the left.


text:
When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. So Balaam was angry and hit the donkey with his stick.


text:
And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you? Why have you hit me these three times?"


text:
Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now!"


text:
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have traveled all your life to this day? Have I ever done this to you before?" And Balaam said, "No."


text:
Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword in his hand. And he bowed to the ground.


text:
The angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you hit your donkey these three times? See, I have come out against you, because your way was against me.


text:
But the donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, for sure I would have killed you, and let her live."


text:
Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned. For I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. But now, if it does not please you, I will turn back."


text:
The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, "Go with the men. But speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the leaders of Balak.


text:
Balak heard that Balaam was coming. He went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the Arnon, at the far side of the country.


text:
Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send men to tell you to come? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?"


text:
Balaam said to Balak, "See, I have come to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The Word that God puts in my mouth is what I must speak."


text:
Balak killed bulls and sheep on the altar in worship, and sent some to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.


text:
The next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal. From there he saw part of the people of Israel.


text:
Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars here for me. And make ready seven bulls and seven rams for me here."


text:
Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt gift, and I will go. It might be that the Lord will come to me. And whatever He shows me I will tell you." So he went up to a hill without trees.


text:
God met Balaam. Balaam said to Him, "I have made seven altars. And I have given a bull and a ram on each altar in worship."


text:
Then the Lord put words in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak. This is what you should say."


text:
So Balaam returned to Balak, and saw him and all the leaders of Moab standing beside his burnt gift.


text:
Balaam began speaking and said, "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. 'Come, curse Jacob for me,' he said. 'Come, say that Israel should be punished!'


text:
How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I say that those should be punished whom God has not said should be punished?


text:
I see Israel from the top of the rocks. I look at them from the hills. See, the people live apart. They will not be thought of as one of the nations.


text:
Who can number the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of those who are right and good. Let my end be like theirs!"


text:
Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse those who hate me. But see, you have asked that good would come to them!"


text:
Balak said to him, "I beg you, come with me to another place from where you will see them. But you will only see a part of them and not all of them. Curse them for me from there."


text:
So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and gave a bull and a ram on each altar.


text:
The Lord met Balaam and put words in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak. This is what you should say."


text:
So he returned to Balak, and saw him and all the leaders of Moab standing beside his burnt gift. Balak said to him, "What has the Lord said?"


text:
God is not a man, that He should lie. He is not a son of man, that He should be sorry for what He has said. Has He said, and will He not do it? Has He spoken, and will He not keep His Word?


text:
No hard times are seen in Jacob. No trouble is seen in Israel. The Lord their God is with them. And the cry of a king is among them.


text:
For there is no special thing that has been shown against Jacob. Nothing has told of a bad future for Israel. Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel, 'Look what God has done!'


text:
See, people rise like a female lion. It lifts itself like a lion. It will not lie down until it eats the food it has killed, and drinks the blood of the kill."


text:
Then Balak said to Balaam, "I beg you, come. I will take you to another place. It might be that God will be pleased to have you curse them for me from there."


text:
Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here. And make ready seven bulls and seven rams for me here."


text:
Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to speak good of Israel. So he did not go, as at other times, and look for special things to see. Instead he looked toward the desert.


text:
Balaam looked up and saw Israel living in their tents by their families. And the Spirit of God came upon him.


text:
He hears the words of God. He sees what the All-powerful wants him to see. He falls down, but has his eyes open.


text:
They are like valleys that spread out, and like gardens beside the river. They are like aloes planted by the Lord, and like cedars beside the waters.


text:
Water will flow from his pails. His seed will be by many waters. His king will be more powerful than Agag, and his nation will be honored.


text:
God brings him out of Egypt. He is for him like the horns of the wild bull. He will destroy the nations who fight against him. He will crush their bones in pieces and cut through them with his arrows.


text:
He bows down. He lies down like a lion. And as a lion, who will wake him? Good will come to everyone who prays for you. And cursed is everyone who curses you."


text:
Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam, and he hit his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse those who hate me. But see, you have done nothing but pray that good would come to them these three times!


text:
So now run away to your place. I said I would give you much honor, but the Lord has kept you from honor."


text:
'Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot do anything against the Word of the Lord'? I said, 'I cannot do good or bad because I want to. What the Lord says, I will say.'


text:
Now see, I am going to my people. Come, I will tell you what this people will do to your people in the days to come."


text:
He hears the words of God. He knows what the Most High wants him to know. He sees what the All-powerful wants him to see. He falls down, but has his eyes open.


text:
I see him, but not now. I see him, but he is not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A special stick of power will rise from Israel. It will crush the forehead of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth.


text:
It will take the land of Edom. And it will take the land of Seir, who fights against Israel. And Israel will fight with much power.


text:
Then Balaam looked at Amalek and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations. But he will be destroyed in the end."


text:
Then he looked at the Kenite and said, "The place where you live is strong. Your nest is set in the rock.


text:
But ships will come from Kittim. They will bring trouble to Asshur and Eber, but they will be destroyed also."


text:
While Israel stayed at Shittim, the people were not faithful to the Lord and began to have sex with the daughters of Moab.


text:
They asked the people of Israel to bring gifts to their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.


text:
The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people, kill them, and put their bodies in the bright daylight before the Lord. Then the strong anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel."


text:
So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor."


text:
Then one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family. Moses and all the people of Israel saw this while they were crying at the door of the meeting tent.


text:
When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the religious leader, saw it, he rose up from among the people. He took a spear in his hand


text:
and went after the man of Israel into the tent. Then he cut through the bodies of both the man of Israel and the woman. So the very bad disease that spread on the people of Israel was stopped.


text:
"Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the religious leader, has turned My anger away from the people of Israel. He was jealous with My jealousy among them, so I did not destroy the people of Israel in My jealousy.


text:
It will be an agreement for him and his children after him that they will always be religious leaders, because he was jealous for his God, and did what he was to do to pay for the sin of the people of Israel."


text:
The name of the man of Israel who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu. He was a leader of a father's house among the Simeonites.


text:
The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur. Zur was the head of the people of a father's house in Midian.


text:
For they have brought trouble to you with their false ways. They have fooled you and turned you to the wrong way. They have brought you trouble at Peor with Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister. She was killed on the day the very bad disease came because of Peor."


text:
After the very bad disease came on the people because of Israel's sin, the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the religious leader,


text:
"Add the numbers of all the people of Israel who are twenty years old and older, by their fathers' houses. Number whoever in Israel is able to go to war."


text:
So Moses and Eleazar the religious leader said to the people in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho,


text:
"Number the people who are twenty years old and older, as the Lord has told Moses." Now these were the sons of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt.


text:
Reuben was the first-born son of Israel. Reuben's sons were the family of the Hanochites from Hanoch, the family of the Palluites from Pallu,


text:
The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. These are Dathan and Abiram who were chosen by the people and who joined with Korah to argue against Moses and Aaron. They argued against the Lord,


text:
and the earth opened its mouth and took them together with Korah, when that group died. The fire destroyed 250 men, and taught others to be careful.


text:
The sons of Simeon by their families were the family of the Nemuelites from Nemuel, the family of the Jaminites from Jamin, the family of the Jachinites from Jachin,


text:
The sons of Gad by their families were the family of the Zephonites from Zephon, the family of the Haggites from Haggi, the family of the Shunites from Shuni,


text:
The sons of Judah by their families were the family of the Shelanites from Shelah, the family of the Perezites from Perez, and the family of the Zerahites from Zerah.


text:
The sons of Perez were the family of the Hezronites from Hezron, and the family of the Hamulites from Hamul.


text:
The sons of Issachar by their families were the family of the Tolaites from Tola, the family of the Punites from Puvah,


text:
The sons of Zebulun by their families were the family of the Seredites from Sered, the family of the Elonites from Elon, and the family of the Jahleelites from Jahleel.


text:
The sons of Manasseh were the family of the Machirites from Machir, and the family of the Gileadites from Gilead. Machir was the father of Gilead.


text:
The sons of Gilead were the family of the Iezerites from Iezer, the family of the Helekites from Helek,


text:
Hepher's son Zelophehad had no sons, but only daughters. The names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.


text:
The sons of Ephraim by their families were the family of the Shuthelaites from Shuthelah, the family of the Becherites from Becher, and the family of the Tahanites from Tahan.


text:
These are the families of the sons of Ephraim. Their number was 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph by their families.


text:
The sons of Benjamin by their families were the family of the Belaites from Bela, the family of the Ashbelites from Ashbel, the family of the Ahiramites from Ahiram,


text:
The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman, the family of the Ardites from Ard, and the family of the Naamites from Naaman.


text:
The sons of Dan by their families were the family of the Shuhamites from Shuham. These are the families of Dan by their families.


text:
The sons of Asher by their families were the family of the Imnites from Imnah, the family of the Ishvites from Ishvi, and the family of the Beriites from Beriah.


text:
The sons of Beriah were the family of the Heberites from Heber, and the family of the Malchielites from Malchiel.


text:
The sons of Naphtali by their families were the family of the Jahzeelites from Jahzeel, the family of the Gunites from Guni,


text:
Give more land to the larger group. Give less land to the smaller group. Each family should be given land by the number of its people.


text:
But the land should be divided by drawing names. They will receive their land by the names of the families of their fathers.


text:
Those who were numbered of the Levites by their families were the family of the Gershonites from Gershon, the family of the Kohathites from Kohath, and the family of the Merarites from Merari.


text:
The families of Levi were the Libnites, the Hebronites, the Mahlites, the Mushites, and the Korahites. Kohath was the father of Amram.


text:
The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi. She was born to Levi in Egypt. And she gave birth to Amram's children, Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam.


text:
The number of all of their males a month old and older was 23,000. For they were not numbered among the people of Israel, because no land was given to them among the people of Israel.


text:
These are the people who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the religious leader. They numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.


text:
But among all these was not one of those numbered by Moses and Aaron the religious leader when the people of Israel were numbered in the Desert of Sinai.


text:
For the Lord had said of them, "For sure they will die in the desert." There was not a man left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.


text:
Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.


text:
They stood in front of Moses and Eleazar the religious leader, and the leaders, and all the people at the door of the meeting tent. The daughters said,


text:
"Our father died in the desert. He was not one of those who gathered together with Korah against the Lord. But he died for his own sin, and he had no sons.


text:
Why should the name of our father be taken away from his family because he had no son? Give us land among our father's brothers."


text:
"The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they say. Be sure to give them their own land among their father's brothers. Give them what would have been given to their father.


text:
And say to the people of Israel, 'If a man dies and has no son, then give what belongs to him to his daughter.


text:
And if his father has no brothers, then you must give what belongs to him to the nearest person in his own family and it will be his. This will be a Law to the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Moses.' "


text:
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go up to this mountain of Abarim, and see the land I have given to the people of Israel.


text:
For you went against My Word when the people complained in the Desert of Zin. You should have honored Me as holy at the waters in front of their eyes." <n>(These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the Desert of Zin.)</n>


text:
Let this man go out and come in before them. Let him lead them out and bring them in. Then the people of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."


text:
So the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.


text:
Have him stand in front of Eleazar the religious leader and in front of all the people. Let them see you give him the work he must do.


text:
He will stand in front of Eleazar the religious leader, who will learn My will for him by using the Urim. At his word, both he and all the people of Israel will go out and at his word, they will come in."


text:
Moses did just as the Lord told him. He took Joshua and had him stand in front of Eleazar the religious leader, and in front of all the people.


text:
Then he laid his hands on him and gave him the work he must do, just as the Lord had said through Moses.


text:
"Tell the people of Israel, 'Be careful to bring My gift, My food for My gifts by fire, as a pleasing smell to me, at the right time.'


text:
And say to them, 'This is the gift by fire which you must give to the Lord. Give two perfect male lambs one year old, as a burnt gift every day.


text:
And give a tenth part of a basket of fine flour for a grain gift, mixed with a fourth part of a jar of beaten oil.


text:
It is a burnt gift which was set apart at Mount Sinai as a pleasing smell, a gift by fire always to the Lord.


text:
Its drink gift will be a fourth part of a jar for each lamb. Pour out a drink gift of strong drink to the Lord in the holy place.


text:
Give the other lamb in the evening. Like the grain gift of the morning, and like its drink gift, you will give it as a gift by fire. It is a pleasing smell to the Lord.


text:
'On the Day of Rest give a gift of two perfect male lambs one year old. With it give two-tenths part of a basket of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain gift, and its drink gift.


text:
The burnt gift of every Day of Rest is to be added to the burnt gift which is always given and its drink gift.


text:
'Then you must give a burnt gift to the Lord at the beginning of your months. Give two bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old that are perfect.


text:
Give three-tenths part of a basket of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain gift for each bull. Give two-tenths part of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain gift for the one ram.


text:
And give a tenth part of a basket of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain gift for each lamb. They are to be given for a burnt gift of a pleasing smell, a gift by fire to the Lord.


text:
Their drink gifts will be half a jar of wine for a bull, a third of a jar for the ram, and a fourth part of a jar for a lamb. This is the burnt gift of each month for all the months of the year.


text:
And give one male goat for a sin gift to the Lord. It will be given with its drink gift, besides each day's burnt gift.


text:
A special supper will be on the fifteenth day of this month. Bread without yeast will be eaten for seven days.


text:
You will give a gift by fire, a burnt gift to the Lord. It will be two bulls, one ram, and seven perfect male lambs one year old.


text:
And give fine flour mixed with oil for their grain gift. Give three-tenths part of a basket for a bull, two-tenths part for a ram,


text:
Give the food of the gift by fire in this way each day for seven days, as a pleasing smell to the Lord. Give it with its drink gift, besides each day's burnt gift.


text:
'You will have a holy gathering on the day of the first-fruits also. This is when you will bring a gift of new grain to the Lord in your Special Supper of Weeks. You must do no hard work.


text:
And you will give for a pleasing smell to the Lord a burnt gift of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old.


text:
Give fine flour mixed with oil for their grain gift. Give three-tenths part of a basket for each bull, two-tenths part for the one ram,


text:
These gifts should be besides each day's burnt gift and its grain gift. Give them with their drink gifts. The animals must be perfect.


text:
'You will have a holy gathering on the first day of the seventh month. You must do no hard work. It is a day for you to blow the horns.


text:
Give as a pleasing smell to the Lord a burnt gift of one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, all are to be perfect.


text:
And give fine flour mixed with oil for their grain gift. Give three-tenths part of a basket for the bull, two-tenths part for the ram,


text:
These gifts should be besides the burnt gift of the new moon, and its grain gift, and each day's burnt gift and its grain gift, and their drink gifts. It must be done by the Law, for a pleasing smell, a gift by fire to the Lord.


text:
'You will have a holy gathering on the tenth day of this seventh month, and be without pride. You must not do any work.


text:
You will give to the Lord as a pleasing smell a burnt gift of one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, all are to be perfect.


text:
And give fine flour mixed with oil for their grain gift. Give three-tenths part of a basket for the bull, two-tenths part for the one ram,


text:
Then give one male goat for a sin gift, besides the sin gift to pay for sins, each day's burnt gift and its grain gift, and their drink gifts.


text:
'You will have a holy gathering on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. You must do no hard work, and you will have a special supper to the Lord for seven days.


text:
You will give a burnt gift of thirteen bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old that are perfect. They will be a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord.


text:
And give fine flour mixed with oil for their grain gift. Give three-tenths part of a basket for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths part for each of the two rams,


text:
Then give one male goat for a sin gift, besides each day's burnt gift, its grain gift and its drink gift.


text:
'Then on the second day give twelve bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old that are perfect.


text:
Give one male goat for a sin gift, besides each day's burnt gift and its grain gift, and their drink gifts.


text:
'On the third day give eleven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old that are perfect.


text:
Then give one male goat for a sin gift, besides each day's burnt gift and its grain gift and drink gift.


text:
Then give one male goat for a sin gift, besides each day's burnt gift, its grain gift and drink gift.


text:
'On the sixth day give eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old that are perfect.


text:
'On the seventh day give seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old that are perfect.


text:
But give a burnt gift of one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old that are perfect. It will be a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord.


text:
Give their grain gifts and drink gifts for the bull, the ram and lambs, for their number, by the Law.


text:
'Give these to the Lord at the times given, besides your promised gifts and your free-will gifts. They will be for your burnt gifts, your grain gifts, your drink gifts and for your peace gifts.' "


text:
Then Moses said to the heads of the families of the sons of Israel, "This is what the Lord has said.


text:
If a man makes a promise to the Lord, or swears that he will keep his promise, he must not break his word. He must do all that he said he would do.


text:
If a woman makes a promise to the Lord, and swears to keep her promise in her father's house when she is young,


text:
and if her father hears her promise and how she has sworn to keep it, and says nothing to her, then all her promises must be kept. She must keep every promise she has sworn to keep.


text:
But if her father does not allow her to keep her promise on the day he hears of it, then she does not need to keep any of the promises she has sworn to keep. The Lord will forgive her because her father would not allow it.


text:
and if her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears, then she must keep the promises she has sworn to keep.


text:
But if on the day he hears of it, her husband does not allow her to keep her promise, then she will not have to keep the promise that she had sworn to keep when she was not thinking. The Lord will forgive her.


text:
and if her husband hears of it, and does not go against her or say anything to her, then she must keep all the promises she had sworn to keep.


text:
But if her husband does not allow her to keep her promises on the day he hears of them, then she does not have to keep the promises she had sworn to keep. If her husband will not let her keep them, the Lord will forgive her.


text:
But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then she must keep all her promises. He made her promises so they could not be changed, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard of them.


text:
But if he will not allow her to keep her promises after he has heard of them, then her guilt will be on him."


text:
These are the Laws which the Lord told Moses, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter, while she is young and in her father's house.


text:
Then Moses said to the people, "Take men from among you and make them ready for war against Midian. They will punish Midian for the Lord.


text:
So 1,000 men came from each of the family groups of the thousands of Israel. There were 12,000 ready for war.


text:
Moses sent them, 1,000 from each family group, to the war. Phinehas the son of Eleazar the religious leader went to the war with them. In his hand were the holy objects and the horns for blowing the sound of coming danger.


text:
They killed the five kings of Midian with the sword also, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.


text:
The people of Israel took the women of Midian and their little ones, and all their cattle, all their flocks, and all the good things that belonged to them.


text:
And they brought the people they had taken and the animals and whatever belonged to them to Moses, and to Eleazar the religious leader, and to the people of Israel. Their tents were on the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho.


text:
Moses and Eleazar the religious leader and all the leaders of the people went out from the tents to meet them.


text:
Moses was angry with the leaders of the army, the heads of thousands and the heads of hundreds, who had fought in the war.


text:
See, these women listened to Balaam and caused the people of Israel to sin against the Lord in what happened at Peor. So the very bad disease came to the people of the Lord.


text:
Stay away from the tents for seven days. If you have killed any person or have touched any dead body, you must make yourself and those you have taken clean, on the third day and on the seventh day.


text:
You must clean every piece of clothing, everything made of leather, everything made of goats' hair, and everything made of wood."


text:
Then Eleazar the religious leader said to the men of war who had gone to battle, "This is the Law which the Lord has told Moses.


text:
everything that can last through fire. Pass it through the fire, and it will be clean. But it must be made pure with the water for cleaning. Whatever cannot last through fire you must pass through the water.


text:
You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you will be clean. Then you may come among the tents."


text:
"You and Eleazar the religious leader and the heads of the fathers' houses of the people should number all that was taken from the battle, both of man and animal.


text:
Then take a tax for the Lord from the men of war who went out to battle. Take one out of 500 of the persons and the cattle and the donkeys and the sheep.


text:
From the half belonging to the people of Israel, take one out of every fifty of the persons and cattle and donkeys and sheep and all the animals. Give them to the Levites who take care of the meeting tent of the Lord."


text:
Moses gave the tax, which was the Lord's gift, to Eleazar the religious leader, just as the Lord had told Moses.


text:
Moses took one out of every fifty of both man and animal from the people of Israel's half. He gave them to the Levites, who took care of the meeting tent of the Lord, just as the Lord had told Moses.


text:
Then the leaders of the thousands of the army, the heads of thousands and the heads of hundreds, came to Moses.


text:
They said to him, "Your servants have numbered the men of war whom we lead. Not one man is missing from us.


text:
We have brought as a gift to the Lord what each man found, objects of gold, things to be worn on the arms and fingers and ears and necks. They are to pay for our sins before the Lord."


text:
Moses and Eleazar the religious leader took the gold from them, all the objects made of beaten gold.


text:
All the gold of the gift they gave to the Lord from the heads of thousands and the heads of hundreds was worth 16,750 gold pieces.


text:
So Moses and Eleazar the religious leader took the gold from the heads of thousands and of hundreds. They brought it to the meeting tent so that the people of Israel would be remembered before the Lord.


text:
Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had very many cattle. And they saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead was a good place for cattle.


text:
So the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and said to Moses and Eleazar the religious leader and the leaders of the people,


text:
the land which the Lord won in battle in front of the people of Israel, is a land for cattle and your servants have cattle."


text:
And they said, "If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to your servants as our own. Do not take us to the other side of the Jordan."


text:
But Moses said to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, "Should your brothers go to war while you sit here?


text:
Why do you take from the people of Israel the desire to cross over into the land the Lord has given them?


text:
They went up to the valley of Eshcol and saw the land. Then they took the desire away from the people of Israel so that they did not go into the land the Lord had given them.


text:
'None of the men who came up from Egypt, twenty years old and older, will see the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For they did not follow Me with all their heart.


text:
Only Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun will see it. For they have followed the Lord with all their hearts.'


text:
So the Lord's anger burned against Israel. He made them travel in the desert forty years, until all the people of that day who had sinned in the eyes of the Lord were destroyed.


text:
Now see, you have grown up in your fathers' place, children of sinful men. You add still more to the burning anger of the Lord against Israel.


text:
For if you turn away from following Him, He will leave them in the desert again and you will destroy all these people."


text:
Then they came near him and said, "We will build safe places for our flocks here, and cities for our little ones.


text:
But we will be ready for battle and will go with the people of Israel until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones will live within the walls of the cities because of the people who live in the land.


text:
For we will not have any land among them on the other side of the Jordan. Our land has come to us on this side of the Jordan toward the east."


text:
All of you men of war cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven away those who fight against Him,


text:
and has won the land in battle. Then after this you may return because you have done your duty to the Lord and to Israel. This land will be your land before the Lord.


text:
But if you do not do as you say, you have sinned against the Lord. And for sure you will be punished for your sin.


text:
But your servants, everyone who is ready for war, will cross over before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says."


text:
So Moses gave news about them to Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the families of the people of Israel.


text:
Moses said to them, "The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, every man ready for battle, are to cross with you over the Jordan before the Lord, and the land will be won. After this, you must give them the land of Gilead for their own.


text:
But if they will not cross over with you ready for battle, their land must be among you in the land of Canaan."


text:
We will cross over into the land of Canaan ready for battle before the Lord. And the land on this side of the Jordan will be ours."


text:
So Moses gave the nations of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben and the half-family group of Joseph's son Manasseh. He gave them the land, with its cities and the country around them.


text:
Bethnimrah and Beth-haran, cities with walls around them. And they made safe places for their sheep.


text:
Nebo and Baal-meon <n>(their names to be changed)</n>, and Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities they built.


text:
The sons of Manasseh's son Machir went to Gilead and took it. They drove away the Amorites who were in it.


text:
These are the travels of the people of Israel, when Moses and Aaron led them out from the land of Egypt by their armies.


text:
Moses wrote down the starting places of their travels, as the Lord told him. These are their travels by their starting places.


text:
They traveled from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover the people of Israel started out strong in heart in front of all the Egyptians.


text:
The Egyptians were burying all their first-born whom the Lord had killed among them. The Lord had punished their gods also.


text:
Then they traveled from Hahiroth and passed through the sea into the desert. They traveled for three days in the desert of Etham, and stayed at Marah.


text:
They left Marah and came to Elim. There were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees in Elim, and they stayed there.


text:
They traveled from Alush and stayed at Rephidim. It was there that the people had no water to drink.


text:
Then Aaron the religious leader went up to Mount Hor, as the Lord told him. He died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had left the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month.


text:
The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel.


text:
They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and stayed in the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho.


text:
Then drive out all the people living in the land in front of you. Destroy all their cut stones, and all their man-made gods, and all their high places.


text:
Your families will receive land by drawing names. The larger families should be given more land. The smaller families should be given less land. When a man's name is drawn, that land will be his. You will receive land by the family groups of your fathers.


text:
Drive out the people who live in the land in front of you. If you do not, then those who are allowed to stay will be like sharp pieces in your eyes and like thorns in your sides. They will trouble you in the land where you live.


text:
"Tell the people of Israel, 'When you go into the land of Canaan, this is the land that will be given to you, all the land of Canaan.


text:
Your south side will be from the Desert of Zin along the side of Edom. It will go east from the end of the Salt Sea.


text:
Then the side of your land will turn from the south up to the pass of Akrabbim and on to Zin. Its end will be south of Kadesh-barnea. It will go to Hazaraddar and on to Azmon.


text:
then down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain. Then it will go down to the hill on the east side of the Sea of Chinnereth.


text:
It will go down to the Jordan and end at the Salt Sea. This will be the sides all around your land.' "


text:
Moses told the people of Israel, "This is the land you will receive by drawing names, which the Lord has said should be given to the nine and a half-family groups.


text:
For the sons of Reuben have received their land by their fathers' houses. The sons of Gad have received theirs by their fathers' houses. And the half-family group of Manasseh has received their land.


text:
The two and a half-family groups have received their land on the other side of the Jordan from Jericho, toward the east."


text:
"Eleazar the religious leader and Joshua the son of Nun are the men who will divide the land to be given to you.


text:
Of the sons of Joseph, take Hanniel the son of Ephod as the leader of the family group of the sons of Manasseh.


text:
These are the men whom the Lord told to divide the land among the people of Israel in the land of Canaan.


text:
"Tell the people of Israel to give the Levites cities to live in from the land they receive. And give the Levites fields around the cities.


text:
The cities will be theirs to live in. Their fields will be for their cattle and flocks and for all their animals.


text:
The fields you give the Levites should be around the cities, from the city walls out 500 long steps.


text:
And you should number 1,000 long steps from the city on the east side, on the south side, on the west side, and on the north side, with the city in the center. These fields around the cities will belong to them for their animals.


text:
The cities you give the Levites will be the six cities where people can go to be safe. They will be where a man may run to if he has killed another person. And give them forty-two other cities, added to these.


text:
Take more cities from the larger families of Israel to give to the Levites. And take less cities from the smaller families. Each should give some of its cities to the Levites by how much land is received."


text:
choose which cities are to be the ones where you can run to be safe. The man who has killed a person without meaning to may run there.


text:
The cities will be a safe place for you from the one who wants to punish you. So the one who has killed a person may not die until the people decide if he is guilty or not.


text:
Give three cities on the east side of the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan. They will be the cities where you can go to be safe.


text:
These six cities will be safe places for the people of Israel and for the stranger and for the one who visits them. Anyone who kills a person without meaning to may run there.


text:
'But if he killed him with an iron object, then he is guilty. For sure the killer will be put to death.


text:
If he knocked him down with a stone so that he died, he is guilty. For sure the killer will be put to death.


text:
Or if he hit him with a piece of wood in his hand so that he died, he is guilty. For sure the killer will be put to death.


text:
The man who wants to punish him for the killing will put the killer to death. He will put him to death when he meets him.


text:
If the killer has pushed him because he hated him, or has thrown something at him after waiting for him, and because of this he died,


text:
or if he hit him down with his hand because he hated him and killed him, for sure the one who killed him must be put to death. He is guilty. The man who wants to punish him for the killing will put him to death when he meets him.


