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Deuteronomy 17-20
Maori Bible

17  Kaua e patua ma Ihowa, ma tou Atua, tetahi kau, hipi ranei, he koha tona, tetahi atu he ranei: he mea whakarihariha hoki tena ki a Ihowa, ki tou Atua.

2 Ki te mea ka kitea i roto i a koe, i roto i tetahi o ou tatau e homai nei e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe tetahi tangata, tetahi wahine ranei, i mahi i te kino ki te titiro a Ihowa, a tou Atua, i whakapaheke hoki i tanga kawenata,

3 I haere hoki, i mahi ki nga atua ke, i koropiko ki a ratou, ki te ra ranei, ki te marama ranei, ki tetahi ranei o nga mano o te rangi kihai nei i whakaritea atu e ahau;

4 A ka korerotia ki a koe, a ka rongo koe, na me ata ui marie e koe, na, mehemea he tika, he pono te korero, kei te meatia taua mea whakarihariha i roto i a Iharaira:

5 Me whakaputa e koe taua tangata, taua wahine ranei, i mahi nei i taua mea kino, ki ou tatau, taua tangata, taua wahine ranei; ka aki ai i a raua ki te kohatu, a mate noa.

6 Ma te kupu a nga kaiwhakaatu tokorua, a nga kaiwhakaatu tokotoru ranei, e mate ai te tangata e tika ana kia whakamatea; e kore ia e mate i te kupu a te kaiwhakaatu kotahi.

7 Ko nga ringa o nga kaiwhakaatu te pa wawe ki a ia hei whakamate i a ia, a muri iho ko nga ringa o te iwi katoa. Penei ka whakakorea atu e koe te kino i roto i a koe.

8 Ki te ara ake tetahi take pakeke rawa i a koe te whakawa, he toto ki te toto, he whakawa ki te whakawa, he patu ki te patu, he take tautohetohe i roto i ou tatau: na me whakatika koe, me haere ki runga ki te wahi e whiriwhiri ai a Ihowa, tou Atua;

9 A ka tae koe ki nga tohunga, ki nga Riwaiti, ki te kaiwhakawa hoki e whakarite ana i aua ra: a ka ui koe; a ma ratou e whakapuaki ki a koe te tikanga mo te whakarite:

10 Na me mahi e koe ta ratou e whakapuaki ai ki a koe i taua wahi i whiriwhiri ai a Ihowa; kia tupato hoki kia rite te meatanga ki nga mea katoa e kiia e ratou ki a koe:

11 Kia rite tau meatanga ki te tikanga o te ture e kiia e ratou ki a koe, ki te ritenga hoki e korerotia e ratou ki a koe: kaua e peka ke atu, ki matau ranei, ki maui ranei, i te kupu e whakapuakina e ratou ki a koe.

12 A, ki te poka wahi tetahi tangata, kahore e whakarongo ki te tohunga e tu ana, e minita ana i reira i te aroaro o Ihowa, o tou Atua, ki te kaiwhakawa ranei, me whakamate taua tangata; a ka whakakorea atu i koe te kino i roto i a Iharaira.

13 A ka rongo katoa te iwi, ka wehi, e kore e poka wahi noa i muri iho.

14 Ka tae koe ki te whenua e homai ana e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe, a ka riro mai a reira i a koe, a ka noho koe ki reira, ka mea hoki, Ka meinga e ahau tetahi kingi moku, ka pera me nga iwi katoa i tetahi taha oku, i tetahi taha;

15 Ko ta Ihowa, ko ta tou Atua e whiriwhiri ai, ko ia anake tau e mea ai hei kingi mou: ko tetahi o ou tuakana tau e mea ai hei kingi mou: e kore e ahei kia meatia e koe hei kingi mou te tangata iwi ke, ehara nei i te tuakana nou.

16 Otiia kaua ia e whakamaha i te hoiho mona, kaua ano hoki e whakahokia te iwi ki Ihipa, hei whakamaha i nga hoiho: kua mea nei hoki a Ihowa ki a koutou, E kore koutou e hoki na taua huarahi a mua ake nei.

17 Kaua ano ia e whakamaha wahine mana, kei riro ke tona ngakau: kaua ano hoki e whakanuia rawatia e ia te hiriwa me te koura mana.