text:
'But if he pushed him without planning to and without hating him, or threw something at him without having waited for him,


text:
The people will save the killer from the man who wants to punish him. And they will return him to his city where he had gone to be safe. He will live in it until the death of the head religious leader who was set apart with the holy oil.


text:
But if the man who killed another person at sometime goes outside his city where he went to be safe,


text:
then the man who wants to punish him will not be guilty of blood if he finds him outside the safe city and kills him.


text:
Because the man should have stayed in his city to be safe until the death of the head religious leader. But after the head religious leader dies, the man who killed another person may return to his own land.


text:
If anyone kills a person, the killer must be put to death by what is told by those who saw the killing. But no person may be put to death because of what one person says.


text:
You must not take pay to save the life of a killer who is guilty of death. But he must be put to death.


text:
You must not take pay for him who has run to his city to be safe, so that he may return to live in the land before the death of the religious leader.


text:
You must not make the land where you live unclean. The land is not holy when people are killed. And only the blood of him who is guilty can pay to make the land free from the blood that has fallen on it.


text:
Do not make the land where you live unclean, in the place where I live. For I the Lord am living among the people of Israel.' "


text:
The heads of the fathers' houses of the family group of the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near. They spoke in front of Moses and the leaders, the heads of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel.


text:
They said, "The Lord told my lord to give the land to the people of Israel by drawing names. And my lord was told by the Lord to give the land of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.


text:
But if they marry one of the sons of the other family groups of Israel, then their land would be taken away from what was given to our fathers and would be added to the land of the family group they marry into. So it would be taken from the land that had been given to us.


text:
When the Year of Jubilee of the people of Israel comes, their land will be added to the land of the family group into which they marry. So their land will be taken from the land of the family group of our fathers."


text:
Then Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord said. He said, "The family group of the sons of Joseph are right in what they say.


text:
This is what the Lord has said about the daughters of Zelophehad: 'Let them marry whom they think best. Only they must marry within the family group of their father.'


text:
This way no land of the people of Israel will go from one family group to another. The people of Israel will each hold to the land of the family group of his fathers.


text:
Every daughter who comes to own the land of any family group of Israel, must be the wife of one of her father's family group. So every one of the people of Israel may own the land of his fathers.


text:
No land will go from one family group to another. For the families of Israel will each hold to his own land."


text:
Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, married sons of their father's brothers.


text:
They married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph. And their land stayed with their father's family group.


text:
These are the Laws which the Lord told the people of Israel through Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.


text:
These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan, in the desert, in the Arabah beside Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.


text:
On the first day of the eleventh month in the fortieth year, Moses spoke to the children of Israel. He told them all the Lord said they must do.


text:
This was after he had won the war against Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei.


text:
On the other side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses talked to the people about this Law. He said,


text:
"The Lord our God spoke to us at Mount Sinai, saying, *You have stayed long enough at this mountain.


text:
Get ready to travel now. Go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the valley, in the Negev and by the sea, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the big river, the river Euphrates.


text:
See, I have set the land in front of you. Go in and take for your own the land which the Lord promised to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to their children after them.'


text:
May the Lord, the God of your fathers, make you 1,000 times as many as you are. May He bring good to you just as He has promised you!


text:
Choose wise, understanding and able men from your family groups. And I will make them leaders over you.'


text:
So I took the leaders of your family groups, wise and able men. I made them leaders over you, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and rulers of your family groups.


text:
"Then I said to your judges at that time, 'Listen to the problems between your brothers. And be right in what you decide between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him.


text:
Do not show favor as you judge. Listen to the small and the great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, because you are judging for God. Bring to me any problem that is too hard for you, and I will hear it.'


text:
"Then we left Mount Sinai. We went through the big desert you saw which fills people with fear, on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, just as the Lord our God had told us. And we came to Kadeshbarnea.


text:
I said to you, 'You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God will give us.


text:
See, the Lord your God has set the land in front of you. Go and take it for your own, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not be afraid or troubled.'


text:
Then all of you came to me and said, 'Let us send men before us, to spy out the land for us. They will return and tell us which way we should go and which cities we will come to.'


text:
They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us. And they told us that it is a good land which the Lord our God is giving us.


text:
You complained in your tents, saying, 'Because the Lord hates us He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to give us to the Amorites to destroy us.


text:
Where would we be going? Our brothers have made our hearts weak with fear, saying, 'The people are bigger and taller than we. The cities are large, with walls as high as the heavens. And we have even seen the sons of the Anakim there.' ''


text:
The Lord your God Who goes before you will Himself fight for you. He did this for you in Egypt in front of your eyes,


text:
and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way you have walked until you came to this place.'


text:
Who goes before you on your way. He finds a place for you to set up your tents. He uses fire to show you the way to go during the night. During the day He uses a cloud to lead you.


text:
'Not one of these men of these sinful people will see the good land I promised to give your fathers,


text:
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He will see it. I will give the land on which he has walked to him and his children because he has always followed the Lord.'


text:
Joshua the son of Nun, who stands in front of you, will go in there. Tell him to be strong, for he will bring Israel into their new land.


text:
And your little ones whom you said would be taken by strange hands, and your children who do not yet know the difference between good and bad, will go in there. I will give the land to them. It will be theirs.


text:
"Then you said to me, 'We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God told us.' So every man of you put on his sword and thought it an easy thing to go up into the hill country.


text:
The Lord said to me, 'Say to them, "Do not go up or fight. For I am not among you. You would be destroyed by those who hate you.' ''


text:
So I spoke to you but you would not listen. You went against what the Lord told you. In your pride you went up into the hill country.


text:
Then the Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you. They came at you like bees, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah.


text:
"Then we turned and went into the desert by the way of the Red Sea, as the Lord said to me. We went around Mount Seir for many days.


text:
Tell the people, "You will pass through the land of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so be very careful.


text:
Do not make them angry. For I will not give you any of their land, not even enough for a foot to step on. I have given Mount Seir to Esau for his own.


text:
You will pay them with money for the food you eat. And you will pay them with money for the water you drink.


text:
For the Lord your God has brought good to you in all you have done. He knows about your traveling through this big desert. The Lord your God has been with you these forty years. You have not been without a thing." '


text:
"So we moved on from our brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road, away from Elath and Ezion-geber. We turned and went by the way of the desert of Moab.


text:
Then the Lord said to me, 'Do not bring trouble to Moab or fight them in war. For I will not give you any of their land for your own. I have given Ar to the children of Lot for their own.'


text:
<n>(The Emim had lived there before. These people were many and powerful, and as tall as the Anakim.


text:
The Horites once lived in Seir also. But the sons of Esau took their place. They destroyed them and took the land for themselves, as Israel did to the land which the Lord gave them for their own.)</n>


text:
It was thirtyeight years from the time we left Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the river Zered. By that time all the men of war among us had died, as the Lord had said they would.


text:
But when you come near the land of the sons of Ammon, do not bring them trouble or make them angry. For I will not give you any of the land of the sons of Ammon for your own. Because I have given it to the sons of Lot for their own.'


text:
<n>(It is known as the land of the Rephaim also. For Rephaim once lived in it. But the Amorites call them Zamzummin,


text:
a people as great, as many and as tall as the Anakim. But the Lord destroyed them, and the sons of Ammon took their place and lived in their land.


text:
It was as He did for the sons of Esau, who live in Seir. He destroyed the Horites, and the sons of Esau took their place and live in their land even to this day.


text:
And the Caphtorim who came from Caphtor destroyed the Avvim who lived in towns as far as Gaza. Then they lived in their place.)</n>


text:
'Now rise up and go on your way. Pass through the valley of Arnon. See, I have given you Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take it for your own, and fight with him in battle.


text:
This day I will begin to put much fear of you upon the nations everywhere under the heavens. When they hear about you, they will shake with fear and be filled with trouble because of you.'


text:
"So I sent men carrying news from the desert of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace. They said,


text:
'Let me pass through your land. I will travel only on the road. I will not turn to the right or to the left.


text:
You will sell me food for money so I may eat, and give me water for money so I may drink. Only let me pass through on foot


text:
as the sons of Esau did for us in Seir and the Moabites in Ar. Do this until I cross over the Jordan into the land the Lord our God is giving us.'


text:
But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing to let us pass through his land. For the Lord your God made his spirit and heart hard, so He might give him into your hand, as he is today.


text:
Then the Lord said to me, 'See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land to you. Begin to take it for your own, so you may live in it.'


text:
So we took all his cities at that time, and destroyed every man, woman and child in them. We left no one alive.


text:
There was no city too strong for us, from Aroer by the valley of Arnon, and from the city which is in the valley, as far as Gilead. The Lord our God gave all to us.


text:
Only you did not go near the land of the sons of Ammon, all along the river Jabbok and the cities of the hill country. You did not go where the Lord our God told us not to go.


text:
"Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan. Og king of Bashan and all his people came out to meet us in battle.


text:
But the Lord said to me, 'Do not be afraid of him. For I have given him and all his people and his land to you. Do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon.'


text:
So the Lord our God gave us Og king of Bashan and all his people also. We destroyed them until no one was left alive.


text:
And we took all his cities at that time. There was not a city which we did not take from them. We took sixty cities, the whole land of Argob, the nation of Og in Bashan.


text:
All these cities were built strong, with high walls, gates and iron. There were many towns without walls also.


text:
We destroyed them, as we had done to Sihon king of Heshbon. We destroyed every man, woman and child in every city.


text:
So we took the land at that time from the two kings of the Amorites who were on the east side of the Jordan, from the valley of Arnon to Mount Hermon


text:
We took all the cities of the plain and all Gilead and all Bashan, as far as Salecah and Edrei, cities of the nation of Og in Bashan.


text:
<n>(For only Og king of Bashan was left of the children of the Rephaim. His bed was made of iron. It is in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon. It was as long as five steps, and as wide as two long steps.)</n>


text:
"So we took this land for ourselves at that time. I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites the land from Aroer, which is by the valley of Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead.


text:
I gave to the half-family of Manasseh the rest of Gilead and all Bashan, the nation of Og, all the land of Argob. It is called the land of Rephaim.


text:
Manasseh's son Jair took all the land of Argob as far as the land of the Geshurites and the Maacathites. He called Bashan after his own name, Havvothjair. And that is its name to this day.


text:
To the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave from Gilead to the valley of Arnon, from the center of the valley to the river Jabbok, beside the Ammonites.


text:
I gave them the Arabah also, with the Jordan as its west side, from Chinnereth as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, at the bottom of the hills of Pisgah on the east.


text:
"At that time I told you, 'The Lord your God has given you this land for your own. All you men with strength of heart will cross over ready to fight before your brothers, the sons of Israel.


text:
But your wives, your little ones and your animals <n>(I know you have many animals)</n> will stay in your cities that I have given you.


text:
They will stay until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as He has to you, and until they own the land the Lord your God will give them on the other side of the Jordan. Then every one of you may return to what is his, which I have given you.'


text:
And then I told Joshua, 'Your eyes have seen all the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the nations through which you pass.


text:
'O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your great power and Your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and powerful acts as You do?


text:
I ask of You, let me cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.'


text:
But the Lord was angry with me because of you. He would not listen to me. The Lord told me, 'Enough! Speak to Me no more about this.


text:
Go up to the top of Pisgah, and look to the west and north and south and east. See it with your eyes, for you will not cross over this Jordan.


text:
But tell Joshua what is to be done. Comfort him and give him strength. For he will cross in front of this people. And he will give them for their own the land that you will see.'


text:
"Now, O Israel, listen to the Laws I am teaching you. Do them so that you may live and go in to take the land for your own that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.


text:
Do not add to the Word that I tell you, and do not take away from it. Keep the Laws of the Lord your God which I tell you.


text:
Your eyes saw what the Lord did because of Baal-peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor.


text:
See, I have taught you Laws just as the Lord my God told me. So you are to live by them in the land you are going to have for your own.


text:
Keep them and do them. For this will show how wise and understanding you are. The people who will hear all these Laws will say, 'For sure this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'


text:
For what great nation is there that has a god so near as the Lord our God is to us every time we call to Him?


text:
"Only be careful. Keep watch over your life. Or you might forget the things you have seen. Do not let them leave your heart for the rest of your life. But teach them to your children and to your grandchildren.


text:
Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai. The Lord said to me, 'Gather the people together before Me, so I may let them hear My words. Then they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and they may teach their children.'


text:
You came near and stood at the bottom of the mountain. And the mountain burned with fire into the heavens, which were covered with darkness and black clouds.


text:
Then the Lord spoke to you from the center of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no body. There was only a voice.


text:
He told you His agreement which He told you to keep, the Ten Laws. And He wrote them on two pieces of stone.


text:
The Lord told me at that time to teach you Laws. So you might obey them in the land that you are going to have for your own.


text:
"So watch yourselves and be careful. For you saw no body on the day the Lord spoke to you in the fire at Mount Sinai.


text:
Do not become sinful and make a false god for yourselves that looks like a body or object, like a male or female,


text:
Be careful not to lift up your eyes toward heaven and see the sun and moon and stars, all the things of heaven, and be pulled away and worship them and serve them. The Lord your God has given these things to all the nations under the whole heavens.


text:
But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron stove, out of Egypt, to be His own people, as you are this day.


text:
"The Lord was angry with me because of you. He swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not go into the good land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.


text:
For I must die in this land. I will not cross the Jordan. But you will cross and take that good land for your own.


text:
So watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the agreement the Lord your God made with you, or make a false god for yourselves that looks like something which the Lord your God has told you not to do.


text:
"When you become the father of children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, if you become sinful and make a god that looks like anything, and anger the Lord your God by doing what is bad in His eyes,


text:
I call heaven and earth to speak against you this day. You will soon be destroyed from the land you are crossing the Jordan to have for your own. You will not live long on it, but will all be destroyed.


text:
The Lord will spread you out among the nations. And there will not be many of you left among the nations where the Lord will drive you.


text:
There you will work for gods made by man's hands out of wood and stone. They do not see or hear or eat or smell.


text:
But from there you will look for the Lord your God. And you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and soul.


text:
When you are in trouble and all these things have happened to you in later days, you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice.


text:
For the Lord your God is a God of loving-pity. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the agreement He promised to your fathers.


text:
"Ask about the past days, the days before your time, since the day that God made man on the earth. Ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything been done like this great thing? Has anything been heard like it?


text:
Have any people ever heard the voice of God speaking from the center of the fire, as you have heard it, and still live?


text:
Or has a god tried to go to take for himself a nation from within another nation, by trials, special things to see, great works, war, a powerful hand, a long arm, and spreading much fear? The Lord your God did this for you in Egypt in front of your eyes.


text:
He let you hear His voice from the heavens to teach you. On earth He let you see His great fire. And you heard His words from the center of the fire.


text:
He loved your fathers, so He chose their children after them. He Himself brought you from Egypt by His great power.


text:
He drove out from in front of you nations greater and more powerful than you. And He brought you in and gave you their land for your own, as it is today.


text:
So know this day, take it to your heart, that the Lord is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. There is no other.


text:
Keep His Laws which I am giving you today. Then it may go well with you and your children after you. And you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time."


text:
where a person may run to, if he killed his neighbor without meaning to and had not hated him in the past. He might save his life by running to one of these cities:


text:
Bezer in the desert on the plain for the Reubenites, and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.


text:
They were on the other side of the Jordan, in the valley beside Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon. Moses and the sons of Israel won the war against him when they came out of Egypt.


text:
They took for their own his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, east of the Jordan,


text:
They took all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the sea of the Arabah at the bottom of the hills of Pisgah.


text:
Then Moses called all Israel, and said to them, "Listen, O Israel, to the Laws which I speak in your hearing today. Learn them and be careful to live by them.


text:
The Lord did not make this agreement with our fathers, but with us, all those of us alive here today.


text:
I was standing between the Lord and you then, to tell you the Word of the Lord. For you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain. He said:


text:
'I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house where you were servants.


text:
'Do not make a false god for yourselves, or anything that is like what is in heaven above or on the earth below or in the water under the earth.


text:
Do not bow down to them or serve them. I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish the children, the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren for the sins of their fathers who hate Me.


text:
'Do not use the name of the Lord your God in a bad way. For the Lord will punish the one who uses His name in a bad way.


text:
But the seventh day is a Day of Rest to the Lord your God. You, your son, your daughter, your man servant, your woman servant, your bull, donkey or any of your cattle, or the traveler who stays with you, must not do any work on this day. So your man servant and woman servant may rest as well as you.


text:
Remember that you were servants in the land of Egypt. The Lord your God brought you out of there by a powerful hand and a long arm. So the Lord your God told you to keep the Day of Rest.


text:
'Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has told you. So your life may be long and it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God gives you.


text:
'Do not have a desire for your neighbor's wife. Do not desire your neighbor's house, his field, his man servant, his bull, his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.'


text:
"The Lord spoke these words to you while you were all gathered at the mountain. He spoke with a loud voice from the center of the fire, the cloud and the darkness. He added no more. And He wrote them on two pieces of stone and gave them to me.


text:
"When you heard the voice from the center of the darkness while the mountain burned with fire, you came to me with all the heads of your families and your leaders.


text:
And you said, 'See, the Lord our God has shown us His shining-greatness. We have heard His voice from the center of the fire. Today we have seen that God speaks with man and man still lives.


text:
But why should we die now? For this big fire will burn us up. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we will die.


text:
For who of all flesh has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking from the center of the fire, as we have heard, and lived?


text:
Go near and hear all the Lord our God says. Then tell us all the Lord our God says to you, and we will listen and do it.'


text:
"The Lord heard what you said when you spoke to me. And the Lord said to me, 'I have heard the words which the people have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have said.


text:
If only they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and live by all My Laws always! Then it would go well with them and with their children forever.


text:
But you stand here by Me. And I will tell you all the Laws which you should teach them, so they may keep them in the land I give them for their own.'


text:
Be careful to do just as the Lord your God has told you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left.


text:
Walk in all the way the Lord your God has told you. Then you may live, it may be well with you, and you may live a long time in the land that will belong to you.


text:
"These are the Laws which the Lord your God has told me to teach you. You are to do them in the land you are going to take for your own.


text:
Then you and your son and your grandson will fear the Lord your God. You will obey all His Laws that I tell you, all the days of your life. And then you will have a longer life.


text:
O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do them. Then it will go well with you. And you will become many in a land flowing with milk and honey. This is what the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you.


text:
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.


text:
Do your best to teach them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.


text:
"The Lord your God will bring you into the land He promised to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give to you. There will be big and beautiful cities which you did not build.


text:
Houses will be full of good things which you did not fill. There will be pools for keeping water which you did not dig, and grape vines and olive trees which you did not plant. You will eat and be filled.


text:
But then be careful not to forget the Lord Who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the land where you were held as servants.


text:
Or the anger of the Lord your God will burn against you. He will destroy you from the earth. For the Lord your God Who is among you is a jealous God.


text:
Do what is right and good in the eyes of the Lord. Then it will be well with you. And you may go in and take the good land for your own which the Lord promised to give to your fathers.


text:
Then say to your son, 'We were servants of Pharaoh in Egypt. But the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand.


text:
So the Lord told us to do all these Laws and to fear the Lord our God for our good always, as it is today.


text:
We will be right with the Lord our God if we are careful to obey all of the Law before Him, just as He told us.


text:
"The Lord your God will bring you into the land you are taking for your own. He will drive away many nations in front of you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations bigger and stronger than you.


text:
When the Lord your God gives them to you and you win the battles against them, you must destroy all of them. Make no agreement with them and show no favor to them.


text:
Do not take any of them in marriage. Do not give your daughters to their sons. And do not take their daughters for your sons.


text:
For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you. And He will be quick to destroy you.


text:
But do this to them: Break down their altars. Crush their objects of worship. Cut down their female goddess Asherim. And burn their false gods with fire.


text:
"For you are a holy nation to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the nations on the earth, to be His own.


text:
The Lord did not give you His love and choose you because you were more people than any of the nations. For the number of your people was less than all nations.


text:
But it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the promise He made to your fathers. So the Lord brought you out by a strong hand. He set you free from the land where you were servants, and from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.


text:
Know then that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God. He keeps His promise and shows His lovingkindness to those who love Him and keep His Laws, even to a thousand family groups in the future.


text:
But He destroys those who hate Him. He will not show kindness to the one who hates Him, but will punish him to his face.


text:
"If you listen to these Laws and keep and obey them, the Lord your God will keep His agreement and loving-kindness as He promised to your fathers.


text:
He will love you and bring good to you and make you a nation of many. He will bring good to your children and the fruit of your land, your grain, your new wine and your oil. And He will give you many cattle and young ones in your flock, in the land He promised to your fathers to give you.


text:
More good will come to you than to any other nation. There will be no male or female among you or your cattle that is not able to have young ones.


text:
The Lord will take all sickness from you. He will not let any bad diseases come upon you that you have known in Egypt. But He will give them to all who hate you.


text:
You will destroy all the nations the Lord your God will give to you. You will not pity them or worship their gods, for that would be a trap to you.


text:
But you will not be afraid of them. You will remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.


text:
You will remember the hard trials you saw, the powerful works, and the strong hand and powerful arm the Lord your God used to bring you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the nations who make you afraid.


text:
And the Lord your God will send the hornet against them. Those who are left will hide themselves from you and be destroyed.


text:
The Lord your God will drive away these nations in front of you one by one. You will not be able to destroy them in a short time, or the wild animals may become too many for you.


text:
But the Lord your God will give them to you. He will bring much trouble upon them until they are destroyed.


text:
He will give their kings into your hand. And you will destroy their name from under heaven. No man will be able to stand in front of you until you have destroyed them.


text:
You must burn with fire their objects of worship. Do not want the silver or gold that is on them, or take it for yourselves. It would be a trap to you, for it is a hated thing to the Lord your God.


text:
Do not bring a hated thing into your house. You would become hated also. But turn from it with fear and hate, for bad will come from it.


text:
"Be careful to do all that I am telling you today. Then you will live and have many children, and go in to own the land the Lord promised to give to your fathers.


text:
You will remember all the way the Lord your God led you in the desert these forty years, so you would not have pride, and how He tested you to know what was in your heart to see if you would obey His Laws or not.


text:
He let you be hungry which helped you to not have pride. Then He fed you with bread from heaven which you and your fathers had not known. He did this to make you understand that man does not live by bread alone. But man lives by everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord.


text:
For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of rivers and wells of water, flowing into valleys from hills.


text:
It is a land where you will have enough food to eat and not have to do without, a land where stones are iron. And you can make brass from what you dig out of its hills.


text:
When you have eaten and are filled, you will honor and thank the Lord your God for the good land He has given you.


text:
"Be careful not to forget the Lord your God by not keeping all His Laws which I am telling you today.


text:
and when your cattle and flocks become many, and you get much silver and gold, and have many things for your own,


text:
be careful not to become proud. Do not forget the Lord your God Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house where you were servants.


text:
He led you through the big desert that brought fear with its poisonous snakes and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water. He brought you water out of hard rock.


text:
In the desert He fed you bread from heaven, which your fathers did not know about. He did this so you would not have pride and that He might test you. It was for your good in the end.


text:
But remember the Lord your God. For it is He Who is giving you power to become rich. By this He may keep His agreement which He promised to your fathers, as it is this day.


text:
If you ever forget the Lord your God and go to other gods to worship and work for them, I tell you today that you will be destroyed for sure.


text:
You will be destroyed like the nations the Lord destroys before you, because you would not listen to the voice of the Lord your God.


text:
"Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to take the land that belongs to nations greater and stronger than you, with big cities with walls as high as heaven.


text:
The people there are strong and tall, the sons of Anakim. You know of them and have heard it said, 'Who can stand in front of the sons of Anak?'


text:
But know today that it is the Lord your God Who is crossing over before you as a fire that destroys everything. He will destroy them and bring them down before you. So you may drive them out and be quick to destroy them, just as the Lord has told you.


text:
But after the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, 'The Lord has brought me in to take this land because I am right and good.' It is because of the sin of these nations that the Lord is driving them out in front of you.


text:
It is not because of your being right with God that you are going to take their land. But it is because of the sin of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out in front of you. By this the Lord is proving that He keeps the promise He made to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.


text:
Understand that it is not because you are right with God that the Lord your God is giving you this good land for your own, for you are a strong-willed people.


text:
"Remember and do not forget how you made the Lord your God angry in the desert. You have gone against the Lord from the day you left the land of Egypt until you came to this place.


text:
Even at Mount Sinai you made the Lord angry. The Lord was so angry with you that He would have destroyed you.


text:
I went up the mountain to receive the pieces of stone, the Laws of the agreement which the Lord had made with you. I stayed on the mountain forty days and nights. I did not eat bread or drink water.


text:
Then the Lord gave me the two pieces of stone written by the finger of God. On them were all the words the Lord had spoken with you on the mountain from the fire on the day of the meeting.


text:
At the end of forty days and nights the Lord gave me the two pieces of stone, the Laws of the agreement.


text:
Then the Lord said to me, 'Get up. Hurry and go down from here. For your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become very sinful. They have been quick to turn away from what I told them. They have made a false god for themselves.'


text:
Let Me alone, so I may destroy them and destroy their name from under heaven. I will make you into a nation that will be greater and stronger than they.'


text:
So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire. The two pieces of stone of the agreement were in my two hands.


text:
And I saw that it was true that you had sinned against the Lord your God. You had made for yourselves a calf out of gold. You had been quick to turn away from what the Lord had told you.


text:
So I took the two pieces of stone and threw them from my hands, and broke them in front of your eyes.


text:
Then again I fell down before the Lord for forty days and nights. I did not eat bread or drink water, because of all the sin you had done. You did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord and made Him angry.


text:
I was afraid of the anger of the Lord which was burning against you to destroy you. But the Lord listened to me again.


text:
Then I took your sinful thing, the calf you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it. I ground it into pieces until it was as fine as dust. And I threw its dust into the river that flowed down from the mountain.


text:
The Lord sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, 'Go and take for your own the land I have given you.' But you went against what the Lord your God told you to do. You did not believe Him or listen to His voice.


text:
"So I fell down before the Lord and lay forty days and nights, because the Lord had said He would destroy you.


text:
I prayed to the Lord, saying, 'O Lord God, do not destroy Your people, Your chosen nation, whom You have set free by Your power and brought out of Egypt with a strong hand.


text:
Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Do not look at the strong will or sin or wrong-doing of these people.


text:
Or the land You brought us from may say, "The Lord was not able to bring them into the land He promised them. Because he hated them, He brought them out to kill them in the desert."


text:
Yet they are Your people, Your chosen nation, whom You have brought out by Your great power and Your long arm.'


text:
I will write on the pieces of stone the words that were on the other pieces of stone which you broke. And you will put them in the box.'


text:
So I made a box of acacia wood and cut out two pieces of stone like the other ones. Then I went up the mountain with the two stone pieces in my hand.


text:
The Lord wrote the Ten Laws the same as before on the pieces of stone which He had spoken to you on the mountain from the fire on the day of the meeting. And the Lord gave them to me.


text:
Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the stone pieces in the box I had made. There they are, as the Lord told me."


text:
<n>(The people of Israel traveled from the wells of the sons of Jaakan to Moserah. Aaron died there and was buried and his son Eleazar took his place as religious leader.


text:
From there they traveled to Gudgodah. And from Gudgodah they went to Jotbathah, a land of rivers of water.


text:
At that time the Lord set apart the family of Levi to carry the special box of the Law of the Lord, and to stand before the Lord to work for Him and honor His name to this day.


text:
So Levi does not have a share of what is given to his brothers. The Lord is his share, just as the Lord your God promised him.)</n>


text:
"Once more I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, like the first time. And the Lord listened to me that time also. The Lord did not destroy you.


text:
Then the Lord said to me, 'Get up. Travel in front of the people, so they may go in and take the land which I promised to give their fathers.'


text:
"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you? He wants you to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him. He wants you to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul.


text:
The Lord had joy in loving your fathers more than other nations, and you are still His chosen people to this day.


text:
For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. He is the great and powerful God and is to be honored with fear. He does not show favor, and cannot be bought with money.


text:
He does what is right and fair for the child without parents and the woman whose husband has died. He shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing.


text:
He is your praise and He is your God. You have seen the great and powerful things He has done for you.


text:
Your fathers went to Egypt, seventy people in all. And now the Lord your God has made you as many as the stars of heaven.


text:
They have not seen the special things you have seen, what He did in Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land.


text:
They have not seen what He did to Egypt's army, the horses and war-wagons. He made the water of the Red Sea flow over them while they were coming after you. He destroyed every one of them.


text:
They do not know what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, son of Reuben. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, those of their house, their tents, and every living thing that followed them among Israel.


text:
"So keep every Law which I am telling you today. And you will be strong and go in and take the land which is to be yours.


text:
You will live long in the land the Lord promised to your fathers and their children, a land flowing with milk and honey.


text:
For the land you are going in to take is not like the land you came from in Egypt. There you planted your seed and watered it using your feet, like a vegetable garden.


text:
But the land you are about to go into and take for your own is a land of hills and valleys. It drinks water from the rain of heaven.


text:
The Lord your God cares for this land. His eyes watch over it from the beginning to the end of the year.


text:
"Listen to and obey all the Laws I am telling you today. Love the Lord your God. Work for Him with all your heart and soul. If you do,


text:
He will give the rain for your land at the right times, the early and late rain. So you may gather in your grain, your new wine and your oil.


text:
Be careful not to let your hearts be fooled so you turn away and work for other gods and worship them.


text:
Or the anger of the Lord will burn against you. He will shut the heavens so there will be no rain and the ground will not give its fruit. Then you will be quick to die from the good land the Lord is giving you.


text:
"Keep these words of mine in your heart and in your soul. Tie them as something special to see upon your hand and on your forehead between your eyes.


text:
Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.


text:
And your days and the days of your children will become many in the land the Lord promised to give to your fathers, as long as the heavens are above the earth.


text:
Be careful to obey all this Law which I am telling you. Love the Lord your God. Walk in all His ways and hold on to Him. If you do,


text:
the Lord will drive out all these nations in front of you. And you will take for your own what has belonged to nations greater and stronger than you.


text:
Every place where your foot steps will be yours. Your land will be from the desert to Lebanon, and from the River Euphrates to the sea in the west.


text:
There no man will be able to stand in front of you. The Lord your God will put the fear of you on all the land where you walk, as He has promised you.


text:
But a curse will come to you if you do not listen to the Laws of the Lord your God and turn aside from the way I am telling you today, by following other gods you have not known.


text:
When the Lord your God brings you into the land which is to be yours, you are to speak on Mount Gerizim about the good and on Mount Ebal the curses.


text:
You know they are on the other side of the Jordan, west of the road where the sun goes down. They are in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, beside Gilgal, next to the trees of Moreh.


text:
You are about to cross the Jordan to go in to take the land the Lord your God is giving you. It will be your land and you will live in it.


text:
"These are the Laws you should be careful to obey in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you for your own as long as you live on the earth.


text:
Be sure to destroy all the places of worship of the nations whose place you are taking. Destroy them on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.


text:
Break down their altars and crush their pillars of worship. Burn their wooden female gods of worship named Asherim with fire. Cut down the objects made to look like their gods. And destroy their name from that place.


text:
Look for the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your family groups. There He will make His name known, and make His home there, and there you will come.


text:
Bring to this place your burnt gifts, your gifts of worship, the tenth part of what you receive, the gifts of your hands, your promises, your free-will gifts, and the first-born of your cattle and your flock.


text:
You and those of your house will eat there before the Lord your God, and have joy in all that you do, in which the Lord your God has brought good to you.


text:
You will not do at all the things we are doing here today, for every man is doing whatever is right in his own eyes.


text:
You will cross the Jordan and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you. He will give you rest from all those around you who hate you, so you will be safe.


text:
Then bring all I tell you to the place where the Lord your God will choose to make His name known. Bring your burnt gifts, your gifts of worship, the tenth part of what you receive, the gifts of your hands, and all the special gifts that you promised to the Lord.


text:
Be full of joy before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your men and women servants, and the Levite within your town who has no share of their gift.


text:
But give your burnt gifts in the place which the Lord chooses in the land where your families live. There you should do all that I tell you.


text:
"But you may kill and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you want, as the Lord your God has given you His good gifts. Both the clean and the unclean may eat of it, as you would of the gazelle and the deer.


text:
You are not allowed to eat within your towns the tenth part of your grain, or new wine, or oil, or the first-born of your cattle or flock, or any of your promised gifts, or your free-will gifts, or the gifts of your hands.


text:
But you should eat them before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, your men and women servants, and the Levite who is within your towns. Be full of joy before the Lord your God in everything you do.


text:
"The Lord your God will give you more land as He has promised you. And when you say, 'I will eat meat,' because you want to eat meat, then you may eat as much meat as you want.


text:
If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may kill from your cattle or flock which the Lord has given you, as I have told you, and you may eat within your towns whatever you want.


text:
Only be sure not to eat the blood. For the blood is the life. You must not eat the life with the flesh.


text:
Do not eat it, so it may go well with you and your children after you. For you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.


text:
Take your holy things which you may have and all the special gifts you promised to give to the place which the Lord chooses.


text:
Give your burnt gifts, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your gifts will be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God. And you will eat the flesh.


text:
Be careful to listen to all these words I am telling you. Then it will go well with you and your children after you forever. For you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.


text:
"The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations whose land you will take. You will take their place and live in their land.


text:
But be careful that you are not fooled into following them, after they are destroyed before you. Do not ask about their gods, saying, 'How do these nations worship their gods so that I may do the same?'


text:
Do not act this way toward the Lord your God. For they have done for their gods every sinful act which the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.


text:
"A man who tells what is going to happen or a dreamer of dreams may come among you. He may give you something special to see or do a powerful work.


text:
And what he tells you will happen might come true. But if he says to you, 'Let us follow other gods <n>(whom you have not known)</n> and let us worship them,'


text:
do not listen to the words of that man who tells you what will happen or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is putting you to the test to see if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.


text:
Follow the Lord your God and fear Him. Keep His Laws, and listen to His voice. Work for Him, and hold on to Him.


text:
But that man who tells what is going to happen or that dreamer of dreams must be put to death, because he has talked to you about turning away from the Lord your God Who brought you from the land of Egypt and set you free from the land where you were servants. That man tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God told you to walk. You must take the sinful away from you.


text:
"Your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your friend who is as your own soul, might tempt you in secret. They might say, 'Let us go and worship other gods' <n>(whom you and your fathers have not known.


text:
They might be gods of the nations who are around you, near you, or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other)</n>.


text:
Do not agree with him or listen to him. Do not look on him with pity. And do not show him loving-kindness or hide him.


text:
You must kill him. Your hand should be first against him to put him to death, and then the hand of all the people.


text:
Kill him with stones, because he has tried to turn you away from the Lord your God Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the land where you were servants.


text:
that some men of no worth have gone out from among you to tempt those who live in their city. They might say, 'Let us go and worship other gods,' <n>(whom you have not known)</n>.


text:
Then you should ask around and try to find out if this is true. If it is true that this sinful thing has been done among you,


text:
you must be sure to go against those of that city with the sword. Destroy all of it, all that is in it, and its cattle, with the sword.


text:
Then gather all that is left into the center of the city. Burn the city and all that is left in it with fire as a whole burnt gift to the Lord your God. It will be destroyed forever. It will never be built again.


text:
Let nothing of the things to be destroyed be kept in your own hand so the Lord may turn from His burning anger and show lovingkindness to you. He will show you loving-pity and make you a nation of many, just as He promised your fathers.


text:
But you must listen to the voice of the Lord your God. Obey all His Laws which I am telling you today. Do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God.


text:
"You are the sons of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or cut the hair from your foreheads because of the dead.


text:
For you are a holy nation to the Lord your God. The Lord has chosen you to be His own nation out of all the nations on the earth.


text:
But you must not eat of those that chew their food again or have a divided foot: the camel, the rabbit and the rock badger. For though they eat their food again, they do not have a divided foot. They are unclean to you.


text:
And do not eat the pig, because it has a divided foot but does not chew its food again. It is unclean for you. Do not eat any of their flesh or touch their dead bodies.


text:
"Do not eat anything that dies of itself. You may give it to the stranger in your town, so he may eat it. Or you may sell it to a person from another land. For you are a holy nation to the Lord your God. "Do not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.


text:
Before the Lord your God, at the place He chooses to put His name, you may eat the tenth part of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the first-born of your cattle and your flock. Then you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.


text:
If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far away for you to bring the tenth part of all the good things you have received,


text:
you should trade it for money. Then tie the money in your hand and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses.


text:
You may spend the money for whatever your heart may desire, for bulls, sheep, wine, strong drink, or whatever you desire. And there you and those of your house may eat before the Lord and be full of joy.


text:
"At the end of every third year you should bring the tenth part of that year's grain into your towns.


text:
And the Levite who has no share of what is given to you, and the stranger, and the child without parents, and the woman whose husband has died, who are in your towns, may come and eat and be filled. Then the Lord your God will bring good to you in all the work done by your hands.


text:
This is the way you are to do it: Every man who has loaned money must forget the debt. He cannot make his neighbor and his brother pay it because the Lord has said that all should be forgotten.


text:
Yet there will be no poor among you for the Lord will be sure to bring good to you in the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.


text:
But you must listen and obey the voice of the Lord your God. Be careful to do all the Law which I am telling you today.


text:
The Lord your God will bring good to you as He has promised. You will let many nations use what belongs to you but you will not use what belongs to them. You will rule over many nations but they will not rule over you.


text:
"In any of the towns in your land the Lord your God is giving you, if there is anyone poor among you, do not let your heart be hard and not be willing to help him.


text:
Be careful that there is no sinful thought in your heart, saying, 'It is almost the seventh year, the time to do away with the debt owed to me,' so you look on your brother with hate and give him nothing. Then he may cry to the Lord against you and you may be guilty of sin.


text:
Give much to him, without being sorry that you do. Because the Lord your God will bring good to you for this, in all your work and in everything you do.


text:
The poor will always be in the land. So I tell you to be free in giving to your brother, to those in need, and to the poor in your land.


text:
"If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he will work for you six years. But you must set him free in the seventh year.


text:
Give him much from your flock, from your grain, and from your wine. Give to him as the Lord your God has given to you.


text:
Remember that you were servants in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God set you free. And so I am telling you today to do this.


text:
But he may say to you, 'I will not leave you,' because he loves you and those of your house and gets along well with you.


text:
Then take a sharp tool and put it through his ear into the door. And he will be your servant forever. Do the same with your woman servant.


text:
It should not be hard for you to set him free for he has worked for you six years. He has been worth twice as much as a man paid to work for you. The Lord your God will bring good to you in whatever you do.


text:
"Set apart for the Lord your God all the first-born males among your cattle and your flock. Do no work with the first-born of your cattle. Do not cut the wool from the first-born of your flock.


text:
You and those of your house will eat it every year before the Lord your God in the place the Lord chooses.


text:
But do not kill it and give it to the Lord your God if it is not perfect, such as not being able to walk or see, or anything else wrong with it.


text:
Eat it within your towns. Both the clean and the unclean may eat it, as if it were a gazelle or deer.


text:
"Remember the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God. For the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt during the night in the month of Abib.


text:
Give the Passover gift to the Lord your God from the flock and the cattle, in the place where the Lord chooses to put His name.


text:
Do not eat bread made with yeast. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, the bread of sorrow, because you came out of the land of Egypt in a hurry. So all the days of your life you will remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.


text:
For seven days there is to be no yeast around in all your land. And none of the flesh you give in worship on the evening of the first day will be kept through the night until morning.


text:
But give it at the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name. You must kill the Passover gift in the evening when the sun goes down, at the time that you came out of Egypt.


text:
Make it ready and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses. Then return to your tents in the morning.


text:
For six days eat bread made without yeast. On the seventh day there will be a holy meeting to the Lord your God. Do no work on this day.


text:
Then keep the Special Supper of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a free-will gift. Give as the Lord your God has given to you.


text:
Be full of joy before the Lord your God, you and your son and daughter, your men and women servants, the Levite who is in your town, the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died. Be full of joy in the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name.


text:
Be full of joy during your special supper, you and your son and daughter, your men and women servants, the Levite, the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died, who are in your towns.


text:
Seven days you will have a special supper to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses. You will be full of joy because the Lord your God will bring good to you in all the food you grow and in all the work you do.


text:
All your males must show themselves before the Lord your God three times a year in the place He chooses, at the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast, the Special Supper of the First Fruits of the Land, and the Special Supper of Tents. They must not show themselves before the Lord with nothing in their hands.


text:
"Choose judges and other leaders for all your towns the Lord your God is giving you, among each of your family groups. They must be wise in judging the people.


text:
Be fair and do not show favor. Do not take pay in secret for doing wrong. Such pay blinds the eyes of the wise and causes them to change the words of a good man.


text:
Follow what is right, and only what is right. Then you will live and receive the land the Lord your God is giving you.


text:
"When you make an altar for the Lord your God, do not put beside it a wooden god like the false goddess Asherah.


text:
"Do not give to the Lord your God a bull or a sheep which is not perfect. For that is a hated thing to the Lord your God.


text:
"You may find among you, within any of your towns the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who does what is sinful in the eyes of the Lord your God by sinning against the Lord's agreement.


text:
If he has served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun, or the moon or the stars, which I have told him not to worship,


text:
and if someone told you about this, then you should do your best to find out if it is true. If it is true that this hated thing has been done in Israel,


text:
then bring that man or woman who has done this sinful act to your gates, and kill the man or woman with stones.


text:
If two or three people tell what they know against this person, he who is to die must be put to death. But he should not be put to death if only one person speaks against him.


text:
Those who speak against him should be first to put him to death. And then all the people should join them. You must get rid of all sin from among you.


text:
"There may be a problem too hard for you to decide, between two kinds of killing, between two kinds of questions about the law, between two kinds of hurting, problems argued about in your courts. Then get up and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses.


text:
Go to the Levite religious leader or the judge who is at work at that time. Ask them, and they will tell you what they decide.


text:
Then do what should be done by what they tell you they have decided at that place which the Lord chooses. Be careful to do all they tell you.


text:
Do what they teach you about the Law and about what they decide. Do not turn aside from what they tell you to do, to the right or to the left.


text:
The man must die who does foolish things and will not listen to the judge or the religious leader who serves the Lord your God. You must get rid of sin from Israel.


text:
"When you go into the land the Lord your God gives you, and own it and live in it, and you say, 'I will have a king rule over me like all the nations around me,'


text:
then you will set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses. Set a king over you from among your brothers. Do not give a stranger power over you if he is not your brother.


text:
He must not take many horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get many horses. Because the Lord has told you, 'You must never again return that way.'


text:
He must not take many wives for himself or his heart may turn away. And he must not gather much silver and gold for himself.


text:
"When he sits on the throne of his nation, he should write this Law for himself in a book in front of the Levite religious leaders.


text:
It should be kept with him and he should read it all the days of his life. Then he will learn to fear the Lord his God, by being careful to obey all the words of these Laws.


text:
And he will not think he is better than his brothers. He will not turn aside from the Law, to the right or to the left, so that he and his children may live long in his nation in Israel.


text:
"The Levite religious leaders of the family group of Levi will have no share of the land given to Israel. They will live on the gifts given to the Lord by fire.


text:
They will have no share of the land among their brothers. The Lord is their share, as He promised them.


text:
"When the people bring their gifts, a bull or a sheep, the religious leader is to be given the shoulder, the parts of the face, and the stomach.


text:
For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your families, to stand and serve in the name of the Lord forever.


text:
"If a Levite comes whenever he desires from any of the towns in Israel to the place the Lord chooses,


text:
then he may work in the name of the Lord his God, like all his brother Levites who stand there before the Lord.


text:
They will all eat the same share of food, except what they receive from what is sold of their fathers' lands.


text:
"When you go into the land the Lord your God gives you, do not learn to follow the hated and sinful ways of those nations.


text:
There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or uses secret ways, or does witchcraft, or tells the meaning of special things, or is a witch,


text:
or uses secret power on people, or helps people talk to spirits, or talks to spirits himself, or talks with the dead.


text:
For the Lord hates whoever does these things. And because of these hated things, the Lord your God will drive them out from in front of you.


text:
For these nations that you are about to take listen to those who do witchcraft and use secret ways. But the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.


text:
"The Lord your God will give you a man who speaks for God like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.


text:
This is what you asked of the Lord your God at Sinai on the day of the meeting, when you said, 'Do not let me hear the voice of the Lord my God again. Do not let me see this fire any more, or I will die.'


text:
I will give them a man who speaks for God like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth. And he will make known to them all that I tell him.


text:
But that man of God will die who is not careful and speaks in My name what I did not tell him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods.'


text:
When a man who speaks for God speaks in the name of the Lord, and what he says does not come true, that word is not from the Lord. The man has spoken on his own. Do not be afraid of him.


text:
"The Lord your God will destroy the nations whose land the Lord your God gives you. You will take their place and live in their cities and in their houses. At that time


text:
you should set apart three cities for yourself in the land the Lord your God gives you for your own.


text:
Make the roads good that lead to these cities. Divide into three parts the land the Lord your God gives you for your own. Any man who kills another may run to a city and be safe.


text:
"This is the law of the person who kills another and runs to a city to save his life. He might have killed his friend without meaning to, a friend he did not hate in the past.


text:
He could have gone among the trees with his friend to cut wood. As he was using his ax to cut down a tree, the ax head could have come off the stick and hit his friend, killing him. Then he may run to one of these cities and live.


text:
Or else the one who is angry will want to punish him for the killing, and will catch him and kill him. But the killer should not be put to death, because he had not hated the man in the past.


text:
The Lord your God will give you even more land, as He has promised your fathers. He will give you all the land which He promised to give your fathers,


text:
if you are careful to obey all the Laws I tell you today. Love the Lord your God. Walk in His ways always. Then you will add three other cities to these three.


text:
So the person without guilt will not be put to death in the land the Lord your God gives you as a gift. And you will not be guilty of blood.


text:
"But there might be a man who hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, goes against him, and hurts him so that he dies. After this he might run to one of these cities.


text:
Then the leaders of his city should send men to take him from there and bring him to the one who wants to punish him for the killing that he may die.


text:
Do not pity him. In Israel be free from the blood of those that are not guilty. Then it will go well with you.


text:
"Do not move your neighbor's land-mark which the fathers of long ago have set in the land the Lord your God gives you for your own.


text:
"One person will not prove the guilt of a sin another man may have done. It will take two or three people who know about the sin to prove the man's guilt.


text:
then both men who are arguing should stand before the Lord, in front of the religious leaders and the judges who are at work at that time.


text:
The judges will choose careful questions to ask about the problem. If the man lied who said his brother is guilty,


text:
then you should do to him just what he wanted to do to his brother. In this way you will get rid of the sin among you.


text:
The rest of the people will hear and be afraid. They will never do such a sinful thing among you again.


text:
Do not pity him. It will be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.


text:
"When you go to battle against those who hate you and see more horses and war-wagons and soldiers than you have, do not be afraid of them. For the Lord your God, Who brought you from the land of Egypt, is with you.


text:
He will say to them, 'Hear, O Israel. Today you are going into battle against those who hate you. Do not let your hearts become weak. Do not be afraid and shake in fear before them.


text:
For the Lord your God is the One Who goes with you. He will fight for you against those who hate you. And He will save you.'


text:
The leaders will speak to the people also, saying, 'Is there anyone among you who has built a new house and has not given it to God? Let him go and return to his house or he might die in battle and another man will give it to God.


text:
Is there anyone who has planted grape vines and has not begun to eat their fruit? Let him go and return to his house or he might die in the battle and another man will begin to eat the fruit.


text:
Is there a man who is promised in marriage to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house or he might die in the battle and another man marry her.'


text:
Then the leaders will say to the people, 'Is there a man here who is afraid and is weak in heart? Let him go and return to his house so he will not make his brothers' hearts afraid like his heart.'


text:
When the leaders have finished speaking to the people, they will choose heads of the army to lead the people.


text:
"When you come near a city to fight against it, ask the people of the city if they would rather have peace.


text:
If they agree to make peace with you and open their gates to you, all the people who are found there will be made to work for you and serve you.


text:
Take for yourselves what is left, the women, the children, all the animals, and all that is in the city. Use what is left of those who fought against you, which the Lord your God has given you.


text:
Do this to all the cities that are very far from you and are not of the cities of the nations that are near.


text:
But in the cities of these nations that the Lord your God is giving you for your own, do not leave alive anything that breathes.


text:
Destroy everything and everyone in them, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has told you.


text:
Then they will not teach you to do all the hated and sinful things they have done for their gods, and make you sin against the Lord your God.


text:
"When you stay around a city a long time, to make war against it and take it, do not destroy its trees with the ax. You may eat from them but do not cut them down. For are trees of the field men that they should be killed?


text:
You may destroy and cut down only the trees you know are not fruit trees. Then you may build walls with the trees to help you fight against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.


text:
"If a person has been killed and is found lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own and it is not known who killed him,


text:
then your leaders and judges will go out and see how far it is to the cities that are around the dead man.


text:
The leaders of the city that is nearest to the dead man will take a young cow from the cattle. The cow must never have been worked or pulled a plow.


text:
The leaders of that city will bring the young cow down to a valley with flowing water, which has not been plowed or planted. They will break the cow's neck there in the valley.


text:
Then the religious leaders, the sons of Levi, will come near for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bring good in the name of the Lord. Every question about what is right and every fight will be decided upon by them.


text:
All the leaders of that city nearest to the dead man will wash their hands over the young cow whose neck was broken in the valley.


text:
O Lord, forgive Your people Israel whom You have set free. Do not put the guilt of killing a man who did no wrong on Your people Israel.' And they will be forgiven from the guilt of the man's death.


text:
So you must take away the guilt of taking the life of a good man by doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.


text:
"When you go out to battle against those who hate you, and the Lord your God gives them to you, and you make them go with you,


text:
She will change the clothes she wore when you took her away, and stay in your house. She will have sorrow for her father and mother for one month. After that you may go in to her and be her husband and she will be your wife.


text:
If you are not pleased with her, you should let her go wherever she wants. But do not sell her for money or act as if she were a servant because you have put her to shame.


text:
"If a man has two wives, one loved and the other not loved, and both the loved and the one not loved have borne him sons, and if the firstborn son belongs to the wife who is not loved,


text:
on the day when the man divides what he has for his sons, he cannot make the first-born of his loved wife the first-born before the son of the wife who is not loved, who is the first-born.


text:
He must respect the first-born, the son of the wife who is not loved, by giving him twice the share of all he has. He is the beginning of his strength and the right of the first-born belongs to him.


text:
"If a man has a strong-willed son who goes against him and does not obey his father or mother and when they punish him he will not even listen to them,


text:
then his father and mother will take hold of him and bring him to the leaders of his city at the gate of his city.


text:
They will say to the leaders of his city, 'This son of ours is strong-willed and goes against us. He will not obey us. He eats and drinks too much.'


text:
Then all the men of his city will kill him with stones. You must get rid of the sin from among you. All Israel will hear about it and be afraid.


text:
his body must not hang all night on the tree. You should be sure to bury him on the same day <n>(for he who hangs is cursed by God)</n>. So do not make your land unclean which the Lord your God is giving you.


text:
"If you see your brother's bull or sheep walking away, do not pretend that you do not see them. Be sure to return them to your brother.


text:
If your brother is not home, or if you do not know who he is, then bring the animal to your house. Keep it there until your brother looks for it. Then return it to him.


text:
Do the same with his donkey, or his coat, or anything lost by your brother. If you find what he has lost, you must help him.


text:
If you see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the road, do not pretend that you do not see them. Be sure to help him lift them up again.


text:
"A woman must not wear men's clothing. And a man must not put on women's clothing. For the Lord your God hates whoever does these things.


text:
"You might find a bird's nest by the road, in a tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs. If you find the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young.


text:
Be sure to let the mother go. But you may take the young for yourself. Then it will go well with you, and you will live long.


text:
"When you build a new house, you should put a short wall around your roof. Then no one will fall from it and bring the guilt of blood upon your house.


text:
"Do not plant among your vines another kind of seed. All that grows from what you have planted will be unclean.


text:
and says that she did sinful acts and puts her to shame before others and says, 'I took this woman, but when I came near her, I found that she had been with another man,'


text:
then the girl's father and mother should bring what is needed to prove she has not been with another man to the leaders of the city at the gate.


text:
The girl's father will say to the leaders, 'I gave my daughter to this man for a wife. But he turned against her.


text:
He said she has done sinful acts, saying, "I found that your daughter has been with another man." But I brought what will prove that my daughter has not been with another man.' And they will spread the clothing in front of the leaders of the city.


text:
They will make him pay a hundred pieces of silver and give it to the girl's father, because he has put to shame the name of an Israelite girl who has not had a man. She will still be his wife. He cannot divorce her as long as he lives.


text:
then they will bring the girl to the door of her father's house. There the men of her city will kill her with stones, because she has done a foolish act in Israel by acting in her father's house like a woman who sells the use of her body. So you will get rid of the sin from among you.


text:
"If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them must die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you will get rid of the sin from Israel.


text:
"If a girl who has never had a man is promised in marriage to a man, another man might find her in the city and lie with her.


text:
Then you must bring them both to the gate of that city and kill them with stones. Put the girl to death because she did not cry for help in the city, and the man because he has sinned against his neighbor's wife. So you will get rid of the sin from among you.


text:
But if the man finds a girl in the field who is promised in marriage, and makes her lie with him, then only the man who lies with her will die.


text:
Do nothing to the girl. There is no sin in the girl bad enough for her to be put to death. It is as if a man goes against his neighbor and kills him.


text:
When he found her in the field, the girl promised in marriage cried out. But there was no one to save her.


text:
"If a man finds a girl who has never had a man and is not promised in marriage, and takes her and lies with her, and they are found,


text:
then the man who lay with her must give fifty pieces of silver to the girl's father. And she will become his wife, because he has put her to shame. He cannot divorce her as long as he lives.


text:
"A man must not take his father's wife. He must not take the clothes off the woman who belongs to his father.


text:
No one who was born to parents who were not married will go into the meeting of the Lord. And none of his children will go into the meeting of the Lord, even to the children's children of ten families in the future.


text:
No Ammonite or Moabite will go into the meeting of the Lord. None of their children will go into the meeting of the Lord, even to the children's children of ten families of the future,


text:
because they did not meet you with food and water on your way from Egypt, and they paid Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia to curse you.


text:
But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam. Instead He changed the curse into good for you, because the Lord your God loves you.


text:
"Do not hate an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not hate an Egyptian. For you were a stranger in his land.


text:
If there is any man among you who is unclean because he had a flow from his body during the night, he must go away from the tents. He must not come among the tents.


text:
When evening comes he must wash his body with water. And when the sun goes down he may return to the tents.


text:
You should have a tool there to dig with. Use it to dig a hole when you sit down outside. Then use it to cover the waste from your body.


text:
Because the Lord your God walks among your tents to set you free and make you win the battle against those who hate you, the place where your tents are must be holy. He must not see anything among you that is unclean and turn away from you.


text:
Let him stay with you, in the place he chooses in one of your towns, where it pleases him. Do not make it hard for him.


text:
"No daughter of Israel is to sell the use of her body in worship to a strange god. And no son of Israel is to sell the use of his body for a strange god.


text:
You must not bring the pay of a woman who sells the use of her body or of a man who does sex sins into the house of the Lord your God for any promised gift. For the Lord your God hates both of these.


text:
Do not make your brothers pay you for the use of money, food, or anything you might give them to use.


text:
You may make a stranger pay you for the use of money, but not your brother. So the Lord your God may bring good to you in all you do in the land you are going into to have for your own.


text:
"When you make a promise to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it. It would be sin in you, for the Lord your God will be sure to ask you for it.


text:
Be careful to do what you say you are going to do. Keep the promise you have made to the Lord your God because you want to.


text:
"When you go into your neighbor's grape-field, you may eat grapes until you are full. But do not put any in your basket.


text:
When you go into your neighbor's grain field, you may pick the heads with your hand. But do not cut down any of your neighbor's standing grain.


text:
"When a man takes a wife and marries her, and he does not like her because he finds something bad in her, he will write her a paper of divorce and give it to her and send her away from his house.


text:
If the second husband turns against her and gives her a paper of divorce and sends her out of his house, or if the second husband dies who took her for his wife,


text:
then her first husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her for his wife again, because she has become unclean. It is a hated thing to the Lord and you must not bring sin on the land the Lord your God is giving you.


text:
"When a man takes a new wife, he must not go with the army or be given any other work. He should be free to be at home one year to make the wife he has taken happy.


text:
"No one should take a man's stones that he uses to crush grain as a promise to pay what he owes, for he would be taking away a man's living.


text:
"If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the sons of Israel, and makes it hard for him, or sells him, then that robber must die. You must get rid of the sin from among you.


text:
"When there is a very bad skin disease, be careful to do all the Levite religious leaders tell you to do. Be careful to do what I have told them.


text:
"When you let your neighbor use anything of yours, do not go into his house to take what he would give you to make his promise sure.


text:
Return his coat to him when the sun goes down so he may sleep in it and be thankful for you. You will be doing what is right before the Lord your God.


text:
"Do not make it hard for a paid servant who is poor and in need, if he is one of your brothers or one of the strangers who is living in one of your towns.


text:
Give him his pay on the day he earns it before the sun goes down. He is poor and he needs it. Then he will not cry to the Lord against you and you would be guilty of sin.


text:
"Fathers are not to be put to death for their children. Children are not to be put to death for their fathers. Each man will be put to death for his own sin.


text:
"Do what is fair for a stranger or a child whose parents are dead. Do not take the clothing of a woman whose husband has died to make sure she will pay what she owes.


text:
Remember that you were servants in Egypt, and that the Lord your God set you free. So I am telling you to do this.


text:
"When you gather the grain in your field and have forgotten some of it, do not return to the field to get it. Leave it for the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died. Then the Lord your God will bring good to you in all the work of your hands.


text:
When you beat your olive trees, do not beat the branches a second time. Leave the fruit for the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died.


text:
When you gather the grapes from your vines, do not gather a second time. Leave them for the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died.


text:
"Two men might argue and go to court. The judges will decide between them, saying that the right man is not guilty and that the sinful man is guilty.


text:
If the sinful man should be beaten, the leader will make him lie down and be beaten in front of him. The number of times he is beaten will be decided upon by how bad his sin is.


text:
The number may be as much as forty, but no more. If he is beaten more than this, your brother would be put to much shame in your eyes.


text:
"When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the dead man's wife must not be married outside the family to a strange man. The husband's brother will take her as his wife and do what he should for her as a brother-in-law.


text:
The first son born to her will take the name of the dead brother so his name will not be forgotten in Israel.


text:
But the man might not want to take his brother's wife. Then his brother's wife should go to the leaders at the gate and say, 'My husband's brother will not make his brother's name to be remembered in Israel. He is not willing to do the duty of a brother-in-law to me.'


text:
Then the leaders of his city will call him and speak to him. If he still says, 'I do not want to take her,'


text:
then his brother's wife will come to him in front of the leaders. She will pull his shoe off his foot and spit in his face. And she will say, 'This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's house.'


text:
"If two men are fighting together and the wife of one comes to save her husband from the one who is hitting him and if she puts out her hand and takes hold of his sex part,


text:
You must have a full and fair weight. You must have a fair way to show how big something is. Then you will live long in the land the Lord your God gives you.


text:
He met you on the way when you were weak and tired. And he fought with those who were behind. He did not fear God.


text:
When the Lord your God gives you rest from all those around you who hate you, in the land the Lord your God gives you for your own, you must forget all about Amalek, so no one under heaven will remember him. Do not forget to do this.


text:
You must take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you gather from the land the Lord your God gives you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to have His name.


text:
Go to the religious leader who is working at that time, and say to him, 'I make known this day to the Lord my God that I have come into the land which the Lord promised to our fathers to give us.'


text:
Then the religious leader will take the basket from your hand and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God.


text:
And you will say before the Lord your God, 'My father was a traveling Aramean. He went to Egypt, few in number, and stayed there. But there he became a nation, great, powerful, and with many people.


text:
Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers. The Lord heard our voice and saw our troubles, our work, and how hard our lives were.


text:
And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and a long arm, causing much fear by doing powerful works.


text:
Now see, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground that You have given me, O Lord.' Then you will set it down before the Lord your God, and worship Him.


text:
You and the Levite and the stranger who is among you will be full of joy because of all the good the Lord your God has given you and those of your house.


text:
"When you have finished paying all the tenth of the food you received in the third year, the year of giving a tenth, then give it to the Levite, the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died. So they may eat it in your towns and be filled.


text:
Then say before the Lord your God, 'I have taken the share for holy use from my house. I have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died. I have done this because of all Your Laws which You have told me to do. I have not sinned or forgotten any of Your Laws.


text:
I have not eaten of it while in sorrow, or taken any of it while I was unclean, or given any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done all You have told me to do.


text:
Look down from Your holy place in heaven and bring good to Your people Israel. Bring good to the ground You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You promised our fathers.'


text:
"This day the Lord your God tells you to obey these Laws. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and with all your soul.


text:
Today you have said that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in His ways, keep all His Laws, and listen to His voice.


text:
And the Lord today has made it known that you are His own people, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His Laws.


text:
He has told you that He will set you high above all the nations He has made. You will be praised, remembered, and honored. You will be a holy nation to the Lord your God, as He has said."


text:
On the day you cross the Jordan to the land the Lord your God gives you, set up large stones and cover them with plaster.


text:
Write on them all the words of this Law when you cross the river and go into the land the Lord your God gives you. It is a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.


text:
When you cross the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal and cover them with plaster, as I tell you today.


text:
And build the altar of the Lord your God with stones that are not cut. Then give a burnt gift on it to the Lord your God.


text:
Then Moses and the Levite religious leaders said to all Israel, "Be quiet and listen, O Israel! This day you have become the people of the Lord your God.


text:
"Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin will stand on Mount Gerizim when you cross the Jordan. They will pray that good will come to the people.


text:
'Cursed is every man who makes a god or something to look like a god, the work of the hands of the able workman, and sets it up in secret. It is hated by the Lord.' Then all the people will answer, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the one who puts his father or mother to shame.' And all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor's land-mark.' And all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the one who leads a blind person on the road the wrong way.' Then all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the one who is not fair to a stranger, a child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died.' And all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the man who lies with his father's wife because he has taken off the clothes of her who belongs to his father.' And all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the man who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or mother.' Then all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the one who receives pay to kill a person who is not guilty.' Then all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
'Cursed is the one who does not obey the words of this Law.' And all the people will say, 'Let it be so.'


text:
"Be faithful in obeying the Lord your God. Be careful to keep all His Laws which I tell you today. And the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.


text:
Good will come to your children, and the fruit of your ground, and the young of your animals. Your cattle and flock will have many young ones.


text:
"The Lord will cause you to win the battles against those who fight against you. They will come against you one way, and run away from you seven ways.


text:
The Lord will send good upon you in your store-houses and in all your work. He will bring good to you in the land the Lord your God gives you.


text:
The Lord will make you a holy nation to Himself, as He promised you. But you must keep the Laws of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.


text:
Then all the nations of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord and they will be afraid of you.


text:
The Lord will give much to you. He will give you many children, and many young ones among your animals, and much food from the ground, in the land the Lord promised to your fathers to give you.


text:
The Lord will open for you His good store-house, the heavens. He will give rain to your land at the right time. He will bring good to all the work you do. You will give to many nations. But you will not use anything that belongs to them.


text:
The Lord will make you the head and not the tail. If you listen to the Laws of the Lord your God which I tell you today and be careful to obey them, you will only be above and not below.


text:
Do not turn aside from any of the words I tell you today, to the right or to the left. Do not follow other gods and work for them.


text:
"If you will not obey the Lord your God or be careful to do all His Laws which I tell you today, all these curses will come upon you.


text:
"The Lord will send upon you curses, trouble and sharp words in all you try to do, until you are destroyed. You will be quick to die, because of the sinful things you do, and because you have turned away from Me.


text:
The Lord will make disease to be with you until He has destroyed you from the land you are going in to take.


text:
The Lord will punish you with a wasting disease, a hot sickness, growing pain, heat like fire, the sword, and diseases that destroy your food. They will follow you until you die.


text:
The Lord will change the rain of your land into dust. It will come down on you until you are destroyed.


text:
The Lord will cause you to lose the battle against those who hate you. You will go one way against them, but run seven ways away from them. You will fill all the nations of the earth with fear.


text:
Your dead bodies will be food for all the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth. There will be no one to make them afraid and to send them away.


text:
"The Lord will punish you with the sores of Egypt, growing sores, and skin diseases, that will not be healed.


text:
You will have to feel for your way at noon, as the blind man feels his way in darkness. And your way will not go well. It will be made hard for you, and you will always be robbed. There will be no one to save you.


text:
You will marry a wife. But another man will lie with her. You will build a house. But you will not live in it. You will plant vines. But you will not eat the fruit.


text:
Your bull will be killed in front of you. But you will not eat of it. Your donkey will be taken from you, and will not be returned. Your sheep will be given to those who hate you. No one will help you.


text:
Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation. Your eyes will watch for them always and you will have much desire for them. But there will be nothing you can do.


text:
A nation you have not known will eat the food of your field and of your work. You will suffer under the power of others always.


text:
The Lord will make sores on your knees and legs that you cannot heal, from the bottom of your foot to the top of your head.


text:
The Lord will bring you and your chosen king to a nation that you and your fathers have not known. There you will work for other gods, of wood and stone.


text:
You will become a people who are hated, who are made fun of, and a shame among the people where the Lord will send you.


text:
You will plant and take care of vines, but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, for worms will eat them.


text:
You will have olive trees everywhere. But you will not pour the oil upon yourself, for your olives will fall off.


text:
All these curses will come upon you. They will follow you and come upon you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping all the Laws He gave you.


text:
Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart because of all He has given you,


text:
you will serve those who hate you, whom the Lord will send against you. You will be hungry, thirsty, without clothing, and needing all things. He will put a heavy load on your neck until He has destroyed you.


text:
"The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, as fast as an eagle flies. It will be a nation whose language you will not understand,


text:
It will eat the young ones of your cattle and the food of your field until you are destroyed. It will leave you no grain, new wine, oil, or the young of your cattle or flock, until it has caused you to die.


text:
Your towns will be taken over by its armies until your high strong walls that you have trusted in come down everywhere in your land. Its armies will take over all your towns everywhere in the land the Lord your God has given you.


text:
During this time and because of the trouble caused by those who hate you, you will eat your own children, the flesh of your sons and daughters whom the Lord your God has given you.


text:
The most gentle man among you will be against his brother, the wife he loves, and the children he still has.


text:
He will not give them any of the flesh of his children whom he is eating, because it is all he has left for himself. This is how bad the trouble will be that those who hate you will bring to all your towns.


text:
The most gentle woman among you may be careful not to set the bottom of her foot on the ground. But she will be hard to the husband she loves, to her son and daughter,


text:
to the afterbirth which comes out of her body, and to the children who are born from her. She will eat them in secret because she has nothing else. This is how bad the trouble will be that those who hate you will bring to all your towns.


text:
"If you are not careful to obey all the words of the Law which are written in this book, to fear this honored name of the Lord your God,


text:
then the Lord will bring bad diseases on you and your children, hard and lasting diseases and sicknesses.


text:
He will bring all the diseases upon you that you were afraid of in Egypt. And they will stay with you.


text:
The Lord will bring upon you every sickness and every trouble which is not written in the book of this Law also, until you are destroyed.


text:
You will have been as many as the stars of heaven but there will be few of you left, because you did not obey the Lord your God.


text:
As the Lord was happy with you and caused good to come to you and you were many, He will be happy to bring trouble upon you and destroy you. And you will be taken from the land you are going in to take.


text:
The Lord will spread you out among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will serve other gods, of wood and stone, which you and your fathers have not known.


text:
You will find no rest among those nations. There will be no place of rest for the bottom of your foot. But there the Lord will give you fear in your heart, eyes that become weak, and sorrow in your soul.


text:
Your life will be full of doubts. You will be afraid night and day. And you will not be sure of anything in your life.


text:
In the morning you will say, 'If it were only evening!' In the evening you will say, 'If it were only morning!' because of the fear of your heart, and the things your eyes see.


text:
The Lord will bring you back to Egypt in ships, in the way I said, 'You will never see it again.' There you will try to sell yourselves as men and women servants to those who hate you. But no one will buy you."


text:
These are the words of the agreement the Lord told Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, as well as the agreement He had made with them at Mount Sinai.


text:
Moses called all Israel and said to them, "You have seen all the Lord did in front of you in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land.


text:
I have led you forty years in the desert. Your clothes did not wear out. And your shoes did not wear out on your feet.


text:
You did not eat bread, or drink wine or strong drink, so you might know that I am the Lord your God.


text:
When you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came to meet us to fight. But we won the fight.


text:
We took their land and gave it as a gift to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half family group of Manasseh.


text:
"Today you all stand before the Lord your God, you, your rulers, your families, your leaders, all the men of Israel,


text:
your children, your wives, the stranger who is among your tents, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who gets your water.


text:
You are here to take part in the agreement with the Lord your God, and in His promise which the Lord your God is making with you today.


text:
So today He will make you His people. He will be your God, just as He told you and as He promised your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.


text:
I am making them with those who stand here with us today before the Lord our God, and with those who are not here with us today.


text:
You know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we passed through the land of the nations on our way here.


text:
You have seen their sinful things and their gods of wood, stone, silver and gold, which they had with them.


text:
Be careful not to have any man or woman or family or group among you whose heart turns away from the Lord our God today to go and worship the gods of those nations. Do not let there be a root among you giving poison fruit and bad-tasting plants.


text:
When one hears the words of this curse, he will say in his pride, 'I have peace even though I am strong-willed in my heart.' This will destroy the land that is watered along with the dry land.


text:
The Lord will never be willing to forgive him. But the Lord will be jealous and His anger will burn against that man. Every curse written in this book will be upon him. And the Lord will take out his name from under heaven.


text:
The Lord will set him apart for trouble from all the families of Israel, with all the curses of the agreement which are written in this book of the Law.


text:
"The children to come, your sons who grow up after you, and the stranger who comes from a land far away, will see the troubles and diseases the Lord has sent upon the land. And they will say,


text:
'The whole land is sulphur and salt, a burning waste, not planted and not giving any plants, and no grass grows in it. It is like Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord destroyed in His anger.'


text:
Then men will say, 'It is because they did not keep the agreement of the Lord, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.


text:
They went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods they had not known and whom He had not given to them.


text:
So the anger of the Lord burned against that land. Every curse was brought upon it that is written in this book.


text:
The Lord drove them from their land in much anger. And He sent them into another land, as it is today.'


text:
"The secret things belong to the Lord our God. But the things that are made known belong to us and to our children forever, so we may obey all the words of this Law.


text:
"When all these things have come upon you, the good things and the curses which I have told you about, you will remember them in all the nations where the Lord your God has sent you.


text:
When you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul by all I have told you today,


text:
then the Lord your God will have you return from where you were held. He will have loving-pity for you. He will gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has sent you.


text:
Even if you are driven to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.


text:
The Lord your God will bring you into the land your fathers lived in and it will be yours. He will bring good to you and make you more in number than your fathers.


text:
The Lord your God will take away the sin from your heart and from the heart of your children. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so you may live.


text:
Then the Lord your God will send all these curses upon those who hate you and upon those who made it hard for you.


text:
And the Lord your God will bring much good upon all the work you do, and upon your children, and the young of your cattle, and the food of your field. For the Lord will again be happy to bring good to you, just as He was happy with your fathers.


text:
But you must obey the Lord your God to keep His Laws which are written in this book of the Law. You must turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.


text:
It is not in heaven. You do not need to say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to make us hear it, so we may obey it?'


text:
It is not farther than the sea. You do not need to say, 'Who will cross the sea for us and bring it to us to make us hear it, so we may obey it?'


text:
I tell you today to love the Lord your God. Walk in His ways. Keep all His Laws and all that He has decided. Then you will live and become many. And the Lord your God will bring good to you in the land you are going in to take.


text:
I tell you today that you will die for sure. You will not live long in that land across the Jordan which you are about to take for your own.


text:
I call heaven and earth to speak against you today. I have put in front of you life and death, the good and the curse. So choose life so you and your children after you may live.


text:
Love the Lord your God and obey His voice. Hold on to Him. For He is your life, and by Him your days will be long. You will be allowed to live in the land the Lord promised to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."


text:
He said to them, "I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to come and go. And the Lord has told me, 'You will not cross this Jordan.'


text:
The Lord your God Himself will cross before you. He will destroy these nations in front of you. And you will take their place. Joshua will cross before you also, as the Lord has said.


text:
The Lord will do the same to them that He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land when He destroyed them.


text:
Be strong and have strength of heart. Do not be afraid or shake with fear because of them. For the Lord your God is the One Who goes with you. He will be faithful to you. He will not leave you alone."


text:
Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in front of all Israel, "Be strong and have strength of heart. For you will go with this people into the land the Lord has promised to their fathers to give them. And you will bring them in to take it.


text:
The Lord is the One Who goes before you. He will be with you. He will be faithful to you and will not leave you alone. Do not be afraid or troubled."


text:
So Moses wrote this Law and gave it to the religious leaders, the sons of Levi who carried the special box of the Law of the Lord, and to all the leaders of Israel.


text:
Then Moses told them, "At the end of every seven years, at the time when money owed is done away with at the Special Supper of Tents,


text:
when all Israel comes to stand before the Lord your God at the place He will choose, you must read this Law so all Israel will hear it.


text:
Gather together the people in your town, the men and the women, the children, and the stranger. So they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God. Be careful to obey all the words of this Law.


text:
Then their children, who have not known it, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to take."


text:
The Lord said to Moses, "See, the time for you to die is near. Call Joshua, and go to the meeting tent, so I may tell him what to do." So Moses and Joshua went to the meeting tent.


text:
And the Lord said to Moses, "See, you will soon die and be with your fathers. Then these people will soon act like a woman who sells the use of her body. They will follow the strange gods of the land where they are going. They will turn away from Me and break My agreement which I have made with them.


text:
Then My anger will burn against them. I will leave them alone and hide My face from them and they will be destroyed. Many hard things and big troubles will come upon them. So they will say in that day, 'Have not these troubles come upon us because our God is not with us?'


text:
But I will hide My face in that day because of all the sinful things they will do, for they will turn to other gods.


text:
So write this song for yourselves. Teach it to the people of Israel. Put it on their lips, so this song may speak for Me against all the people of Israel.


text:
For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I promised to their fathers, and they eat and are filled and have become rich, they will turn to other gods and serve them. They will turn against Me and break My agreement.


text:
When many hard things and big troubles come upon them, this song will speak for Me against them. It will not be forgotten from the lips of their children and their children's children. I know the plans they are making today, before I have brought them into the land I promised them."


text:
Then the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, "Be strong and have strength of heart. For you will bring the people of Israel into the land I promised them. And I will be with you."


text:
"Take this book of the Law and put it beside the special box of the Law of the Lord your God. It will be there to speak against you.


text:
For I know how strong your will is and that you do not want to obey. See, while I am still alive with you today, you have gone against the Lord. How much worse it will be after my death!


text:
Gather together and bring to me all the leaders and heads of your families. I will speak these words to them and call heaven and earth to speak against them.


text:
For I know that after my death you will sin and turn from the way I have told you. Much trouble will come to you in the days to come. For you will do what is sinful in the eyes of the Lord. You will make Him angry through the work of your hands."


text:
Let my teaching fall as the rain, and my voice like the water on the grass in the early morning, like rain upon the new grass, and rain upon the plant.


text:
The Rock! His work is perfect. All His ways are right and fair. A God Who is faithful and without sin, right and good is He.


text:
They have acted in sin toward Him, but they are not His children, because the mark of sin is on them. They are a bad and sinful people.


text:
Is this how you pay the Lord, you foolish people who are not wise? Is He not your Father Who has bought you? He has made you and given you your place.


text:
Remember the days long ago. Think of the years of all people. Ask your father and he will show you. Ask your leaders. They will tell you.


text:
When the Most High divided up the world among the nations, he divided the children of men. He set the place where each nation was to live by the number of the sons of Israel.


text:
He found him in a desert land, in the empty waste of a desert. He came around him and cared for him. He kept him as He would His own eye.


text:
Like an eagle that shakes its nest, that flies over its young, He spread His wings and caught them. He carried them on His wings.


text:
He made him sit on the high places of the earth. And he ate the food of the field. He made him eat honey from the rock, oil out of hard rock,


text:
milk from cows and milk from the flock, the fat of lambs, rams of Bashan, goats, and the best of the grain. And you drank wine of the blood of grapes.


text:
"But Jeshurun grew fat and would not obey. You became fat and full of food. Then he turned away from God Who made him. He hated the Rock of His saving power.


text:
They gave gifts to demons who were not God, to gods they have not known, new gods who came later, whom your fathers did not fear.


text:
Then He said, 'I will hide My face from them. I will see what their end will be. For they are a sinful people, children who are not faithful.


text:
They have made Me jealous with what is not God. They have made Me angry with their false gods. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people. I will make them angry with a foolish nation.


text:
For a fire is started by My anger. It burns to the very bottom of the place of the dead. It burns up the earth and all that grows on the earth. It burns the base of the mountains.


text:
They will be wasted with hunger. They will be destroyed by burning heat and disease. I will send the teeth of wild animals against them, with the poison of things moving in the dust.


text:
The sword will bring death in the street, and bring fear in the homes. It will destroy both young man and young woman, the baby and the man with white hair.


text:
But I was afraid that those who hate them would fight in anger against them and would not understand. They would say, "We have won with our own strength. The Lord has not done this." '


text:
How could one run after a thousand? How could two make ten thousand run away, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had given them up?


text:
Their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of poison. Their fruit tastes bitter.


text:
It is Mine to punish when their foot makes a false step. The day of their trouble is near. Their fall is coming fast upon them.'


text:
For the Lord will judge His people. He will have loving-pity on His servants when He sees their strength is gone, and none are left of those who are free or of those who are not free.


text:
Who ate the fat of their burnt gifts and drank the wine of their drink gifts? Let them come and help you. Let them be your hiding place!


text:
See now that it is I. I am He. There is no god except Me. It is I Who kills and gives life. I hurt, and I heal. And there is no one who can take from My hand.


text:
I will make My shining sword sharp. My hand takes hold of what is right and fair. I will punish those who are against Me. And I will punish those who hate Me.


text:
I will make My arrows drunk with blood. My sword will eat flesh with the blood of those who are killed and those who are in prison, from the long-haired leaders of those who hate Me.'


text:
Be glad, O nations, with His people! For He will punish because of the blood of His servants. He will punish those who fight against Him. And He will take away the sin of His land and His people."


text:
Moses came with Joshua the son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people.


text:
he said to them, "Take into your heart all the words I tell you today. Tell them to your children, so they may be careful to do all the words of this Law.


text:
This word is of great worth to you. It is your very life. By this word you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to take."


text:
"Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, in the land of Moab beside Jericho. Look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for their own.


text:
Then die on the mountain you go up, and join your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and joined his people.


text:
This is because you were not faithful to Me among the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin and you did not honor Me as holy among the people of Israel.


text:
You will see the land from far away, but you will not go into the land I am giving the people of Israel."


text:
He said, "The Lord came from Sinai. He came upon us from Seir. He shined from Mount Paran. He came among 10,000 holy ones. He came with fire at His right hand.


text:
Yes, He loves His people. All Your holy ones are in Your hand. They followed in Your steps. They receive Your Word.


text:
The Lord was King in Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people were gathered, all the families of Israel together.


text:
About Judah he said, "O Lord, hear the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people. He fought for them with his hands. Give him help against those who fight against him."


text:
About Levi he said, "Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your man of God. You proved him at Massah, and at the waters of Meribah.


text:
He said of his father and mother, 'I do not think of them.' He kept himself apart from his brothers, and his own children. Yes, they obeyed Your Word and kept Your agreement.


text:
They will teach Your Laws to Jacob. They will teach Your Laws to Israel. They will put special perfume before You, and whole burnt gifts on Your altar.


text:
O Lord, give him good things. Receive the work of his hands. Crush those who go against him and those who hate him, so they may not get up again."


text:
About Benjamin he said, "May the one the Lord loves live by Him and be safe. The Lord covers him all the day long. And he lives between His shoulders."


text:
About Joseph he said, "May the Lord bring good to his land, with the best gifts from heaven above, with water on the grass in the early morning, and from the deep waters below,


text:
May the Lord bring good to his land with the best things of the old mountains, and the best things of the hills that last forever,


text:
with the best things of the earth and all that is in it, and the favor of Him Who lived in the bush. Let these gifts come upon the head of Joseph, upon the crown of the head of the one who is ruler among his brothers.


text:
His great power is like the first-born of his bull. His horns are like the horns of the wild bull. With them he will push all the nations to the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of Manasseh."


text:
About Zebulun he said, "Be full of joy, Zebulun, in your going out. Be full of joy, Issachar, in your tents.


text:
They will call the people to the mountain. There they will give gifts that are right with God. For they will take out the riches of the seas and the hidden riches of the sand."


text:
About Gad he said, "Happy is the one who gives much land to Gad! He lies down like a lion, and tears the arm and the crown of the head.


text:
He chose the best part for himself, for that was the ruler's share. He came with the leaders of the people. He did what the Lord wanted him to do. And he obeyed His Law with Israel."


text:
About Naphtali he said, "O Naphtali, filled with favor, and full of the good things of the Lord, take the sea and the south for your own."


text:
About Asher he said, "May Asher be given more than the other sons. May he be favored by his brothers. Let him put his foot in oil.


text:
"There is none like the God of Jeshurun. He comes through the heavens to help you, through the sky in His great power.


text:
The God Who lives forever is your safe place. His arms are always under you. He drove away from in front of you those who hate you, and said, 'Destroy!'


text:
So Israel lives in a safe place, the well of Jacob is safe, in a land of grain and new wine. Rain falls from His heavens.


text:
Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a nation saved by the Lord! He is the battle-covering Who helps you. He is the sword of your great power. So those who hate you will be afraid in front of you. And you will walk upon their high places."


text:
Now Moses went up from the valleys of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, beside Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan,


text:
all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the sea in the west,


text:
Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your children.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not go there."


text:
And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, beside Beth-peor. But no man knows where he is buried to this day.


text:
Moses was 120 years old when he died. But his eyes were not weak, and his strength had not left him.


text:
The children of Israel cried for Moses in the valley of Moab for thirty days. Then the days of crying and sorrow for Moses came to an end.


text:
Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel listened to him and did what the Lord had told Moses.


text:
There has never been another man who speaks for God in Israel like Moses. The Lord knew him face to face.


text:
There has never been another like him who has done all the powerful works the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land.


text:
There has never been another who has shown all the great power and all the great fear which Moses did for all Israel to see.


text:
"My servant Moses is dead. So you and all these people get up and cross the Jordan River to the land I am giving to the people of Israel.


text:
Your land will be from the desert and from Lebanon as far as the big Euphrates River. It will be all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea on the west.


text:
No man will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. I will be with you just as I have been with Moses. I will be faithful to you and will not leave you alone.


text:
Be strong and have strength of heart. For you will bring the people in to take this land which I promised to their fathers to give them.


text:
Only be strong and have much strength of heart. Be careful to obey all the Law which My servant Moses told you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left. Then all will go well with you everywhere you go.


text:
This book of the Law must not leave your mouth. Think about it day and night, so you may be careful to do all that is written in it. Then all will go well with you. You will receive many good things.


text:
Have I not told you? Be strong and have strength of heart! Do not be afraid or lose faith. For the Lord your God is with you anywhere you go."


text:
"Go among the tents and tell the people, 'Gather together the things you will need. For within three days you will cross this Jordan to go in to take the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.' ''


text:
"Remember what the Lord's servant Moses told you, saying, 'The Lord your God gives you rest, and will give you this land.'


text:
Your wives, your children and your cattle will stay in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you and all your strong-hearted soldiers will cross the river dressed for battle in front of your brothers. You will help them


text:
until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He has given you. Help them until they own the land the Lord your God is giving them. Then you will return to your own land. You will own what the Lord's servant Moses gave you on the east side of the Jordan."


text:
They answered Joshua, saying, "We will do all that you have told us. And we will go anywhere you send us.


text:
We will obey you in all things just as we obeyed Moses. Only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses.


text:
Anyone who goes against what you say, and does not obey all that you tell him to do, will be put to death. Only be strong and have strength of heart."


text:
Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men from Shittim to go in secret to learn about the land. He said to them, "Go and spy out the land, and Jericho." So they went and came to the house of Rahab, a woman who sold the use of her body, and they stayed there.


text:
So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you and have gone into your house. For they have come to spy out all the land."


text:
But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me. But I did not know where they were from.


text:
When it was time for the gate to be shut after dark, the men went out. I do not know where they went. Be quick to go after them, for you will catch them."


text:
The men went after them on the road to the Jordan as far as the river crossing. As soon as those going after them had gone out, they shut the gate.


text:
And she said to the men, "I know that the Lord has given you the land. The fear of you has come upon us. All the people living in the land have become weak with fear because of you.


text:
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt. We have heard how you destroyed the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan.


text:
When we heard it, our hearts became weak. No man had strength of heart any more because of you. For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.


text:
Now I have shown you kindness. So I beg of you, promise me by the Lord that you will show kindness to those of my father's house. Give me something to show that you will be faithful.


text:
Do not kill my father and mother and my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them. Save us from death."


text:
So the men said to her, "Our life for yours! If you do not tell anyone what we are doing, we will be faithful and show you kindness when the Lord gives us the land."


text:
Then she let them down by a rope through the window. She lived in her house that was built on top of the city wall.


text:
She said to them, "Go to the hill country, or those who are looking for you might find you. For three days hide yourselves there until those who are looking for you return. Then you may go on your way."


text:
unless, when we come into the land, you tie this red rope in the window you let us down through. Bring your father and mother, your brothers and all those of your father's house into your house.


text:
If anyone goes out through the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head. We will not be guilty for his death. But if a hand is laid upon anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head.


text:
She said, "Let it be as you have said." Then she sent them away, and tied the red rope in the window.


text:
They left and came to the hill country and stayed there for three days until those who were looking for them returned. The men had looked for them all along the road, but had not found them.


text:
Then the two men came down from the hill country, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them.


text:
They said to Joshua, "For sure the Lord has given all the land into our hands. All the people living in the land have become weak with fear because of us."


text:
Joshua got up early in the morning. He and all the people of Israel left Shittim and came to the Jordan. And they stayed there before they crossed.


text:
They told the people, "When you see the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God with the religious leaders carrying it, leave your places and follow it.


text:
Then you may know the way to go, for you have not passed this way before. But stay about 1,000 long steps away from it. Do not come near it."


text:
Then Joshua said to the people, "Make yourselves holy. For tomorrow the Lord will do powerful works among you."


text:
Joshua said to the religious leaders, "Take up the special box of the agreement and cross over in front of the people." So they took up the special box of the agreement and went in front of the people.


text:
The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to give you honor in the eyes of all Israel. Then they may know that I will be with you just as I have been with Moses.


text:
Tell the religious leaders who are carrying the special box of the agreement, 'When you come to the water of the Jordan River, stand still in it.' ''


text:
And Joshua said, "You will know that the living God is among you because He will be sure to drive away from in front of you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite and the Jebusite.


text:
See, the special box of the agreement of the Lord of All the earth is crossing over in front of you in the Jordan.


text:
The religious leaders who carry the special box of the agreement of the Lord of All the earth, will rest their feet in the water of the Jordan. Then the water of the Jordan will be cut off. The water flowing down from above will gather together in one place."


text:
So the people left their tents to cross the Jordan. The religious leaders carried the special box of the agreement in front of the people.


text:
They carried it to the Jordan and put their feet in the water. <n>(For the Jordan water floods during the time of gathering grain.)</n>


text:
Then the water flowing down from above stood and rose up in one place far away at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, was all cut off. So the people crossed beside Jericho.


text:
The religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. And all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had crossed the Jordan.


text:
Tell them, 'Take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan. Take them from the place where the religious leaders' feet are standing. Carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you stay tonight.' "


text:
And Joshua said to them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan in front of the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God. Each of you take a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the twelve family groups of Israel.


text:
Let this be something special among you. Your children will ask you later, 'What do these stones mean to you?'


text:
Then you will tell them that the water of the Jordan was cut off before the special box of the agreement of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan was cut off. So these stones will become something to remember to the people of Israel forever."


text:
The sons of Israel did as Joshua told them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord told Joshua. There was one stone for each family group of the sons of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they stayed, and put them down there.


text:
Then Joshua set up twelve stones at the place where the feet of the religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement were standing in the middle of the Jordan. They are there to this day.


text:
The religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement stood in the middle of the Jordan. They stood there until everything was finished that the Lord told Joshua to tell the people, all that Moses had told Joshua. The people crossed in a hurry.


text:
When all the people were over, they watched the religious leaders carry the special box of the agreement to the other side.


text:
The sons of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh crossed over ready for battle before the people of Israel, just as Moses had told them.


text:
On that day the Lord gave Joshua honor in the eyes of all Israel. So they honored him as a great man just as they had honored Moses all the days of his life.


text:
The religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan. When their feet stepped on dry ground, the water of the Jordan returned to its place. It flowed over its sides as before.


text:
The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they stayed at Gilgal on the east side of Jericho.


text:
He said to the people of Israel, "Your children will ask their fathers some time in the future, 'What do these stones mean?'


text:
For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you had crossed. It was just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed.


text:
Now all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is powerful, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever."


text:
All the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings by the sea heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed. And their hearts became weak. There was no spirit in them any more because of the people of Israel.


text:
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Make knives for yourselves out of hard stone. And cut the piece of skin from the sex part of the sons of Israel as before."


text:
So Joshua made knives of hard stone. Then he had the sons of Israel go through this religious act at Gibeath-haaraloth.


text:
This is the reason why Joshua had them go through this religious act. All the males who had come out of Egypt, all the soldiers, had died in the desert on the way from Egypt.


text:
All the people who came out went through this religious act. But all the people who were born in the desert on the way from Egypt had not gone through this religious act.


text:
For the people of Israel walked forty years in the desert, until all the men of war who came out of Egypt died, because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord. The Lord had promised them that He would not let them see the land He had promised to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.


text:
So Joshua went through the religious act on their children, whom the Lord raised up in their place. For they had not gone through this religious act along the way.


text:
When the whole nation had gone through this religious act, they stayed in their places among the tents until they were healed.


text:
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the shame of Egypt." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.


text:
The people of Israel stayed at Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho.


text:
On the very next day after the Passover, they ate some of the food of the land. They ate bread without yeast, and dry grain.


text:
The bread from heaven stopped on the day after they had eaten some of the food of the land. So the people of Israel no longer had bread from heaven. But they ate food of the land of Canaan during that year.


text:
When Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing near him with his sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said, "Are you for us or for those who hate us?"


text:
"No,'' He said, "I have now come as Captain of the army of the Lord." Joshua fell on his face to the ground and worshiped, and said to Him, "What has my Lord to say to His servant?"


text:
The Captain of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take your shoes off your feet. For the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.


text:
Now the gates of Jericho were all shut because of the people of Israel. No one went out and no one came in.


text:
Seven religious leaders will carry seven rams' horns. They will walk in front of the special box of the agreement. Then on the seventh day you will walk around the city seven times. And the religious leaders will blow horns.


text:
When you hear the long sound of the ram's horn, all the people should call out with a loud noise. The wall of the city will fall to the ground. And then all the people will all go in the city."


text:
So Joshua the son of Nun called the religious leaders and said to them, "Take up the special box of the agreement. And let seven religious leaders carry seven rams' horns in front of the special box of the agreement."


text:
Then he said to the people, "Go and walk around the city. Let the men ready for battle go in front of the special box of the agreement."


text:
When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven religious leaders carrying the seven rams' horns before the Lord walked on and blew the horns. And the special box of the agreement of the Lord followed them.


text:
The men ready for battle went in front of the religious leaders who blew the horns. The other soldiers came behind the special box of the agreement while the horns sounded without stopping.


text:
But Joshua told the people, "Do not call out or let your voice be heard. Not a word should come from your mouth until the day I tell you to call out. Then you must call out."


text:
So he had the special box of the agreement taken around the city once. Then they returned to the tents and stayed there through the night.


text:
Joshua got up early in the morning. And the religious leaders took up the special box of the agreement.


text:
The seven religious leaders carrying the seven rams' horns in front of the special box of the agreement began walking and blew the horns without stopping. The men ready for battle went in front of them. The other soldiers came behind the special box of the agreement. And the horns sounded without stopping.


text:
The second day they walked around the city once. Then they returned to the tents. They did this for six days.


text:
On the seventh day they got up early at the rising of the sun. They walked around the city in the same way, but on that day they walked around the city seven times.


text:
The seventh time, when the religious leaders blew their horns, Joshua said to the people, "Call out! For the Lord has given you the city.


text:
The city and all that is in it must be destroyed because everything in it belongs to the Lord. Only Rahab, the woman who sells the use of her body, and all who are with her in the house will live, because she hid the men we sent.


text:
But keep yourselves from the things that are to be destroyed. Or while you give them up to be destroyed, you might desire them. Then you would make the camp of Israel sinful also, and bring trouble on it.


text:
But all the silver and gold and objects of brass and iron are holy to the Lord. They will go into the store-house of the Lord."


text:
So the people called out and the religious leaders blew the horns. When the people heard the sound of the horns, they called out even louder. And the wall fell to the ground. All the people went straight in and took the city.


text:
They destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkey, with the sword.


text:
Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the house of the woman who sells the use of her body. Bring out the woman and all who are with her, as you promised her."


text:
So the young men who had spied out the land went in, and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all she had. They brought out all of her family and took them outside the tents of Israel.


text:
Then they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and objects of brass and iron they put into the store-house of the holy tent of the Lord.


text:
Joshua saved the life of Rahab, the woman who sold the use of her body, and those of her father's house and all she had. She has lived among Israel to this day, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho.


text:
Then Joshua made them promise at that time, saying, "May the Lord destroy the man who gets up and builds this city of Jericho. With the loss of his first-born he will begin to build it. With the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates."


text:
But the people of Israel sinned with the things that were to be destroyed. Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the family of Judah, took some of the things that were to be destroyed. So the Lord was very angry with the people of Israel.


text:
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, "Go and spy out the land in secret." So the men went and spied out Ai.


text:
When they returned to Joshua, they said, "Do not have all the people go there. Only about 2,000 or 3,000 men need to go to Ai. Do not make the whole army fight, for the people of Ai are few."


text:
The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and ran after them from the gate as far as Shebarim. And they killed more on the way down. So the hearts of the people became weak. They became like water.


text:
Then Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothes. They fell with their faces on the ground in front of the special box of the agreement until evening. And they put dust on their heads.


text:
Joshua said, "O Lord God, why did You ever bring this nation over the Jordan, only to give us into the hand of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been willing to live on the other side of the Jordan!


text:
The Canaanites and all the people living in the land will hear of it. They will gather around us and destroy our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?"


text:
Israel has sinned. They have gone against My agreement which I told them to keep. They have even taken some of the things that were to be destroyed. They have stolen and lied. And they have put them among their own things.


text:
That is why the people of Israel cannot stand in front of those who fight against them. They turn their backs in front of those who hate them because they are being punished. I will not be with you any more unless you destroy the things among you that should be destroyed.


text:
Get up! Set apart the people and say, 'Make yourselves holy for tomorrow. For the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, "There are things among you which should be destroyed, O Israel. You cannot stand in front of those who fight against you until you take away the things among you which should be destroyed."


text:
In the morning you must come near by your family groups. Then the family group which the Lord takes must come near by families. The family which the Lord takes must come near by tents. And the tent which the Lord takes must come near man by man.


text:
Then the one who is taken with the things which should have been destroyed must be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him because he has sinned against the agreement of the Lord. He has done an act of shame in Israel.' ''


text:
So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel near by family groups. The family group of Judah was taken.


text:
He brought the family group of Judah near. And he took the family of the Zerahites. He brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man. Zabdi was taken.


text:
Then he brought those of Zabdi's tent near man by man. And Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the family of Judah, was taken.


text:
Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I beg you, give honor and praise to the Lord, the God of Israel. Tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me."


text:
Achan answered Joshua, saying, "It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did.


text:
I saw among what was left of the city a beautiful coat from Shinar. I saw 200 pieces of silver, and a large piece of gold as heavy as fifty pieces of silver. I had a desire for them and took them. See, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver under it."


text:
They took these things from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord.


text:
Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the coat, the large piece of gold, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys, sheep, tent and all that belonged to him. They brought them to the valley of Achor.


text:
And Joshua said, "Why have you brought trouble upon us? The Lord will trouble you this day." Then all Israel threw stones at them. After that they burned them with fire.


text:
They put many stones over him that stand to this day. Then the Lord was no longer angry. The name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.


text:
The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid. Take all the men of war with you and go up to Ai. See, I have given the king of Ai into your hand, his people, his city, and his land.


text:
Do the same to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Take only its riches and its cattle for yourselves. Hide men behind the city to fight against it."


text:
So Joshua and all the men of war got ready to go up to Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 strong soldiers, and sent them out during the night.


text:
He told them, "See, you are going to fight the city from behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.


text:
I and all the people will come near the city. When they come out to meet us as they did before, we will run from them.


text:
They will come out after us until we have taken them away from the city. For they will say, 'They are running from us as they did before.' So we will run from them.


text:
When Joshua sent them away, they went to the hiding place. They waited between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua stayed that night among the people.


text:
Joshua got up early in the morning and gathered the people. Then he went up with the leaders of Israel in front of the people to Ai.


text:
All the men of war who were with him went up and came to the front of the city. They stayed on the north side of Ai. There was a valley between him and Ai.


text:
So they put the men in their places. There was the army on the north side of the city, and the secret army on the west side of the city. But Joshua stayed that night in the center of the valley.


text:
The king of Ai saw this. So the men of the city were quick to get up early and go out to meet Israel in battle at the chosen place near the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an army hiding behind the city.


text:
All the people in the city were called together to go after them. They went after Joshua, and were taken away from the city.


text:
So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel. They left the city open and ran after Israel.


text:
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Hold out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai. For I will give the city to you." So Joshua held out the spear that was in his hand toward the city.


text:
The men who were hiding got up in a hurry from their place and ran when he held out his hand. They went into the city and took it, and were quick to set it on fire.


text:
When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of the city going up to the sky. They had no place to run. Then the people of Israel who had been running away in the desert turned against those who went after them.


text:
Joshua and all Israel saw that the men who had been hiding had taken the city. They saw the smoke from the city, so they turned around and killed the men of Ai.


text:
The others came out from the city to meet them. The men of Ai were caught in the center of Israel. There were some on one side and some on the other side. They killed until no one was left alive. No one got away.


text:
Israel killed all the men of Ai in the field and in the desert where they had run after them. All of them were killed with the sword until they were destroyed. Then all Israel returned to Ai and destroyed it with the sword.


text:
Joshua did not put down his hand he used to hold out the spear until he had destroyed all the people of Ai.


text:
Israel took only the cattle and the riches of that city for themselves, as the Lord had told Joshua.


text:
He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. When the sun went down, Joshua had them take his body down from the tree and throw it down at the gate of the city. They put many stones over it, and they are there to this day.


text:
It was built just as the Lord's servant Moses had told the people of Israel, as it is written in the book of the Law of Moses. It was an altar made of stones which had not been cut. No one had used an iron object on them. On the altar they gave burnt gifts in worship to the Lord. And there they gave peace gifts in worship.


text:
All Israel stood on both sides of the special box, in front of the Levite religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement of the Lord. Strangers stood there as well as those born among the people, with their leaders and heads and men who judge between what is right or wrong. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim. The other half stood in front of Mount Ebal. They did just as the Lord's servant Moses had told them before. They prayed for good to come to the people of Israel.


text:
After this Joshua read all the words of the Law, the good and the bad that will happen. He read all that is written in the book of the Law.


text:
There was not a word of all that Moses had said which Joshua did not read. He read it in front of all the people of Israel, with the women and children and strangers who were living among them.


text:
The kings west of the Jordan, in the hill country and the valleys and beside the Great Sea toward Lebanon all heard what had happened. These kings were of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.


text:
So they went out to fool him, as men from another land. They took old bags on their donkeys, and skin bags of wine that were old and torn and mended.


text:
They wore old and mended shoes on their feet, and old clothes on themselves. All their bread was dry and broken.


text:
They went to Joshua among the tents at Gilgal. And they said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country. Now make an agreement with us."


text:
The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "It may be that you are living within our land. How then can we make an agreement with you?"


text:
But they said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Then Joshua said to them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"


text:
They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard about Him and all He did in Egypt.


text:
We heard what He did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth.


text:
So our leaders and all the people of our country said to us, 'Take what you need for traveling. Go to meet them and tell them, "We are your servants. Now make an agreement with us.' ''


text:
Our bread was warm when we took it along with what we needed from our houses on the day we left to come to you. But now look, it is dry and broken.


text:
These skin bags that we filled with wine were new. Now look, they are torn. And our clothes and shoes have become old because of the very long way we had to travel."


text:
Joshua made peace with them and made an agreement with them, to let them live. And the leaders of the people made a promise to them.


text:
But three days after they had made an agreement with them, they heard that they were neighbors who lived in their land.


text:
Then the people of Israel left that place and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.


text:
But the people of Israel did not kill them because the leaders of the people had made a promise to them by the Lord the God of Israel. All the people complained against the leaders.


text:
Then all the leaders said to all the people, "We have made a promise to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Now we cannot touch them.


text:
This is what we will do to them. We will let them live, or anger would be upon us for the promise we swore to them."


text:
And the leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they cut wood and brought water for all the people, as the leaders had told them.


text:
Joshua called them and said, "Why have you lied to us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land?


text:
Now you are cursed. You will never stop being servants, cutting wood and bringing water, for the house of my God."


text:
They answered Joshua, "Because it was told to your servants that the Lord your God had told His servant Moses to give you all the land and kill all the people of the land in front of you. We were very much afraid for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this thing.


text:
So he did this to them. He saved them from the hands of the people of Israel. They did not kill them.


text:
But on that day Joshua made them cut wood and bring water for the people of Israel and for the altar of the Lord, at whatever place He chooses. That was to be their work to this day.


text:
Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and had destroyed it. Joshua had done the same thing to Ai and its king that he had done to Jericho and its king. Adoni-zedek heard that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them.


text:
He was very much afraid. Because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the cities of a king. It was larger than Ai. All its men were strong.


text:
So Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon. He said to them,


text:
"Come and help me. Let us go fight against Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel."


text:
So the five kings of the Amorites, the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon, gathered together with all their armies. And they went and set up their tents by Gibeon, to fight against it.


text:
Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the tents at Gilgal, saying, "Do not leave your servants alone. Hurry and help us. For all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country have gathered against us."


text:
The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. For I have given them into your hands. Not one of them will stand in front of you."


text:
The Lord brought trouble upon the Amorites in front of Israel. He killed many of them at Gibeon, and went after them on the way up to Beth-horon. He killed them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.


text:
They ran from Israel. And while they ran from Beth-horon, the Lord made large hail-stones fall from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. More died from the hail-stones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.


text:
Then Joshua spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord made the Amorites lose the war against the sons of Israel. He said, in the eyes of Israel, "O sun, stand still at Gibeon. O moon, stand still in the valley of Aijalon."


text:
So the sun stood still and the moon stopped, until the nation punished those who fought against them. Is it not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the center of the sky. It did not hurry to go down for about a whole day.


text:
There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man. For the Lord fought for Israel.


text:
And Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the opening of the cave. Then put men there to watch over them.


text:
But do not stay there yourselves. Go after those who hate you. Follow after them and fight. Do not let them go into their cities. For the Lord your God has given them into your hand."


text:
Joshua and the sons of Israel finished killing many of them, until they were destroyed. Those who were left alive went into their strong cities.


text:
Then all the people returned to Joshua at the tents at Makkedah in peace. No one said a word against any of the people of Israel.


text:
The five kings were brought to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.


text:
When they brought those kings out to Joshua, he called for all the men of Israel. He said to the leaders of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came and put their feet on their necks.


text:
Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or troubled. Be strong and have strength of heart. For the Lord will do this to all who hate you and fight against you."


text:
After this Joshua killed the kings. He hanged them on five trees, and they hung on the trees until evening.


text:
When the sun went down, Joshua had them taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Large stones were put over the opening of the cave. And they are there to this day.


text:
Joshua took Makkedah on that day. He destroyed it and its king with the sword. He destroyed all of it and every person in it. No one was left alive. He did the same to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.


text:
The Lord gave it and its king into the hands of Israel also. Joshua destroyed it and every person in it with the sword. He left no one alive. So he did the same to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.


text:
And the Lord gave Lachish into the hands of Israel. Joshua took it on the second day. He destroyed it and every person in it with the sword, just as he had done to Libnah.


text:
Horam king of Gezer came to help Lachish. But Joshua won the battle against him and his people. He left no one alive.


text:
And they took it on that day and destroyed it with the sword. He destroyed every person who was in it that day, just as he had done to Lachish.


text:
They took it and destroyed it. They destroyed its king, all its cities and all who were in it with the sword. He left no one alive, just as he had done to Eglon. He destroyed all of it and every person in it.


text:
He took it, its king and all its cities. He destroyed them with the sword. Every person in it was destroyed. No one was left alive. He did the same to Debir and its king as he had done to Hebron and Libnah and their kings.


text:
So Joshua won the war against the whole land, the hill country, the Negev, the valleys, the hill-sides, and all their kings. He left no one alive. He destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had told him.


text:
Joshua killed them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza. He killed them in all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon.


text:
Joshua took all these kings and their lands at the same time. Because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.


text:
Jabin king of Hazor heard what had happened. He sent news to Jobab king of Madon and to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph.


text:
He sent news to the kings in the hill country to the north, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the valleys, and in the high land of Dor to the west.


text:
He sent news to the Canaanite in the east and in the west, and the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite at the base of Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.


text:
Then they came out, they and all their armies with them. There were as many people as the sand beside the sea. And they had very many horses and warwagons.


text:
All of these kings met and came and stayed together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.


text:
"Do not be afraid,'' the Lord said to Joshua. "For tomorrow at this time I will have killed all of them for Israel. You will cut the legs of their horses and burn their war-wagons with fire."


text:
So Joshua with all the men of war came upon them by surprise at the waters of Merom, and fought against them.


text:
And the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They won the war against them and ran after them as far as the big city of Sidon and Misrephoth-maim and the valley of Mizpeh to the east. They killed them until no one was left alive.


text:
Joshua did to them as the Lord had told him. He cut the legs of their horses and burned their warwagons with fire.


text:
Then Joshua turned back and took Hazor and killed its king with the sword. For Hazor had been the head of all these nations.


text:
They killed every person in it with the sword, destroying all of them. There was no one left who breathed. Then he burned Hazor with fire.


text:
Joshua took all the cities of these kings, and all their kings and killed them with the sword. He destroyed all of them, just as the Lord's servant Moses had told him.


text:
The sons of Israel took for themselves all the riches of these cities and the cattle. But they killed every man with the sword until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed.


text:
What the Lord had told His servant Moses to do, he told Joshua, and Joshua did it. He did everything the Lord had told Moses.


text:
So Joshua took all that land. He took the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the valleys, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its valleys.


text:
He took the land from Mount Halak which goes up to Seir as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon at the base of Mount Hermon. He took all their kings and killed them.


text:
There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon. They took them all in battle.


text:
For the Lord made their hearts hard to meet Israel in battle, so Israel might destroy all of them. They would not be shown pity but would be destroyed, just as the Lord had told Moses.


text:
At that time Joshua went and killed the big powerful men in the hill country. He killed them in Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel. Joshua destroyed all of them with their cities.


text:
There were no big powerful men left in the land of the people of Israel. Some were left only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod.


text:
So Joshua took the whole land, just as the Lord had told Moses. And Joshua gave it as a gift to Israel, a share for each family group. Then the land had rest from war.


text:
These are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel won the war against east of the Jordan. They took their land from the Arnon valley to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east.


text:
There was Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the side of the Arnon valley, and from the center of the valley and half of Gilead as far as the river Jabbok, beside the Ammonites.


text:
And he ruled the Arabah as far as the Sea of Chinneroth in the east, and as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, east toward Beth-jeshimoth and south to the bottom of the hills of Pisgah.


text:
And they took the land of Og, king of Bashan, one of the Rephaim who were still living. Og lived at Ashtaroth and Edrei.


text:
He ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all Bashan. He ruled as far as the land of the Geshurites, the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, as far as the land of Sihon, king of Heshbon.


text:
The Lord's servant Moses and the people of Israel won the war against them. Moses the Lord's servant gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-family group of Manasseh.


text:
These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the sons of Israel won the war against west of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak which goes up to Seir. <n>(Joshua gave their land as a gift to the family groups of Israel, by each one's share.


text:
He gave them the hill country, the valleys, the Arabah, the hill-sides, the desert, and the Negev. It was the land of the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.)</n>


text:
Now Joshua was old. He had lived many years. The Lord said to him, "You are old and have lived many years. And there is very much land yet to be taken.


text:
from the Shihor east of Egypt as far as the land of Ekron in the north <n>(it is thought of as Canaanite)</n>. There are the five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron, and those of the Avvim.


text:
In the south, there is all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the land of the Amorite,


text:
and the land of the Gebalite. There is all of Lebanon east from Baal-gad at the base of Mount Hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.


text:
I will drive out from in front of the people of Israel all those living in the hill country from Lebanon as far as Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians. Give the land as a gift to Israel, as I have told you.


text:
The other half-family group, the Reubenites and the Gadites received their gift of land which Moses gave them east of the Jordan, just as the Lord's servant Moses gave it to them.


text:
It spread from Aroer, beside the Arnon valley, and the city in the center of the valley, and the plain of Medeba as far as Dibon,


text:
and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon. And it went as far as the land of the Ammonites,


text:
and Gilead, and the land of the Geshurites and Maacathites. They received all Mount Hermon, all Bashan as far as Salecah,


text:
and all the nation of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. <n>(He alone was left of the Rephaim still living.)</n> For Moses had won the war against them and had driven them out.


text:
But the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites. For Geshur and Maacath live among Israel to this day.


text:
Moses did not give any land to the family of Levi. Gifts given on the altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their share, as He said to him.


text:
Their land was from Aroer beside the Arnon valley, and the city in the center of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba,


text:
There were all the cities of the plain, and all the nation of Sihon king of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses won the war against Sihon and the leaders of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.


text:
The sons of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam, the son of Beor, the one who told what would happen in the future.


text:
The side of the land belonging to the people of Reuben was the Jordan. This is what was given to the people of Reuben for their families with their cities and towns.


text:
Their land was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead. And it was half the land of the Ammonites, as far as Aroer which is east of Rabbah.


text:
It went from Heshbon as far as Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim as far as the land of Debir.


text:
In the valley there was Bethharam, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon. They were given the rest of the nation of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan along its side. It went up to the south end of the Sea of Chinnereth east of the Jordan.


text:
Moses gave land to the half-family group of Manasseh. It was divided among the families of the half-family group of the sons of Manasseh.


text:
Their land was from Mahanaim through all Bashan, all the nation of Og king of Bashan. It was all the towns of Jair which are in Bashan, sixty cities.


text:
It was half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the nation of Og in Bashan. These were given to the people of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir by their families.


text:
These are the lands which Moses divided in the plains of Moab on the other side of the Jordan east of Jericho.


text:
But Moses did not give any land to the family of Levi. The Lord, the God of Israel, is their share, as He had told them.


text:
These are the lands which the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan. They were given to them as a gift by Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers' houses of the families of the people of Israel.


text:
Their share was decided upon by drawing names, as the Lord told Moses, for the nine families and the half-family group.


text:
For Moses had given land to the two families and the half-family group east of the Jordan. But he did not give land to the Levites among them.


text:
Because the sons of Joseph were two families, Manasseh and Ephraim. And they did not give part of the land to the Levites. They only gave them cities to live in, with fields for their animals and whatever they had.


text:
Then the sons of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God about you and me in Kadesh-barnea.


text:
I was forty years old when the Lord's servant Moses sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land. I returned with news for him as it was in my heart.


text:
My brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people weak with fear. But I followed the Lord my God with all my heart.


text:
So Moses promised on that day, 'For sure the land where your foot has stepped will be a gift to you and your children forever. Because you have followed the Lord my God with all your heart.'


text:
Now see, the Lord has let me live, as He said, these forty-five years since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel walked in the desert. Today I am eighty-five years old.


text:
I am as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me. I am as strong now as I was then, for war, or for anything.


text:
So now give me this hill country the Lord spoke about on that day. For you heard then that big powerful men were there, with strong cities with high walls. If the Lord will be with me, I will drive them out just as the Lord said."


text:
So Joshua prayed that God would favor him. And he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his share.


text:
Hebron became the land of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day. Because he followed the Lord God of Israel with all his heart.


text:
The name of Hebron had been Kiriath-arba. For Arba was the most powerful among the big powerful men. Then the land had rest from war.


text:
The share of land for the family group of the people of Judah by their families was south to the land of Edom. It went to the Desert of Zin at the far south.


text:
It went south of the hill of Akrabbim and on to Zin. Then it went up by the south of Kadeshbarnea and on to Hezron and Addar and turned to Karka.


text:
It went on to Azmon and the river of Egypt and ended at the sea. This was the south side of their land.


text:
The east side was the Salt Sea, as far as the end of the Jordan. The north side was from the part of the sea at the end of the Jordan.


text:
It went up to Beth-hoglah, passed north of Beth-arabah, and went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.


text:
It went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, then turned north to Gilgal beside the hill of Adummim which is on the south side of the valley. It went on to the waters of En-shemesh, and ended at Enrogel.


text:
Then the side of their land went up the valley of Ben-Hinnom to the hill of the Jebusite on the south <n>(that is, Jerusalem)</n>. It went on to the top of the mountain beside the valley of Hinnom on the west, at the north end of the valley of Rephaim.


text:
The side of their land then went from the top of the mountain to the well of the waters of Nephtoah. It went on to the cities of Mount Ephron, then turned to Baalah <n>(that is, Kiriath-jearim)</n>.


text:
The side of their land went around west of Baalah to Mount Seir. It went on to the north side of Mount Jearim <n>(that is, Chesalon)</n>, then down to Beth-shemesh and on through Timnah.


text:
The side of their land went on to the north side of Ekron. Then it turned to Shikkeron and went on to Mount Baalah and on to Jabneel, and ended at the sea.


text:
The west side of their land was along the side of the Great Sea. These are the sides of the land of the people of Judah by their families.


text:
Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a share among the people of Judah, as the Lord told him. It was Kiriath-arba <n>(that is, Hebron)</n>, named for Arba, the father of Anak.


text:
Caleb drove away from there the three sons of Anak. The children of Anak were Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai.


text:
From there he went to fight against the people of Debir. The name of Debir had been Kiriath-sepher before.


text:
Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife to the one who fights against Kiriath-sepher and takes it."


text:
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, took it. So Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah as a wife.


text:
When she came to Othniel, she talked him into asking her father for a field. When she got down off her donkey, Caleb said to her, "What do you want?"


text:
Achsah answered, "Give me a gift. You have given me the land of the Negev. Give me wells of water also." So Caleb gave her the wells in the high-land and in the valley.


text:
The cities of the family of Judah in the far south, toward the land of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,


text:
Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. There were twenty-nine cities in all, with the towns around them.


text:
There were Ashdod with its towns and villages, and Gaza with its towns and villages, as far as the river of Egypt and the side of the Great Sea.


text:
And there were Kiriath-baal <n>(that is, Kiriath-jearim)</n>, and Rabbah, two cities with the towns around them.


text:
But the sons of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the people of Jerusalem. So the Jebusites live with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.


text:
The share of land for the people of Joseph went from the Jordan at Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, into the desert. It went from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.


text:
Then it went west to the land of the Japhletites, as far as the land of lower Beth-horon, and to Gezer. It ended at the sea.


text:
The land of the people of Ephraim by their families on the east side was Ataroth-addar, as far as upper Bethhoron.


text:
Then the side of the land went toward the sea, with Michmethath on the north, and turned east to Taanath-shiloh, and on to the east side of Janoah.


text:
From Tappuah it went west to the river of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land given to the family group of the people of Ephraim for their families.


text:
And there are the cities which were set apart for the people of Ephraim within the land that was given to the people of Manasseh, all the cities with the towns around them.


text:
But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites live among Ephraim to this day. But they have been made to work for the people of Ephraim.


text:
This was the share of land given to the family of Manasseh, the first-born of Joseph. Gilead and Bashan were given to Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war.


text:
And land was given to the rest of the sons of Manasseh for their families. The sons of Joseph's son Manasseh, with their families, were Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida.


text:
But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.


text:
They came to Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the leaders, saying, "The Lord told Moses to give us a share of land among our brothers." So they gave them a share of land among their father's brothers, as the Lord had said.


text:
Ten parts of the land were given to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan on the other side of the Jordan;


text:
because Manasseh's daughters received a share of land among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.


text:
The side of the land of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath, east of Shechem. Then it went south to the people of En-tappuah.


text:
The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh. But the town of Tappuah on the side of Manasseh's land belonged to the sons of Ephraim.


text:
Then the side of the land went down to the river of Kanah. The cities south of the river, among the cities of Manasseh, belonged to Ephraim. Then Manasseh's land went along the north side of the river and ended at the sea.


text:
The south side belonged to Ephraim. The north side belonged to Manasseh. Their land spread from the sea to Asher on the north and to Issachar on the east.


text:
In Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the people of Dor and its towns, the people of En-dor and its towns, the people of Taanach and its towns, and the people of Megiddo and its towns. The third city is Napheth.


text:
But the sons of Manasseh could not take these cities for their own because the Canaanites would not leave that land.


text:
When the people of Israel became strong, they made the Canaanites work for them. But they did not drive all of them out.


text:
The sons of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one share of the land? We have many people. And the Lord has brought good to us until now."


text:
Joshua said to them, "If you have many people, go up among the trees and clear a place for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you."


text:
The sons of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us. But all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron war-wagons. Both those in Beth-shean and its towns and those in the valley of Jezreel have them."


text:
Then Joshua said to the families of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, "You have many people and much power. You will not have only one share of land.


text:
The hill country will be yours. It is full of trees, but you will clear it. All of it will be yours. For you will drive out the Canaanites, even if they have iron war-wagons and much strength."


text:
Then all the people of Israel gathered together at Shiloh. They set up the tent of meeting there. The land around them had been taken in battle.


text:
There were still seven family groups among the people of Israel who had not received their share of land.


text:
So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "How long will you wait before going in to take the land the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?


text:
Choose three men from each of these seven family groups. I will send them to go through the land and write down what they find it to be like, to be shared by each family. Then they will return to me.


text:
They will divide it into seven parts. Judah will stay in his land in the south. The house of Joseph will stay in their land in the north.


text:
You will write down how the land should be divided into seven parts, then bring it to me. I will draw names for you here before the Lord our God.


text:
The Levites have no share of land among you. Being the religious leaders for the Lord is their share. Gad and Reuben and the halffamily group of Manasseh have received their land east of the Jordan. The Lord's servant Moses gave it to them."


text:
As the men got up to go, Joshua told them, "Go and walk through the land. Write down what you find, and return to me. Then I will draw names for you here before the Lord in Shiloh."


text:
The men went and passed through the land. They wrote in a book the cities they found and divided them into seven parts. Then they returned to Joshua among the tents at Shiloh.


text:
Joshua drew names for them in Shiloh before the Lord. There he divided the land among the people of Israel, a part for each family.


text:
The first name drawn was for the families of the people of Benjamin. The share of their land was between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph.


text:
The north side of their land was from the Jordan up to the north side of Jericho. Then it went west through the hill country, ending at the desert of Beth-aven.


text:
The side of their land went from there south to the side of Luz <n>(that is, Bethel)</n>. Then it went down to Ataroth-addar, near the hill south of the valley land of Beth-horon.


text:
The side of their land turned west from there around the south side of the hill before Bethhoron. It ended at Kiriath-baal <n>(that is, Kiriath-jearim)</n>, a city of the people of Judah. This was the west side.


text:
Then the side of their land went down to the side of the hill in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, at the north end of the valley of Rephaim. It went down to the valley of Hinnom, south of the side of the Jebusites, and down to En-rogel.


text:
Then it went north to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth by the hill of Adummim, then down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.


text:
Then the side of their land went along the north side of Beth-hoglah. And it ended at the north waters of the Salt Sea at the south end of the Jordan. This was the south side.


text:
The east side of their land was the Jordan. This was the land with its sides, given to the family group of Benjamin.


text:
Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite <n>(that is, Jerusalem)</n>, Gibeah, and Kiriath, fourteen cities with their towns. This is the land that was given to the families of the people of Benjamin.


text:
The second name drawn was for the families of the people of Simeon. Their land was in the center of the land of the people of Judah.


text:
And they had all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, also known as Ramah of the Negev. This was the land given to the families of the people of Simeon.


text:
The land of the people of Simeon was taken from the land of the people of Judah. For the share of the people of Judah was too large for them. So the people of Simeon received a share of land in the center of Judah's land.


text:
The third name drawn was for the families of the people of Zebulun. The share of their land was as far as Sarid.


text:
The side of their land went from there west to Marealah, touched Dabbesheth, and on to the river by Jokneam.


text:
It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise as far as the land of Chisloth-tabor, then on to Daberath and up to Japhia.


text:
From there it went east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, Eth-kazin, and on to Rimmon, turning toward Neah.


text:
In their land were Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. In all there were twelve cities with the towns around them.


text:
This is what was given to the families of the people of Zebulun, these cities with the towns around them.


text:
Their land spread to Tabor, Shahazumah, Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan, with sixteen cities and their towns.


text:
This is what was given to the families of the people of Issachar, the cities with the towns around them.


text:
It turned east to Beth-dagon and to Zebulun along the valley of Iphtahel north to Bethemek and Neiel. Then it went on north to Cabul,


text:
From there the side of their land turned toward Ramah and then to the strong city of Tyre, turned again to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Achzib,


text:
This is what was given to the families of the people of Asher, these cities with the towns around them.


text:
Their land spread from Heleph, from the big tree in Zaanannim. It went through Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum. And it ended at the Jordan.


text:
The side of their land turned from there west to Aznoth-tabor, and went on to Hukkok. It spread to Zebulun in the south, Asher in the west, and to Judah at the Jordan in the east.


text:
The people of Dan needed more land. So they went up and fought with Leshem and took it with the sword. They took it for themselves and lived in it. And they gave it the name Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father.


text:
When they finished dividing the land and giving to each family group their share, then the people of Israel gave some land among them to Joshua the son of Nun.


text:
As the Lord had told them, they gave him the city he asked for. They gave him Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and lived in it.


text:
This is the land which was given by Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the houses of the families of the people of Israel. It was given by drawing names in Shiloh before the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. So they finished dividing the land.


text:
"Say to the people of Israel, 'Choose the cities where you may go and be safe when you are in trouble, as I said to you through Moses.


text:
So the man who kills any person without meaning to or planning to may run to one of these cities. They will be places where you can go to be safe from the one who wants to punish you for the killing.


text:
He will run to one of these cities and stand at the city gate. There he will tell his story to the leaders of that city. They will take him into the city and give him a place. So he may live among them.


text:
If the one who wants to punish him comes after him, they will not give him the one who killed the person, because he killed his neighbor without planning to, and did not hate him in the past.


text:
He will live in that city until he has been tried in front of the people. And he will live there until the death of the one who is the head religious leader at the time. Then the one who killed the person may return to his own city and his own house, to the city he ran away from.' ''


text:
So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali. They set apart Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim. And they set apart Kiriath-arba <n>(that is, Hebron)</n> in the hill country of Judah.


text:
On the other side of the Jordan east of Jericho, they set apart Bezer in the desert plain from the family of Reuben. They set apart Ramoth in Gilead from the family of Gad. And they set apart Golan in Bashan from the family of Manasseh.


text:
These were the chosen cities for all the people of Israel and for the stranger staying among them. So whoever killed any person without meaning to could run there. He could not be killed by the one who wanted to punish him, before standing trial in front of the people.


text:
Then the family heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the family groups of Israel.


text:
They said to them at Shiloh in Canaan, "The Lord said through Moses to give us cities to live in, as well as fields around them for our cattle."


text:
So the sons of Israel gave these cities and fields of their land to the Levites, as the Lord had said.


text:
The name drawn first was for the families of the Kohathites. The Levites who were children of Aaron the religious leader received thirteen cities from the families of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.


text:
The rest of the sons of Kohath by drawing names received ten cities from the families of Ephraim and Dan and the half-family group of Manasseh.


text:
The sons of Gershon by drawing names received thirteen cities from the families of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-family group of Manasseh in Bashan.


text:
The sons of Israel by drawing names gave these cities with their fields to the Levites, as the Lord had said through Moses.


text:
They were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi. For their name was drawn first.


text:
They gave them Kiriath-arba <n>(that is, Hebron)</n> with the fields around it in the hill country of Judah. <n>(Arba was the father of Anak.)</n>


text:
So to the sons of Aaron the religious leader they gave Hebron and Libnah with their fields. Hebron was the city where one who killed a man could go to be safe.


text:
Ain with its fields, Juttah with its fields, and Bethshemesh with its fields. There were nine cities from these two family groups.


text:
Then cities from the family of Ephraim were given to the rest of the families of the people of Kohath, the Levites.


text:
They gave them Shechem with its fields in the hill country of Ephraim. A man who killed another person could run to Shechem to be safe. And they gave them Gezer with its fields,


text:
From the halffamily group of Manasseh were given Taanach with its fields, and Gathrimmon with its fields, two cities.


text:
From the half-family group of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan and Be-eshterah and their fields to the sons of Gershon, one of the Levite families. A man who killed another person could run to Golan in Bashan to be safe. They were given two cities.


text:
From the family of Naphtali were given Kedesh in Galilee with its fields, Hammoth-dor with its fields, and Kartan with its fields, three cities. A man who killed another man could run to Kedesh to be safe.


text:
They gave cities to the families of the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, from the family of Zebulun. They gave them Jokneam with its fields, Kartah with its fields,


text:
From the family of Gad was given Ramoth in Gilead with its fields. A man who killed another person could run to Ramoth in Gilead to be safe. And they gave them Mahanaim with its fields,


text:
There were twelve cities in all given to the families of the people of Merari, the rest of the families of the Levites.


text:
The cities of the Levites among the land of the people of Israel were forty-eight cities in all, with their fields.


text:
The Lord gave Israel all the land He had promised to give to their fathers. They took it for their own, and lived in it.


text:
The Lord gave them peace on every side, just as He had promised their fathers. Not one of all those who hated them could stand in front of them. The Lord gave all those who hated them into their hand.


text:
He said to them, "You have done all that the Lord's servant Moses told you to do. You have obeyed me in all I have told you to do.


text:
You have not left your brothers alone even to this day. But you have been careful to do what the Lord your God has told you.


text:
Now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as He promised them. So go now. Return to your homes in your own land, which the Lord's servant Moses gave you on the other side of the Jordan.


text:
Only be very careful to obey the Law which the Lord's servant Moses told you. Love the Lord your God. Walk in all His ways. Obey His Laws. Stay close to Him, and work for Him with all your heart and soul."


text:
Moses had given land in Bashan to the half-family group of Manasseh. But Joshua gave land west of the Jordan to the other half of the family among their brothers. Joshua prayed that good would come to them when he sent them away to their homes.


text:
He said to them, "Return to your homes with much riches, many animals, silver, gold, brass, iron, and very many clothes. Share with your brothers the riches taken from those who fought against you."


text:
The sons of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh returned home. They left the people of Israel at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and went to their own land of Gilead. They had taken this land by the word of the Lord through Moses.


text:
The sons of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh came to the Jordan River. Before they crossed the Jordan, they built a very large altar on the Canaan side of the Jordan.


text:
The people of Israel heard the news, "See, the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh have built an altar in the land of Canaan by the Jordan. It stands on the side that belongs to the people of Israel."


text:
When the people of Israel heard about it, all the sons of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.


text:
Then the sons of Israel sent Phinehas the son of the religious leader Eleazar into the land of Gilead to the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh.


text:
With him were ten leaders, one leader from each ruling house in every family of Israel. Each one was the head of his father's house among the families of Israel.


text:
They came to the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh in the land of Gilead, and said to them,


text:
"All the people of the Lord say, 'What sin is this that you have done against the God of Israel? You have turned away from following the Lord this day, by building yourselves an altar. Today you have gone against the Lord.


text:
Is not the sin of Peor enough for us? We have made ourselves unclean from that to this day, and much trouble has come upon the people of the Lord.


text:
Now to add to that sin, this day you have turned away from following the Lord. If you go against the Lord today, He will be angry with all the people of Israel tomorrow.


text:
Now if the land you have been given is unclean, cross over into the Lord's land. There stands the meeting tent of the Lord. Take land for yourselves among us. But do not go against the Lord, or against us, by building an altar other than the altar of the Lord our God.


text:
Did not Zerah's son Achan sin by taking things that should have been destroyed? Anger came upon all the people of Israel. He did not die alone for his sin.' ''


text:
Then the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh answered the leaders of the families of Israel, saying,


text:
"The Powerful One, the Lord, the Powerful One, God, the Lord! He knows! And may Israel itself know! If it was going against the Lord and not being faithful to Him, do not save us this day!


text:
If we have built an altar to turn away from following the Lord, or to give burnt gifts, grain gifts or peace gifts on it, may the Lord Himself punish us.


text:
We have done this because we were afraid that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?


text:
For the Lord has put the Jordan between us and you people of Reuben and Gad. You have nothing to do with the Lord.' Then your children might make our children stop worshiping the Lord.


text:
But it will be something special to be seen between us and you and our children after us. It will show that we are to serve the Lord before Him with our burnt gifts, our gifts of animals and our peace gifts. Then your children will not say to our children in the future, "You have nothing to do with the Lord." '


text:
We thought that if they say this to us or our children in the future we can say, 'See the altar we have made like the altar of the Lord which our fathers made. It is not for burnt gifts or killing animals in worship. But it is something special to see between us and you.'


text:
Never let it be said that we went against the Lord and turned away from following the Lord this day by building an altar. It is not for burnt gifts or grain gifts or killing animals in worship. It is not to be used instead of the altar of the Lord our God before His meeting tent."


text:
Phinehas the religious leader and the leaders of the people, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, were pleased when they heard the words of the people of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.


text:
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the religious leader said to the people of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, "Today we know that the Lord is among us. Because you have not done this as sin against the Lord. Now you have saved the people of Israel from the hand of the Lord."


text:
Then Phinehas the son of the religious leader Eleazar and the leaders left the people of Reuben and Gad. They returned from the land of Gilead to the people of Israel in the land of Canaan. And they told them what had happened.


text:
The news pleased the people of Israel, and they gave thanks to God. They said no more about going against them in war, to destroy the land where the people of Reuben and Gad were living.


text:
The people of Reuben and Gad said, "This altar shows the agreement between us that the Lord is God."


text:
A long time after that, the Lord had given Israel rest from all those around them who hated them. Joshua had grown old, and had lived many years.


text:
Joshua called all Israel, their leaders, their heads, and the men chosen among them who judge between what is right or wrong. Then he said to them, "I am old and have lived many years.


text:
And you have seen all the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you. The Lord your God is the One Who has fought for you.


text:
See, I have given to you as land for your families those nations that are left, with all the nations I have destroyed. They lie from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west.


text:
The Lord your God will send them out from in front of you. He will send them away from you. Then their land will be yours, just as the Lord your God promised you.


text:
So do not be moved by others. Keep and obey all that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left.


text:
Do not mix with these nations that stay among you. Do not say the names of their gods or make anyone swear by them. Do not work for them or worship them.


text:
For the Lord has driven away large and strong nations from in front of you. No man has been able to stand in front of you to this day.


text:
One of your men makes a thousand run away. For the Lord your God is the One Who fights for you, just as He promised you.


text:
For if you ever turn away and join the people of these nations left among you and marry some of their people and go among them,


text:
know for sure that the Lord your God will stop driving these nations away from you. And they will be a net and a trap to you. They will be a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you are destroyed from this good land the Lord your God has given you.


text:
"See, today I am going the way of all the earth. Know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God made to you has been broken. All have come true for you. Not one of them has been broken.


text:
Every good promise the Lord your God made to you has come true. But in the same way, He will keep His promises to punish you. He will punish you until He has destroyed you from this good land the Lord your God has given you.


text:
If you do not keep the agreement the Lord your God made with you, and serve other gods and worship them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you and you will be destroyed from the good land He has given you."


text:
Then Joshua gathered all the families of Israel to Shechem. He called for the leaders of Israel, the heads of the families and those who judged between what is right or wrong. And they showed themselves before God.


text:
Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your fathers lived on the other side of the River. There was Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor. And they worshiped other gods.


text:
Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River. I led him through all the land of Canaan. I gave him many children, and I gave him Isaac.


text:
To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Mount Seir to Esau for his own. But Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.


text:
I sent Moses and Aaron. I had to bring trouble upon Egypt by what I did among them. Then I brought you out.


text:
I brought your fathers out of Egypt to the Sea. Egypt went after your fathers to the Red Sea with war-wagons and horsemen.


text:
But when they cried out to the Lord, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians. He brought the sea upon them and covered them. Your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the desert for a long time.


text:
I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived on the east side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them to you. You took their land for your own when I destroyed them in front of you.


text:
'Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, came and fought against Israel. He sent for Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.


text:
But I would not listen to Balaam. So he had to pray for good to come to you. And I saved you from his hand.


text:
'You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The people of Jericho fought against you. And the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite and the Jebusite fought against you. So I gave them into your hand.


text:
I sent the hornets ahead of you. They drove out the people and the two kings of the Amorites from in front of you. You did not do it by your sword or bow.


text:
I gave you a land you did not work for. You live in cities you did not build. You are eating from vines and olive trees you did not plant.'


text:
"So fear the Lord. Serve Him in faith and truth. Put away the gods your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt. Serve the Lord.


text:
If you think it is wrong to serve the Lord, choose today whom you will serve. Choose the gods your fathers worshiped on the other side of the river, or choose the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."


text:
For the Lord our God is the One Who brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house where we were made to work. He did these powerful works in front of our eyes. He kept us safe everywhere we went, among all the nations we passed through.


text:
The Lord drove away from in front of us all the nations, even the Amorites who lived in the land. So we will serve the Lord. For He is our God."


text:
Then Joshua said to the people, "You will not be able to serve the Lord. For He is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your wrong-doing or your sins.


text:
If you turn away from the Lord and serve strange gods, He will turn and punish you. He will destroy you after He has been good to you."


text:
Then Joshua said to the people, "You have spoken for yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord." And they said, "We have spoken for ourselves."


text:
Joshua said, "So put away the strange gods that are among you. Give your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel."


text:
Joshua wrote these words in the book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the tree that was by the holy place of the Lord.


text:
Joshua said to all the people, "See, this stone will be here to speak against us. For it has heard all the words the Lord spoke to us. So it will be here to speak against you, if you do not stay true to your God."


text:
They buried him in the land he was given in Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.


text:
Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and of the leaders who lived after him who had known all the works the Lord had done for Israel.


text:
The people of Israel brought the bones of Joseph from Egypt. They buried them in Shechem, in the piece of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for 100 pieces of money. It became the land of Joseph's children.


text:
Eleazar the son of Aaron died also. They buried him on the hill at Gibeah that was given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.


text:
After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel asked the Lord, "Who will be first to go up and fight against the Canaanites for us?"


text:
Then Judah said to his brother Simeon, "Come with me into the land which is given to me. Let us fight against the Canaanites together. Then I will go with you into the land which is given to you." So Simeon went with him.


text:
Judah went up, and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands. They killed 10,000 men at Bezek.


text:
They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they won the war against the Canaanites and the Perizzites.


text:
Adoni-bezek tried to run away, but they went after him and caught him. They cut off his thumbs and big toes.


text:
Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off had to gather their food under my table. Now God has paid me for what I have done." So they brought him to Jerusalem and there he died.


text:
Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and took it. They destroyed it with the sword and set the city on fire.


text:
After this the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, in the Negev and in the plains.


text:
Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron. <n>(The name of Hebron was Kiriath-arba before.)</n> They won the war against Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.


text:
From there Judah went against the people of Debir. <n>(The name of Debir was Kiriath-sepher before.)</n>


text:
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took the city. So Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah for a wife.


text:
When she came to Othniel, she talked him into asking her father for a field. As she came down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, "What do you want?"


text:
She said to him, "Give me a special gift. You have given me the land of the Negev. Give me the wells of water also." So Caleb gave her the wells in the high land and in the valley.


text:
The children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went with the people of Judah from Jericho to the desert of Judah south of Arad. They went and lived with the people.


text:
Then Judah went with his brother Simeon. They killed the Canaanites living in Zephath and destroyed the whole city. The name of the city was called Hormah.


text:
The Lord was with Judah. They took the hill country for their own. They could not drive out the people living in the valley, because they had iron warwagons.


text:
But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.


text:
The men who were spying out Bethel saw a man coming out of the city. They said to him, "Show us the way into the city, and we will be kind to you."


text:
So he showed them the way into the city. They destroyed the city with the sword. But they let the man and all his family go free.


text:
The man went into the land of the Hittites. He built a city there and gave it the name of Luz. That is its name to this day.


text:
But the men of Manasseh did not take for their own Bethshean and its towns or Taanach and its towns. They did not drive out the people of Dor and its towns, or of Ibleam and its towns, or of Megiddo and its towns. So the Canaanites stayed in that land.


text:
When Israel became strong, they made the Canaanites work for them. But they did not drive all of them out.


text:
Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer. So the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.


text:
Zebulun did not drive out the people of Kitron or the people of Nahalol. So the Canaanites lived among them and were made to work.


text:
Asher did not drive out the people of Acco, or the people of Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob.


text:
So the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the people of the land. For they did not drive them out.


text:
Naphtali did not drive out the people of Beth-shemesh or the people of Beth-anath. But they lived among the Canaanites, the people of the land. The people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were made to work for them.


text:
The Amorites drove the people of Dan into the hill country. They did not let them come down to the valley.


text:
The Amorites would not leave Mount Heres, Aijalon or Shaalbim. But when the family of Joseph became strong, they made the Amorites work for them.


text:
The angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, "I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land I promised your fathers. I said, 'I will never break My agreement with you.


text:
Do not make any agreement with the people of this land. Tear down their altars.' But you have not obeyed Me. What is this you have done?


text:
So now I say, 'I will not drive them away from you. They will be like thorns in your sides. Their gods will be a trap to you.' "


text:
When the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people cried in a loud voice.


text:
The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the leaders who lived longer than Joshua and who had seen all the great works the Lord had done for Israel.


text:
They buried him within his land in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.


text:
All the people of that day died. The children who came after them did not know the Lord. They did not know about the things He had done for Israel.


text:
Then the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals, the gods of the Canaanites.


text:
They turned away from the Lord, the God of their fathers, Who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods of the nations around them, and worshiped them. So they made the Lord angry.


text:
The Lord was angry with Israel. He gave them into the hands of angry men who robbed them. He sold them into the hands of those around them who hated them. The people of Israel could no longer stand in front of those who hated them.


text:
The Lord punished them everywhere they went. The Lord did what He had told them and promised them He would do. The people were very troubled.


text:
Then the Lord gave them special men to judge between what was right or wrong. These men saved them from those who robbed them.


text:
But the people did not listen to those chosen to judge. The people were not faithful to the Lord and they worshiped other gods. They were quick to turn aside from the way their fathers had walked in obeying the Laws of the Lord. They did not do as their fathers had done.


text:
When the Lord gave them special men to judge them, the Lord was with the judge. And He saved them from those who hated them. For the Lord showed them pity because of their pain when others made it hard for them and hurt them.


text:
But when the judge died, they would turn again and act worse than their fathers. They would follow other gods and serve them and worship them. They would not give up their sinful acts or their strong wills.


text:
So the anger of the Lord was against Israel. He said, "This nation has sinned against My agreement I made with their fathers. They have not listened to My voice.


text:
I will use them to test Israel. I will see if Israel will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it like their fathers did, or not."


text:
So the Lord let those nations stay. He was not quick to drive them out. And He did not give them into the power of Joshua.


text:
These are the nations the Lord left to test Israel. They were left to test all those who had not fought in any of the wars in Canaan.


text:
These nations are: the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.


text:
They were left to test Israel, to find out if Israel would obey the Laws the Lord gave their fathers through Moses.


text:
The people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.


text:
They married their daughters. They gave their own daughters to their sons, and they worshiped their gods.


text:
The people of Israel did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.


text:
So the anger of the Lord was against Israel. He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. The people of Israel worked for Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.


text:
But the people of Israel cried to the Lord. And the Lord gave the people of Israel someone who would save them. He gave them Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.


text:
The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he led Israel. When he went out to war, the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. He was stronger than Cushan-rishathaim.


text:
The people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord again. So the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab strength against Israel, because they had sinned in the eyes of the Lord.


text:
Eglon gathered together with the people of Ammon and Amalek. They went and won the war against Israel. And they took the city of Jericho.


text:
But when the people of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord gave them someone to save them. He gave them Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent taxes by him to Eglon the king of Moab.


text:
Ehud made a sword for himself with two sharp sides, almost as long as an arm. He tied it to the top part of his right leg, under his coat.


text:
But he himself turned around at the stone gods of Gilgal and returned to Eglon, saying, "I have secret news for you, O king." Eglon said, "Keep quiet." And all who stood by him went away from him.


text:
Ehud came to him while Eglon was sitting alone in his summer room. And Ehud said, "I have news from God for you." The king got up from his seat.


text:
The whole sword went into his stomach and the fat closed over it. For he did not pull the sword out of his stomach. The insides of Eglon's stomach ran out.


text:
Then Ehud went out the back way. He closed the doors of the summer room behind him, and locked them.


text:
When Ehud had gone out, Eglon's servants came. They saw that the doors of the summer room were locked. So they said, "He is only resting in there away from the heat."


text:
They waited until they were afraid because Eglon did not open the doors of the summer room. So they opened the lock and looked in the doors. And they found their owner lying dead on the floor.


text:
When he got there, he blew the horn in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country. Ehud went in front of them.


text:
He said to them, "Go after them. For the Lord has given into your hands the Moabites who hate you." So they went down after him. They took over the crossing places of the Jordan beside Moab. And they did not let anyone cross.


text:
At that time they killed about 10,000 Moabites, all strong men with strength of heart. No one got away.


text:
After Ehud, Shamgar the son of Anath became the leader. He killed 600 Philistines with a stick used to push cattle, and he also saved Israel.


text:
So the Lord let them be taken by Jabin king of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The head of his army was Sisera, who lived in Haroshethhagoyim.


text:
The people of Israel cried to the Lord, for Jabin had 900 iron war-wagons. He made it very hard for the people of Israel for twenty years.


text:
She would sit under the tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. And the people of Israel came to her to find out what was right or wrong.


text:
She sent for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedeshnaphtali, and said to him, "The Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'Go to Mount Tabor. Take with you 10,000 men from the sons of Naphtali and Zebulun.


text:
I will have Sisera, the head of Jabin's army, meet you at the river Kishon. He will have his war-wagons and his many soldiers with him. But I will give him into your hand.' "


text:
And she said, "For sure I will go with you. But the honor will not be yours as you go on your way. For the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.


text:
Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to come to Kedesh. He went up with 10,000 men. And Deborah went up with him.


text:
Now Heber the Kenite had gone away from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses. He had put up his tent as far away as the big tree in Zaanannim, near Kedesh.


text:
Sisera gathered together all his 900 iron war-wagons. He gathered together all the people who were with him, from Haroshethhagoyim to the river Kishon.


text:
Deborah said to Barak, "Get up! For this is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. See, the Lord has gone out before you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and 10,000 men followed him.


text:
The Lord brought trouble upon Sisera and all his war-wagons and all his army in front of Barak with the sword. Sisera got down from his war-wagon and ran away on foot.


text:
But Barak went after the war-wagons and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim. All of Sisera's army fell by the sword. Not one was left.


text:
Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. For there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.


text:
Jael went out to meet Sisera, saying, "Come in, my lord. Come in to me. Do not be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she put a cover over him.


text:
He said to her, "Give me a little water to drink. For I am thirsty." So she opened a skin bag of milk and gave him a drink. Then she covered him.


text:
He said to her, "Stand in the door of the tent. If anyone comes and asks you, 'Is there anyone here?' you say, 'No.' "


text:
But Heber's wife Jael took a big tent nail in her hand and a tool to hit it with. Because Sisera was very tired, he went into a deep sleep. She went to him in secret and hit the big nail into the side of his head. It went through and into the ground. So he died.


text:
As Barak came after Sisera, Jael came out to meet him. She said to him, "Come. I will show you the man you are looking for." So Barak went in with her, and he saw Sisera lying dead with the big tent nail in his head.


text:
The people of Israel made it harder and harder for Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed him.


text:
"The leaders led in Israel. The people were willing to help them. For this we give thanks to the Lord!


text:
Hear, O kings! Listen, O rulers! I will sing to the Lord. I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.


text:
Lord, You went out from Seir. You walked from the field of Edom. And the earth shook. Water fell from the heavens. Yes, water fell from the clouds.


text:
"In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the wide roads were empty. Travelers walked on the side roads.


text:
Country towns were empty. They were no more in Israel, until I, Deborah, came. I came as a mother in Israel.


text:
New gods were chosen. Then war was in the gates. No battle-covering or sword was seen among 40,000 in Israel.


text:
My heart is with the leaders of Israel, who were willing to help among the people. Thanks be to the Lord!


text:
Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys and you who sit on rich floor coverings. Tell of it, you who travel on the road.


text:
They will tell of the right and good acts of the Lord at the sound of music beside the wells of water. They will tell of His right and good acts toward His towns people in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.


text:
"Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Lead away the people you took in war, O son of Abinoam.


text:
The children of Amalek came down from Ephraim. They followed you, Benjamin, with your people. Leaders came down from Machir. Leaders came from Zebulun.


text:
The rulers of Issachar came with Deborah. Issachar was faithful to Barak. They ran behind him into the valley. There was much thinking done among the families of Reuben.


text:
Why did you sit among the sheep, to hear the horns blow for the flocks? There was much thought among the families of Reuben.


text:
Gilead stayed on the other side of the Jordan. Why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat beside the sea. He stayed by its rivers.


text:
Zebulun is a people who put their lives in danger even to death. Naphtali did this also, on the high places of the field.


text:
"The kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They did not get any silver.


text:
The fast river of Kishon took them away, the rushing river, the river Kishon. O my soul, walk on with strength.


text:
'Curse Meroz,' said the angel of the Lord. 'Curse its people, because they did not come to the help of the Lord. They did not help the Lord against the powerful soldiers.'


text:
"The most respected of women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. She is the most respected of women in the tent.


text:
She put out her hand to the big tent nail. And she put out her right hand for the servant's heavy object. Then she hit Sisera. She crushed his head. She broke and cut through the side of his head.


text:
"The mother of Sisera looked out of the window. She looked through the window and cried in sorrow, 'Why is his war-wagon so long in coming? Why do the steps of his horses wait?'


text:
'Are they not finding and dividing the riches? Is there not a girl or two for every man? Is there not colored cloth for Sisera to take? Is there not colored cloth with beautiful sewing on it? Are there not two pieces of colored cloth with beautiful sewing on them for the neck of the one who takes them?'


text:
So let all those who hate You die, O Lord. But let those who love Him be like the sun as he rises in his power." And the land had peace for forty years.


text:
Then the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian for seven years.


text:
Midian was stronger than Israel. Because of Midian the people of Israel made big caves in the sides of the mountains where they could live which were safe places for themselves.


text:
For when Israel had planted seeds, the Midianites and Amalekites and the people of the east would come and fight against them.


text:
They would set up their tents beside them and destroy the food of the field as far as Gaza. They would leave no food for Israel, and no sheep, cattle or donkeys.


text:
They would come with their animals and their tents. They were like locusts, there were so many of them. There were too many of them and their camels to number. And they came into the land to destroy it.


text:
And the Lord sent a man to speak for Him to the people of Israel. The man said to them, "The Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'I brought you here from Egypt. I brought you out of the house where you were made to work.


text:
I set you free from the power of the Egyptians and from the hands of all who made it hard for you. I drove them away from in front of you and gave you their land.


text:
I said to you, "I am the Lord your God. Do not be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live." But you have not obeyed Me.' "


text:
Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. The angel came as Joash's son Gideon was beating out grain where grapes are crushed, to save it from the Midianites.


text:
The angel of the Lord showed himself to Gideon and said to him, "The Lord is with you, O powerful soldier."


text:
Gideon said to him, "O sir, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all His powerful works which our fathers told us about? They said, 'Did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has left us alone. He has put us under the power of Midian."


text:
The Lord looked at him and said, "Go in this strength of yours. And save Israel from the power of Midian. Have I not sent you?"


text:
Gideon said to Him, "O Lord, how can I save Israel? See, my family is the least in Manasseh. And I am the youngest in my father's house."


text:
Gideon said to Him, "If I have found favor in Your eyes, show me something to prove that it is You Who speaks with me.


text:
I ask of You, do not leave here until I return to You with my gift and lay it before You." And the Lord said, "I will stay until you return."


text:
Then Gideon went into his house and got a young goat ready. He made bread without yeast from a basket of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the water from boiling the meat in a pot. Then he brought them out to him under the tree and set them down in front of him.


text:
The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the bread without yeast and lay them on this rock. Then pour out the water." Gideon did so.


text:
The angel of the Lord put out the end of the stick that was in his hand and touched the meat and the bread without yeast. And fire came up from the rock and burned up the meat and the bread without yeast. Then the angel of the Lord was seen no more.


text:
So Gideon knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And he said, "I am afraid, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face."


text:
Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord. He gave it the name, The Lord is Peace. It is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites to this day.


text:
That same night the Lord said to him, "Take your father's bull and a second bull seven years old. Use them to pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father. And cut down the tree of the false goddess Asherah that is beside it.


text:
Build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this strong place. Set the stones in the right way. Then take a second bull and give a burnt gift. Use the wood of the tree of the false goddess Asherah which you cut down."


text:
Gideon took ten of his servants and did what the Lord had told him to do. But he was too afraid of those of his father's house and the men of the city to do it during the day. So he did it during the night.


text:
When the men of the city got up early in the morning, they saw that the altar of Baal was torn down. They saw that the false goddess Asherah which was beside it was cut down. And the second bull was given on the altar which had been built.


text:
The men said to one another, "Who did this?" After they had looked around and asked, they were told, "Gideon the son of Joash did this thing."


text:
Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son, so he may die. For he has torn down the altar of Baal. And he has cut down our goddess Asherah which was beside it."


text:
But Joash said to all who were gathered against him, "Will you fight for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever will fight for him will be put to death this morning. If he is a god, let him fight for himself because someone has torn down his altar."


text:
So on that day he gave Gideon the name Jerubbaal, which means, "Let Baal fight against him." Because he tore down his altar.


text:
Then all the Midianites and Amalekites and people of the east gathered together. They crossed the Jordan and set up their tents in the valley of Jezreel.


text:
But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. He blew a horn and called together the Abiezerites to follow him.


text:
He sent men with news to go through Manasseh. And the Manassites were called together to follow him. He sent men with news to Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. And they came to meet him.


text:
See, I will put wool on the floor where grain is crushed. If the wool is wet, and it is dry on the ground, I will know that You will save Israel through me, as You have said."


text:
It was so. Gideon got up early the next morning and took the wool in his hand. Enough water poured from the wool to fill a pot.


text:
Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let Your anger burn against me for speaking to You once again. Let me make one more test with the wool. Let it be dry only on the wool. And let the ground be wet all around it."


text:
Then Jerubbaal <n>(that is, Gideon)</n> and all the people who were with him got up early and set up their tents beside the well of Harod. The tents of Midian were north of them, by the hill of Moreh in the valley.


text:
The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands. Israel might say with pride, 'Our own power has saved us.'


text:
So say to all the people, 'Whoever is afraid and shaking with fear may leave Mount Gilead and return home.' " So 22,000 people returned. But 10,000 stayed.


text:
Then the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many people. Bring them down to the water. I will test them for you there. Whoever I say is to go with you will go. But whoever I say is not to go with you will not go."


text:
So Gideon brought the people down to the water. The Lord said to Gideon, "Divide every man who drinks the water as dogs drink with their tongues from every man who gets down on his knees to drink."


text:
There were 300 men who drank from their hand, putting their hand to their mouth. But all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.


text:
The Lord said to Gideon, "I will save you with the 300 men who drank from their hands. I will give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others return, every man to his home."


text:
So the 300 men took the people's food and their horns. Gideon sent all the other men of Israel to their tents. He kept only the 300 men. And the tents of Midian were below him in the valley.


text:
That same night the Lord said to Gideon, "Get up. Go down and fight against them at their tents. For I have given them into your hands.


text:
You will hear what they say. Then your hands will become strong enough to go down and fight against them." So he went with his servant Purah down to the side of the tents where soldiers were keeping watch.


text:
The Midianites and Amalekites and all the people of the east were lying in the valley. They were like locusts, there were so many. Their camels were too many to number. They were like sand beside the sea, there were so many.


text:
When Gideon came, a man was telling a dream to his friend. The man said, "I had a dream. A loaf of barley bread was rolling toward the tents of Midian. It came to the tent and hit it so it fell down. It turned it up-side-down so the tent fell apart."


text:
His friend answered and said, "This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has given Midian and all the army into his hand."


text:
When Gideon heard the story of the dream and what it meant, he bowed down and worshiped God. Then he returned to the tents of Israel and said, "Get up! For the Lord has given the army of Midian into your hands."


text:
He divided the 300 men into three groups. He gave horns and empty pots with fire sticks inside to each of them.


text:
And he said to them, "Watch me, and do what I do. When I come to the side of their tents, do as I do.


text:
I and all those with me will blow the horns. Then you blow the horns all around the tents, and say, 'For the Lord and for Gideon!' "


text:
So Gideon and the 100 men who were with him came to the side of the tents. It was late in the night. Different soldiers had just come to keep watch. Then the men blew the horns and broke the pots that were in their hands.


text:
All three groups blew their horns and broke their pots. They held the sticks of fire in their left hands and horns to be blown in their right hands. And they called out, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"


text:
Each man stood in his place around the tents. And all the Midianite army ran. They cried out and ran away.


text:
When the 300 horns were blown, the Lord made every man fight the man next to him among the tents. And the army ran away as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah. They went as far as the land of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.


text:
Gideon sent men through all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against Midian. Take the waters in front of them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan." So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together. And they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.


text:
They took the two leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb. And they killed Zeeb at the place of Zeeb where the grapes are crushed. They went after Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from the other side of the Jordan.


text:
Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, "What is this you have done to us? Why did you not call us when you went to fight against Midian?" They were angry when they argued with him.


text:
But he said to them, "What have I done to compare with you? Are not the grapes that are left of Ephraim better than all the grapes gathered of Abiezer?


text:
God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands. What was I able to do to compare with you?" They were no longer angry when he said that.


text:
Then Gideon and the 300 men with him came to the Jordan and crossed it. They were tired but they kept going.


text:
Gideon said to the men of Succoth, "I ask of you, give loaves of bread to the people who are following me. For they are tired and weak. I am going after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."


text:
But the leaders of Succoth said, "Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?"


text:
Gideon said, "The Lord will give Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand. Then I will beat your bodies with the thorns and thistles from the desert."


text:
From there he went up to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way. The men of Penuel gave him the same answer as the men of Succoth.


text:
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor. With them were their armies, about 15,000 men. These were all who were left of the whole army of the people of the east. For 120,000 men who fought with swords had been killed.


text:
Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah. And he fought against the army by surprise.


text:
Zebah and Zalmunna ran away. Gideon went after them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna. The whole army was afraid.


text:
He caught a young man from Succoth and asked him questions. The young man wrote down for him the rulers and leaders of Succoth, seventy-seven men.


text:
Then Gideon came to the men of Succoth and said, "See, here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You laughed at me about these men, saying, 'Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your weak and tired men?' "


text:
Then he took the leaders of the city and with thorns and thistles from the desert, he punished the men of Succoth.


text:
Gideon said to Zebah and Zalmunna, "What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?" And they said, "They were like you. Each one looked like the son of a king."


text:
Gideon said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you."


text:
Then he said to Jether his first-born son, "Stand up and kill them." But the boy did not pick up his sword. He was afraid because he was still a boy.


text:
Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Stand up yourself and kill us. For as the man is, so is his strength." So Gideon stood up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna. And he took the religious objects that were on their camels' necks.


text:
Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also. For you have set us free from the power of Midian."


text:
But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you. And my son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."


text:
Gideon said to them, "I only ask that each of you give me the gold objects you have taken to be worn on the ear." <n>(They had objects to be worn on the ear because they were Ishmaelites.)</n>


text:
And they said, "For sure we will give them." So they spread out a coat, and every one of them threw into it an object he had taken.


text:
The gold objects Gideon had asked for were as heavy as 1,700 pieces of gold money. He took the objects and purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian also. And he took the religious objects that were around the camels' necks.


text:
Gideon made it into a holy vest and put it in his city, Ophrah. All Israel worshiped it there. So it became a trap to Gideon and those of his house.


text:
Midian was put under the power of the people of Israel. They did not lift up their heads any more. And the land had peace for forty years, during the life of Gideon.


text:
The woman in Shechem who acted as his wife gave birth to Gideon's son also. He was given the name Abimelech.


text:
Gideon the son of Joash died when he was very old. He was buried in the grave of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


text:
As soon as Gideon was dead, the people of Israel started again to worship the false gods of Baal. They made Baal-berith their god.


text:
The people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, Who had saved them from the power of all those around who hated them.


text:
They did not show kindness to the family of Jerubbaal <n>(that is, Gideon)</n>. They did not remember all the good he had done to Israel.


text:
Jerubbaal's son Abimelech went to his mother's family at Shechem. He said to them and to all those of the family of his mother's father,


text:
"Speak to all the leaders of Shechem. Say to them, 'Which is better for you? Should all seventy of Jerubbaal's sons rule over you? Or should one man rule over you? Remember that I am your own bone and flesh.' "


text:
So his mother's family spoke all these words for him in the ears of the leaders of Shechem. And they decided to follow Abimelech. For they said, "He is our brother."


text:
They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the family of Baal-berith. Abimelech used the money to hire wild men of no worth who followed him.


text:
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah. And he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. He killed all seventy men upon one stone. But Jerubbaal's youngest son Jotham was left alive, because he hid himself.


text:
Then all the men of Shechem and of Beth-millo gathered together. They went and made Abimelech king, by the tree that had been set up in Shechem.


text:
When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He called out to them in a loud voice, "Listen to me, O men of Shechem. So God may listen to you.


text:
One time the trees went out to choose a king to rule them. They said to the olive tree, 'Rule over us!'


text:
But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I leave my riches of oil by which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?'


text:
But the vine said to them, 'Should I leave my new wine which makes God and men happy, and go to wave over the trees?'


text:
And the thorn bush said to the trees, 'If in truth you are choosing me as king over you, come and be safe in my shadow. But if not, may fire come out of the thorn bush and burn up the tall trees of Lebanon.'


text:
"Now it may be that you have acted in truth and honor in making Abimelech king. It may be that you have acted well toward Jerubbaal and his house, by paying him for what he did.


text:
But you have gone against my father's house today. You have killed seventy of his sons on one stone. Abimelech is the son of my father's woman servant. And you have made him king over the people of Shechem, because he is your brother.


text:
If you have acted in truth and honor toward Jerubbaal and his house today, then be happy with Abimelech. And let him be happy with you.


text:
But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and burn up the people of Shechem and Beth-millo. Then let it burn up Abimelech."


text:
Jotham ran away from them and went to Beer. He stayed there, because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.


text:
Then God sent a bad spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem were not faithful to Abimelech.


text:
God did this to punish Abimelech and the men of Shechem, because the seventy sons of Jerubbaal were killed by their brother Abimelech. And the men of Shechem gave him the strength to do it.


text:
The men of Shechem went against Abimelech by hiding men on the mountain tops. They robbed all who passed by them on the road. Abimelech was told about it.


text:
Now Gaal the son of Ebed moved with his family into Shechem. And the men of Shechem put their trust in him.


text:
They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vines and crushed them. Then they had a special supper in the house of their god. They ate and drank and wished bad to come to Abimelech.


text:
Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech? And who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? Is not Zebul his leader? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve Abimelech?


text:
If only these people were under my rule! Then I would send Abimelech away. I would say to Abimelech, 'Make your army strong, and come out.' "


text:
He sent men to bring news to Abimelech in secret. They said, "See, Gaal the son of Ebed has come to Shechem with his family. They are turning the city against you.


text:
Then get up early in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, and rush against the city. When Gaal and the people who are with him come out against you, do whatever you can to them."


text:
So Abimelech and all who were with him got up during the night. They hid and waited in four groups to fight against Shechem.


text:
Gaal the son of Ebed came out and stood in the city gate. And Abimelech and the people who were with him came out of their hiding places.


text:
When Gaal saw the men, he said to Zebul, "See, men are coming down from the mountain tops!" But Zebul said to him, "It is the shadow of the mountains that looks like men to you."


text:
Gaal spoke again, saying, "See, men are coming down from the highest part of the land. One group is coming on the way from the oak tree of those who tell the future."


text:
Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your proud talk now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Are these not the men whom you hated? Go out now and fight with them!"


text:
Abimelech went after Gaal. And Gaal ran away from him. Many were hurt and fell all the way to the gate.


text:
Abimelech stayed at Arumah. But Zebul drove out Gaal and his family so they could not stay in Shechem.


text:
So he took his men and divided them into three groups, and they waited in the field. When he saw Gaal's people coming out of the city, Abimelech went against them and killed them.


text:
Abimelech and the group with him rushed and stood in the city gate. The other two groups then rushed against all who were in the field and killed them.


text:
Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He took the city and killed the people who were in it. Then he destroyed the city and covered it with salt.


text:
All the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it. And they went into the inside room of the house of the god of El-berith.


text:
So Abimelech and all who were with him went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees. Then he lifted it onto his shoulder. He said to the men who were with him, "Hurry and do what you have seen me do."


text:
So each of the men cut down his branch also, and followed Abimelech. They put the branches around the inside room and set it on fire. So all the men of the tower of Shechem died. There were about 1,000 men and women in all.


text:
But there was a strong tower in the center of the city. All the men and women and leaders of the city ran to it and shut themselves in. And they went up on the roof of the tower.


text:
Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it. He went near the door of the building to burn it with fire.


text:
Abimelech was quick to call the young man who carried his heavy battle-clothes, saying, "Take your sword and kill me. Or else it will be said that a woman killed me." So the young man killed him with a sword.


text:
So God punished Abimelech for the sin he had done against his father by killing his seventy brothers.


text:
God punished the men of Shechem for all their sin. The words that Jotham the son of Jerubbaal spoke against them came true.


text:
After Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, came to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.


text:
He had thirty sons who traveled on thirty donkeys. They had thirty cities in the land of Gilead that are called the towns of Jair to this day.


text:
Then the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord. They served the male and female gods of Canaan, and the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites and of the Philistines. They turned away from the Lord and did not serve Him.


text:
The anger of the Lord was against Israel. So He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the people of Ammon.


text:
They made it very hard for the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they made it very hard for all the people of Israel in Gilead in the land of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan.


text:
And the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and the family of Ephraim. So Israel suffered much pain.


text:
The people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against You. We have turned away from our God and are serving the Baals."


text:
The Lord said to the people of Israel, "Did I not save you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the people of Ammon and the Philistines?


text:
When the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites made it hard for you, you cried out to Me. And I took you away from their hands.


text:
The people of Israel said to the Lord, "We have sinned. Do to us whatever You think is good. But we beg of You, take us out of this today."


text:
So they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord. And the Lord cared as He saw the suffering of Israel.


text:
The men of Ammon were gathered together for war. They set up their tents in Gilead. The men of Israel gathered together, and set up their tents in Mizpah.


text:
The leaders of Gilead said to one another, "Who is the man who will be first to fight against the men of Ammon? He will be the head of all the people of Gilead."


text:
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a powerful soldier. But he was the son of a woman who sold the use of her body. Jephthah's father was Gilead.


text:
Gilead's wife gave birth to his sons. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove Jephthah away. They told him, "You will not have any share in our father's house. For you are the son of another woman."


text:
So Jephthah ran away from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Men of no worth gathered around Jephthah and went fighting and stealing with him.


text:
When the men of Ammon fought against Israel, the leaders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.


text:
Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me and drive me from my father's house? Why have you come to me now when you are in trouble?"


text:
The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "That is why we have returned to you now. So you may go with us and fight the men of Ammon. You will be the head of all the people of Gilead."


text:
Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight the men of Ammon and the Lord gives them to me, will I become your head?"


text:
The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The Lord is listening to what we say. For sure we will do as you have said."


text:
So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. And the people made him head and leader over them. Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.


text:
Then Jephthah sent men to the king of the people of Ammon, saying, "What do you have against me? Why have you come to fight against my land?"


text:
The king of the people of Ammon said to these men of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land when they came from Egypt. They took my land from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan. So I ask you to return this land to me in peace."


text:
saying, "Jephthah says, 'Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the people of Ammon.


text:
Then Israel sent men to the king of Edom, saying, "We ask you to let us pass through your land." But the king of Edom would not listen. They asked the king of Moab also. But he would not let them pass through. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.


text:
'Then Israel went through the desert and around the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab. There they set up their tents on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not go into the land of Moab. For the Arnon flowed along the side of Moab.


text:
Israel sent men to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, saying, "We ask you to let us pass through your land to our place."


text:
But Sihon did not trust Israel. He would not let them pass through his land. Sihon gathered all his people together. They set up their tents in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.


text:
The Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel. They won the war against Sihon. So Israel took all the land of the Amorites, the people of that country.


text:
They took all the land of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the desert as far as the Jordan.


text:
'So the Lord, the God of Israel, drove the Amorites away from His people Israel. Now are you to take the land for your own?


text:
Do you not keep for your own what your god Chemosh gives you? We will keep the land of the people the Lord our God drove away for us.


text:
Are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever fight with Israel? Did he ever go to war against them?


text:
While Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns and Aroer and its towns and in all the cities beside the Arnon for 300 years, why did you not take them again during that time?


text:
I have not sinned against you. But you are doing wrong to me by making war against me. The Lord is the judge. May He decide today between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.' "


text:
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. So he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and through Mizpah of Gilead. He went from Mizpah of Gilead to the people of Ammon.


text:
And I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the people of Ammon. I will give it to the Lord as a burnt gift."


text:
Then Jephthah crossed over to fight against the people of Ammon. And the Lord gave them into his hand.


text:
He killed many of them from Aroer to Minnith, through twenty cities, as far as Abelkeramin. The people of Ammon were destroyed in front of the people of Israel.


text:
Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. His daughter came out to meet him with music and dancing. She was his one and only child. He had no other sons or daughters.


text:
When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "It is bad, my daughter! You have made me very sad. You have brought much trouble to me. For I have made a promise to the Lord, and I must keep it."


text:
She said to him, "My father, you have made a promise to the Lord. Do to me what you have promised you would do. Because the Lord has punished the people of Ammon, who fought against you.


text:
But do this for me. Let me alone for two months. So I and my friends may go to the mountains and cry because I will never have a man."


text:
Jephthah said, "Go." He sent her away for two months with her friends. And they cried on the mountains because she would never have a man.


text:
She returned to her father after two months. And he did what he promised the Lord and she died without having a man. So it became the way in Israel


text:
that the daughters of Israel went to have sorrow for the daughter of Jephthah for four days each year.


text:
Then the men of Ephraim got ready for war. They crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight the men of Ammon without calling us to go with you? With fire we will burn down your house with you in it."


text:
Jephthah said to them, "I and my people were having much trouble with the people of Ammon. I did call you, but you did not take me away from them.


text:
I saw that you would not help me, so I took my life in my hands. I crossed over to fight the people of Ammon. And the Lord gave them into my hand. So why have you come today to fight against me?"


text:
Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim. The men of Gilead won the war against Ephraim, because Ephraim said, "You people of Gilead are not respected among Ephraim and Manasseh."


text:
The people of Gilead took the crossing places of the Jordan beside Ephraim. When any of the Ephraimite men ran away and said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No,"


text:
they would say to him, "Then say 'Shibboleth.' " But he would say, "Sibboleth," for he could not say it right. So they would take hold of him and kill him at the crossing places of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 men of Ephraim were killed.


text:
Jephthah ruled Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died. He was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.


text:
He had thirty sons and thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage outside the family. And he brought in thirty daughters from outside the family for his sons. He ruled Israel for seven years.


text:
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who traveled on seventy donkeys. He ruled Israel for eight years.


text:
Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died. He was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.


text:
The people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord again. So the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.


text:
There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites. His name was Manoah. His wife was not able to have children.


text:
Then the angel of the Lord came to the woman and said to her, "See, you have not been able to have any children. But the Lord will make it possible for you to have a child and you will give birth to a son.


text:
You will have a child and give birth to a son. His hair must never be cut. Because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the time he is born. He will begin to take Israel away from the Philistines' power."


text:
Then the woman came and told her husband. She said, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God, filling me with fear. I did not ask him where he came from. And he did not tell me his name.


text:
But he said to me, 'See, it will be possible for you to have a child and give birth to a son. Do not drink wine or strong drink or eat anything that is unclean. For the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the time he is born to the time he dies.' "


text:
Then Manoah asked the Lord, saying, "O Lord, let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again. Let him teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born."


text:
God listened to Manoah. The angel of God came again to the woman while she was sitting in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her.


text:
So the woman ran to her husband in a hurry. She told him, "See, the man who came the other day has come to me again."


text:
Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man he said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to the woman?" And he said, "I am."


text:
She must not eat anything from the vine or drink wine or strong drink. She must not eat anything that is unclean. Let her obey all I have told her."


text:
Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "We ask of you, stay with us. So we may get a young goat ready for you to eat."


text:
The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "I will stay, but I will not eat your food. But if you get a burnt gift ready, then give it to the Lord." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.


text:
Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "What is your name? So we may honor you when your words come true."


text:
So Manoah took the young goat with the grain gift. And he gave it on the rock to the Lord. Then the Lord did powerful works while Manoah and his wife watched.


text:
For the fire went up from the altar toward heaven. And the angel of the Lord went up in the fire of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces on the ground.


text:
The angel of the Lord did not show himself to Manoah or his wife again. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord.


text:
But his wife said to him, "If the Lord had wanted to kill us, He would not have received a burnt gift and grain gift from us. He would not have shown us all these things, or let us hear these things."


text:
Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew up and the Lord brought good to him.


text:
And the Spirit of the Lord began to work through him at the tents of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.


text:
He returned and told his father and mother, "I saw a woman in Timnah. She is one of the daughters of the Philistines. Now get her for me as a wife."


text:
But his father and mother said to him, "Is there no woman among the daughters of your family or among all our people? Must you take a wife from the Philistines who have not gone through the religious act of the Jews?" Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she looks good to me."


text:
His father and mother did not know that it was the Lord's leading. For He was planning a way to go against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.


text:
Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother. They came as far as the grape-fields of Timnah. There a young lion came running toward him, making a loud noise.


text:
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson with power. Samson tore the lion apart like one tears a young goat. He had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.


text:
When he returned later to take her, he turned to look at the dead lion. He saw that a lot of bees and some honey were inside the lion's body.


text:
So he took the honey out with his hands and went on his way, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave some honey to them, and they ate it. But he did not tell them he had taken the honey out of the lion's body.


text:
Then his father went down to the woman. Samson made a special supper there. The young men used to do this.


text:
And Samson said to them, "Let me see if you can answer this question. If you can find the answer within the seven days of the special supper, I will give you thirty linen coats and thirty pieces of clothing.


text:
But if you cannot answer me, you must give me thirty linen coats and thirty pieces of clothing." And they said to him, "Ask your question. Let us hear it."


text:
So Samson said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet. Now what does this mean?" But they could not answer the question in three days.


text:
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Make your husband tell us the answer. Or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you asked us to come here so you can make us poor? Is it not true?"


text:
So Samson's wife cried in front of Samson, saying, "You only hate me. You do not love me. You have asked my people a question. And you have not told me the answer." Samson said to her, "See, I have not told the answer to my father or mother. Should I tell it to you?"


text:
But she cried in front of him for seven days while their special supper lasted. On the seventh day Samson told her the answer because she begged him so much. Then she told the answer to her people.


text:
So the men of the city said to Samson before the sun went down on the seventh day, "What is more sweet than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my young cow, you would not have found the answer."


text:
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him with power. Samson went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty men of the town. He took their clothing and gave it to the men who answered his question. He was very angry and returned to his father's house.


text:
But later Samson visited his wife during grain gathering time with a young goat. Samson said, "I will go in to my wife in her room." But her father did not let him go in.


text:
Her father said, "I thought you hated her. So I gave her to your friend. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Let her be yours instead."


text:
So Samson went and caught 300 foxes. He tied them together tail to tail. And he put a fire stick between the tails of every two foxes.


text:
Then he set fire to the sticks and let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines. So the standing grain and cut grain and vines and olive trees were burned up.


text:
The Philistines said, "Who did this?" And they were told, "Samson, the son-inlaw of the Timnite, because the Timnite took his wife and gave her to his friend." So the Philistines came and burned her and her father with fire.


text:
He killed many of them without mercy. Then Samson went down and lived in the opening of the rock of Etam.


text:
The men of Judah said, "Why have you come up against us?" The Philistines said, "We have come to take Samson and do to him as he did to us."


text:
Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the opening of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this that you have done to us?" Samson said to them, "I have done to them as they did to me."


text:
They said to him, "We have come to take you and give you to the Philistines." Samson said to them, "Promise me that you will not kill me."


text:
So they said to him, "No, we will only tie you up and give you to them. We will not kill you." So they tied him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.


text:
When Samson came to Lehi, the Philistines came with a loud noise to meet him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson with power. The ropes on his arms became as weak as a burning plant, and fell from his hands.


text:
Then Samson said, "With the bone of a donkey there are bodies upon bodies. With the bone of a donkey I have killed 1,000 men."


text:
Then Samson became very thirsty. He called to the Lord and said, "You have taken us away from trouble by the hand of Your servant. Now must I die of thirst and fall into the hands of those who have not gone through our religious act?"


text:
But God broke open a place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned. He received new life. So he called the place En-hakkore. It is in Lehi to this day.


text:
The Gazites were told, "Samson has come here." So they gathered around the place and waited for him all night at the gate of the city. They were quiet all night, saying, "Let us wait until the morning light. Then we will kill him."


text:
But Samson lay until late at night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the pieces that held them. He pulled them up together with the locks and put them on his shoulders. And he carried them up to the top of the mountain beside Hebron.


text:
The leaders of the Philistines came to her, saying, "Tempt Samson to tell you the secret of his powerful strength. Find out how we can get power over him so we can tie him and hold him. Then we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver."


text:
So Delilah said to Samson, "I beg you. Tell me the secret of your powerful strength. Tell me how one can get power over you and tie you up and hold you."


text:
Samson said to her, "They must tie me with seven new ropes that have not been dried. Then I will become weak and be like any other man."


text:
So the leaders of the Philistines brought her seven new ropes that had not been dried. And Delilah tied Samson with them.


text:
She had men hiding and waiting in another room. She said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he broke the ropes like a string breaks when it touches fire. So they did not find the secret of his strength.


text:
Delilah said to Samson, "See, you have fooled me and told me lies. Now tell me, I beg you, how can you be tied?"


text:
Samson said to her, "They must tie me with new ropes which have never been used. Then I will become weak and be like any other man."


text:
So Delilah took new ropes, tied Samson with them, and said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" Men were hiding and waiting in another room. But Samson broke the ropes from his arms like a string.


text:
Then Delilah said to Samson, "You have fooled me and told me lies until now. Tell me how you can be tied." Samson said to her, "You must work the seven strings of my hair into the cloth you are making and hold it there with a nail. Then I will become weak and be like any other man."


text:
So while Samson slept, Delilah took the seven strings of his hair and worked them into the cloth. She held it in place with the nail. Then she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he awoke from his sleep and pulled away the nail, the cloth maker and the cloth.


text:
Delilah said to Samson, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with me? You have lied to me these three times. You have not told me the secret of your powerful strength."


text:
So he told her all that was in his mind. He said to her, "My hair has never been cut. For I have been a Nazirite to God from the time I was born. If my hair is cut, my strength will leave me. I will become weak and be like any other man."


text:
Delilah saw that Samson had told her the truth. She sent and called the leaders of the Philistines, saying, "Come once again. For he has told me all he knows." So the leaders of the Philistines came to her. And they brought the money in their hands.


text:
She made Samson sleep on her knees. Then she called for a man to cut off the seven parts of Samson's hair. She began to hurt Samson, and his strength left him.


text:
She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" He awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as I have at other times. I will shake myself free." But he did not know that the Lord had left him.


text:
The Philistines took hold of him and cut out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and tied him with brass chains. Samson was made to grind grain in the prison.


text:
Now the leaders of the Philistines gathered to give a large gift to their god Dagon. They were happy, for they said, "Our god has given us Samson, the man who has fought against us."


text:
The people praised their god when they saw Samson. They said, "Our god has given us the one who fought against us, destroyed our country, and killed many of us."


text:
After the people had had much to drink, they said, "Bring Samson here so we can have some fun with him." So they called Samson out of prison and made fun of him. They made him stand between the stone pillars that held up the building.


text:
Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, "Let me feel the tall pillars that hold up the building. I want to rest against them."


text:
Now the building was full of men and women. All the leaders of the Philistines were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof looking down and laughing at Samson.


text:
Then Samson called to the Lord and said, "O Lord God, I beg You. Remember me. Give me strength only this once, O God. So I may now punish the Philistines for my two eyes."


text:
Samson took hold of the two center pillars that held up the building. He pushed against them, with his right hand on one and his left hand on the other.


text:
Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his strength so that the building fell on the leaders and all the people in it. He killed more at his death than he killed in his life.


text:
Then his brothers and all those of his father's house came and took him. They brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the grave of his father Manoah. Samson had ruled Israel for twenty years.


text:
He said to his mother, "There were 1,100 pieces of silver taken from you. And I heard you pray that the robber would be cursed. See, the silver is with me. I took it." His mother said, "May the Lord bring good to you, my son."


text:
He returned the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And she said, "I set apart all the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son. It is to be used in making an object to look like a god. So I will return the silver to you."


text:
When he returned the silver to his mother, she gave 200 pieces to the man who works with silver. He made them into an object to look like a god for Micah's house.


text:
The man Micah had a special building where gods were worshiped. He made a holy vest and gods for the house. And he set apart one of his sons to be his religious leader.


text:
Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite, of the family of Judah, and he was staying there.


text:
He left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to find a place to live. As he traveled he came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim.


text:
Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" He answered, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am going to stay where I may find a place."


text:
Then Micah said to him, "Live with me. Be a father and a religious leader to me. I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, new clothes, and your living." So the Levite went in.


text:
So Micah set apart the Levite. The young man became his religious leader and lived in Micah's house.


text:
Then Micah said, "Now I know that the Lord will bring good to me because I have a Levite as my religious leader."


text:
There was no king of Israel in those days. At that time the family of the Danites was looking for their own land to live in. For no land had been given to them yet among the families of Israel.


text:
So the people of Dan sent five men from all those in their family. They were men with strength of heart, from Zorah and Eshtaol, sent to look over the land. The people of Dan said to them, "Go and look over the land." And the men came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim. They stayed there.


text:
When they were near the house of Micah, they heard the voice of the young man, the Levite. They knew who he was, and said to him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What do you have here?"


text:
The Levite said to them, "This is what Micah has done for me. He has hired me. I have become his religious leader."


text:
Then the five men left and came to Laish. They saw how the people lived there, quiet and feeling safe, like the Sidonians. There was no ruler in the land who would put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians and had nothing to do with anyone.


text:
The five men returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol. Their brothers said to them, "What do you have to say?"


text:
They answered, "Get ready. Let us go up against them. For we have seen their land and it is very good. Will you sit and do nothing? Do not wait. Go into the land and take it.


text:
When you go in, you will come to people who feel very safe. They have much land, but God has given it to you. It will be a place where you will have all you need on earth."


text:
They went to Kiriath-jearim in Judah and set up their tents. They called that place Mahaneh-dan to this day. It is west of Kiriath-jearim.


text:
Then the five men who had gone to look over the country of Laish said to their brothers, "Do you know that in these houses there are gods, a holy vest, and objects made to look like gods? So think about what you should do."


text:
They turned there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, at the home of Micah. They asked him how he was getting along.


text:
The five men who had gone to look over the land went in the house. They took the objects made to look like gods, the holy vest and the other gods. The religious leader stood by the gate with the 600 men who were ready for war.


text:
When the men went into Micah's house and took the objects made to look like gods, the holy vest and the other gods, the religious leader said to them, "What are you doing?"


text:
They said to him, "Be quiet. Put your hand over your mouth and come with us. Be a father and a religious leader to us. Is it better for you to be a religious leader to the house of one man, or to a family in Israel?"


text:
The religious leader felt glad in his heart. He took the holy vest, the house gods and objects made to look like gods. And he went among the people.


text:
They had gone a long way from the house of Micah. And the men who were in the houses near Micah's house gathered together and went after them. When they came to the sons of Dan,


text:
they called out to them. The sons of Dan turned around and said to Micah, "What is wrong with you? Why have you gathered together?"


text:
Micah said, "You have taken away my gods which I made. And you go away with the religious leader. What do I have left? How can you say to me, 'What is wrong with you?' "


text:
The sons of Dan said to him, "Do not let your voice be heard among us. Or angry men will kill you and those of your house."


text:
Then the sons of Dan went on their way. Micah saw that they were too strong for him. So he returned to his house.


text:
The men of Dan took what Micah had made and the religious leader who had belonged to him. They came to Laish, to people who were quiet and felt safe. And they killed them with the sword. They burned the city with fire.


text:
There was no one to take them away from their trouble, because it was far from Sidon and they had nothing to do with anyone. It was in the valley near Beth-rehob. The sons of Dan built the city again, and lived in it.


text:
They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel. The name of the city had been Laish before.


text:
The people of Dan set up for themselves the object made to look like a god. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons were religious leaders to the family of Dan until the day their land was taken.


text:
There was no king in Israel in those days. And there was a certain Levite staying in a far away part of the hill country of Ephraim. He took a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to act as his wife.


text:
But his woman was not faithful to him. She left him and went to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She stayed there four months.


text:
Then her husband got up and went after her. He was gentle in speaking to her, asking her to return with him. He brought his servant and two donkeys with him. So she brought him into her father's house. When her father saw him, he was glad to meet him.


text:
His father-in-law, the girl's father, made him stay. So he stayed with him three days. They ate and drank and stayed there.


text:
They got up early in the morning on the fourth day to get ready to go. The girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Eat a piece of bread to get your strength. Then you may go."


text:
So both of them sat down and ate and drank together. The girl's father said to the man, "I beg you, agree to stay the night. Let your heart be happy."


text:
He got up to go early in the morning on the fifth day. But the girl's father said, "I beg you, get your strength first. Wait until later in the day." So both of them ate.


text:
Then the man stood up to leave with his woman and his servant. His father-inlaw, the girl's father, said to him, "Now see, the day is ending. I beg you, stay the night. See, the day is coming to an end. Stay here through the night so your heart may be happy. Get up early tomorrow to go on your way home."


text:
But the man would not stay the night. He stood up and left and came to a place beside Jebus <n>(that is, Jerusalem)</n>. He had his woman with him and two donkeys to carry them both.


text:
The day was almost gone when they were near Jebus. The servant said to his owner, "Come, let us go in and stay the night in this city of the Jebusites."


text:
But his owner said to him, "We will not go into the city of strangers who are not of the people of Israel. We will go as far as Gibeah."


text:
And he said to his servant, "Come, let us go to one of these places. We will stay the night in Gibeah or Ramah."


text:
So they passed Jebus and went on their way. The sun went down when they were near Gibeah, a city of Benjamin.


text:
They turned to go in and stay at Gibeah. They went in and sat down outside in the center of the city. For no one took them into his house to stay the night.


text:
In the evening an old man came out of the field from his work. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and was staying in Gibeah. But the men of the place were Benjamites.


text:
The old man looked up and saw the traveler in the center of the city, and said, "Where are you going? Where do you come from?"


text:
The Levite said to him, "We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to a far away part of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, but am now returning home. But no one will take me into his house.


text:
We have food for our donkeys. And we have bread and wine for me, my woman, and the young man who is with your servants. We have all we need."


text:
The old man said, "Peace to you. Let me take care of all your needs. But do not stay the night in the street."


text:
So he took him into his house and gave food to the donkeys. The people washed their feet and ate and drank.


text:
While they were having a happy time, certain sinful men of the city gathered around the house. They beat on the door and said to the old man, the owner of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house so we can have sex with him."


text:
The man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said, "No, my brothers. I beg you not to be so sinful. This man has come into my house. Do not do this sinful thing.


text:
Here is my daughter who has never had a man. And here is the woman who belongs to the man. Let me bring them out. Put them to shame. Do to them whatever you wish. But do not do such a sinful act against this man."


text:
But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took hold of his woman and brought her out to them. The men had sex with her all night until morning. When the sun came up, they let her go.


text:
The woman came early in the morning and fell down at the door of the man's house where her owner was. She lay there until it was light.


text:
Her owner got up in the morning and opened the doors of the house. He went out to go on his way and saw his woman lying at the door of the house. Her hands were on the step.


text:
He said to her, "Get up. Let us be going." But there was no answer. He put her body across the donkey and started on his way home.


text:
When he went into his house, he took a knife. He took hold of his woman and cut her into twelve pieces, arm by arm, leg by leg. Then he sent her out through all the land of Israel.


text:
All who saw it said, "Nothing like this has happened before. Nothing like this has been seen from the day when the people of Israel came from the land of Egypt until now. Think about it. Listen to what is said about it. And say what you think."


text:
Then all the people of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out. The people gathered together as one man to the Lord at Mizpah.


text:
The leaders of all the people, all the families of Israel, showed themselves in the meeting of the people of God. There were 400,000 soldiers on foot who used the sword.


text:
<n>(The people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.)</n> The people of Israel said, "Tell us. How did this sinful thing happen?"


text:
The Levite, the husband of the woman who was killed, answered, "I came with my woman to stay the night at Gibeah, a city of Benjamin.


text:
But the men of Gibeah came against me. They gathered around the house at night because of me. They wanted to kill me. But they did sex with my woman instead, so she died.


text:
I took my woman and cut her into pieces. I sent her out through all the land that was given to Israel. For they have done a sinful act of shame in Israel.


text:
All the people stood up as one man, saying, "Not one of us will go to his tent. Not one of us will return to his house.


text:
We will take ten men of every 100 among the families of Israel, and 100 of every 1,000, and 1,000 of every 10,000. They will take food for the people. So when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may punish them for all the acts of shame they have done in Israel."


text:
The family groups of Israel sent men through the whole family group of Benjamin, saying, "What is this sin that has happened among you?


text:
Now give us the sinful men of Gibeah. Then we will put them to death and take this sin away from Israel." But the people of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.


text:
The people of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah. They came to go out to battle against the people of Israel.


text:
Out of the sons of Benjamin, there were 26,000 men who used the sword who came from the cities on that day. And there were 700 chosen men who lived in Gibeah.


text:
There were 700 chosen men of all these people who were left-handed. Each one could use a sling to throw a stone at a hair and not miss.


text:
Apart from Benjamin, there were 400,000 men of Israel who used the sword. All of them were men of war.


text:
The people of Israel went up to Bethel. There they asked God, "Who should go first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?" The Lord said, "Judah should go first."


text:
The men of Israel went to fight against Benjamin. They dressed themselves for battle against them at Gibeah.


text:
But the men of Israel made their hearts strong. They got ready for battle again in the same place they had fought the first day.


text:
The people of Israel went up and cried before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, "Should we go again in battle against our brothers the people of Benjamin?" And the Lord said, "Go fight against them."


text:
Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah the second day. And they killed 18,000 men of Israel who used the sword.


text:
Then all the people of Israel went up to Bethel and cried. They stayed that day before the Lord and would not eat until evening. They gave burnt gifts and peace gifts to the Lord.


text:
The people of Israel asked the Lord what to do. <n>(For the special box with the Law of God was there in those days.


text:
Phinehas the son of Eleazar, Aaron's son, served in front of it those days.)</n> The people said, "Should we go again in battle against our brothers the people of Benjamin? Or should we stop?" The Lord said, "Go fight against them. For tomorrow I will give them into your hand."


text:
The sons of Israel went to fight against the sons of Benjamin on the third day. They dressed themselves for battle against Gibeah as they had done before.


text:
The sons of Benjamin went out to fight the people and were taken away from the city. They began to fight and kill some of the people as they had done before. They killed about thirty men of Israel in the open country and on the roads. One road went up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.


text:
The sons of Benjamin said, "They are being killed in front of us as they were the first day." But the sons of Israel said, "Let us run away so we can get them away from the city and to the roads."


text:
Then all the men of Israel left their place and went to fight at Baal-tamar. And the men of Israel who were hiding rushed out of their place in the plain of Geba.


text:
When 10,000 chosen men of Israel came against Gibeah, the battle was hard. But the people of Benjamin did not know that such danger was so close to them.


text:
The Lord destroyed Benjamin in front of Israel. The sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day. All these were men who used the sword.


text:
So the people of Benjamin saw that they had lost the battle. The men of Israel ran from Benjamin because they trusted in the men who were hiding and waiting to take Gibeah.


text:
The men who had been hiding were quick to rush against Gibeah. They destroyed all of the city with the sword.


text:
The men of Israel had agreed that the men who had been hiding should make a big cloud of smoke rise from the city. It would be something special for them to see.


text:
Then the men of Israel turned around to fight in battle. Benjamin began to fight and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, "For sure they are destroyed in front of us as in the first battle."


text:
But when the cloud of smoke started to rise from the city, the men of Benjamin looked behind them. They saw the whole city going up in smoke to heaven.


text:
Then the men of Israel turned around. And the men of Benjamin were filled with fear. For they saw that they were in much danger.


text:
So they turned their backs to the men of Israel and ran toward the desert. But they were caught in the battle. Those who came out of the cities destroyed them.


text:
They gathered around the people of Benjamin. They ran after them without stopping to rest and came upon them at the east side of Gibeah.


text:
The others turned and ran toward the desert to the rock of Rimmon. But Israel killed 5,000 of them on the roads, and 2,000 at Gidom.


text:
So 25,000 men of Benjamin were killed that day. All of them were powerful soldiers who used the sword.


text:
Then the men of Israel returned to fight the people of Benjamin. They destroyed them, their whole city, the cattle and all they found, with the sword. And they set fire to all the cities they found.


text:
The men of Israel had made a promise in Mizpah, saying, "None of us will give his daughter in marriage to a man of Benjamin."


text:
"O Lord, God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel? Why should there be one family group missing in Israel today?"


text:
The people got up early the next day and built an altar there. They gave burnt gifts and peace gifts on it.


text:
Then the people of Israel said, "Who among all the family groups of Israel did not come with the people to the Lord?" For they had made a promise about the one who did not come to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, "For sure he will be put to death."


text:
The people of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin. They said, "One family is cut off from Israel today.


text:
What will we do for wives for those who are left? We have promised by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage."


text:
They said, "Who of the families of Israel did not come to the Lord at Mizpah?" And they found that no one had come to the meeting from Jabesh-gilead.


text:
The people sent 12,000 powerful soldiers to go there. They told them, "Go and kill the people of Jabeshgilead with the sword. Kill the women and the children also.


text:
They found 400 young women who had never had a man. So they brought them to the tents at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.


text:
Then all the people sent news to the people of Benjamin at the rock of Rimmon. They told them they wanted to have peace with them.


text:
So the people of Benjamin returned. The people of Israel gave them the women they had saved alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough for them.


text:
Then the leaders of the people said, "What will we do for wives for those who are left? All the women of Benjamin were killed."


text:
And they said, "There must be something that can be given to those of Benjamin who are left. Or a family will be taken out of Israel.


text:
But we cannot give them our daughters for wives." For the men of Israel had promised, �A curse will come to the one who gives a wife to Benjamin.�


text:
So they said, �See, there is a special supper to the Lord every year in Shiloh. It is north of Bethel, east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.�


text:
and watch. The daughters of Shiloh might come out to dance. Then come out of the grape-fields. Each of you will catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh. Then go to the land of Benjamin.