18 A, ka noho ia ki te torona o tona rangatiratanga, na me tuhituhi e ia ki tetahi pukapua nga kupu o tenei ture, no ena i te aroaro o nga tohunga o nga Riwaiti:

19 A hei a ia takoto ai, a me korero ia ki reira i nga ra katoa e ora ai ia: kia ako ai ia ki te wehi ki a Ihowa, ki tona Atua, ki te pupuri i nga kupu katoa o tenei ture, i enei tikanga, hei mahi mana:

20 Kei whakakake tona ngakau ki ona teina, kei peka ke atu hoki ia i te whakahau ki matau, ki maui: kia roa ai ona ra i tona kingitanga, ona me o ana tama, i waenganui i a Iharaira.

18  Kaua tetahi wahi, tetahi kainga tupu ranei i roto i a Iharaira mo nga tohunga, mo nga Riwaiti, mo te iwi katoa ano hoki o Riwai: ko nga whakahere ahi a Ihowa, ko ona taonga ake hoki, hei kai ma ratou.

2 A kahore tetahi kainga tupu mo ratou i waenganui i o ratou tuakana: ko Ihowa, ko ia to ratou taonga tupu, pera hoki me tana i korero ai ki a ratou.

3 A ko te tikanga tenei mo nga mea a te iwi ma nga tohunga, mo a nga tangata e patu ana i te patunga tapu, ahakoa kau, ahakoa hipi, me homai e ratou ki te tohunga te peke, nga paparinga e rua, me te puku.

4 Ko nga hua matamua o tau witi, o tau waina, o tau hinu, me te huruhuru matamua o au hipi, me hoatu ki a ia.

5 No te mea kua whiriwhiria ia e Ihowa, e tou Atua, i roto i ou iwi katoa, kia tu hei minita i runga i te ingoa o Ihowa, a ia me ana tama ake tonu atu.

6 A ki te haere mai tetahi Riwaiti i hea noa atu o Iharaira, i tetahi o ou kuwaha i noho ai ia, a ka tae mai me te hiahia katoa o tona ngakau ki te wahi e whiriwhiria e Ihowa;

7 Na me minita ia i runga i te ingoa o Ihowa, o tona Atua, me pera me ona tuakana katoa me nga Riwaiti, e tu nei i reira i te aroaro o Ihowa.

8 Kia rite te wahi hei kai ma ratou, haunga ano nga utu i a ia mo nga taonga a ona matua.

9 E tae koe ki te whenua e homai ana e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe, kei ako koe ki te mahi i nga mea whakarihariha a ena iwi.

10 Kei kitea i roto i a koe tetahi e mea ana i tana tama, i tana tamahine ranei, kia haere i roto i te ahi, tetahi tohunga whakaaro ki nga tohu, tetahi e whakaari ana i nga mea kei mua, tetahi tohunga maori, tetahi tohunga makutu ranei,

11 Tetahi tohunga whaiwhaia ranei, tetahi kaiui i te atua maori, tetahi mata maori ranei, tetahi kaiui i te tupapaku.

12 No te mea e whakarihariha ana a Ihowa ki nga tangata katoa e mea ana i ena mea: a na aua mea whakarihariha i peia ai ratou i tou aroaro e Ihowa, e tou Atua.

13 Kia tino tika koe i te aroaro o Ihowa, o tou Atua.

14 Ko enei iwi hoki, ka riro nei i a koe, e whakarongo ana ki nga tohunga taima, ki nga tohunga maori: tena ko koe, e kore a Ihowa, tou Atua, e tuku i a koe kia pera.

15 Ma Ihowa, ma tou Atua, e whakaara ake he poropiti mou i roto i a koe, no ou teina, he rite mai ki ahau; ko ia ta koutou e whakarongo ai;

16 Hei whakarite mo nga mea katoa i inoi ai koe ki a Ihowa, ki tou Atua, i Horepa i te ra o te huihuinga, i mea ai, Kaua ahau e rongo atu ano i te reo o Ihowa, o toku Atua, kaua hoki ahau e titiro ano ki tenei ahi nui, kei mate ahau.

17 Na ka mea a Ihowa ki ahau, He pai ta ratou korero i korero na.

18 Maku e whakaara ake he poropiti mo ratou i roto i o ratou teina, rite tahi ki a koe, a ka hoatu e ahau aku kupu ki tona waha; mana e korero ki a ratou nga mea katoa e korero ai ahau ki a ia.

19 Na ko te tangata e kore e whakarongo ki aku kupu, e korero ai ia i runga i toku ingoa, maku e rapu he utu i a ia.

20 Tena ko te poropiti e poka noa te korero i runga i toku ingoa, i tetahi kupu kihai nei i whakahaua atu e ahau kia korerotia, e korero ranei i runga i te ingoa o nga atua ke, ina, ka mate taua poropiti.

21 A ki te mea koe i roto i tou ngakau, Ma te aha e mohio ai tatou ki te kupu kihai nei i korerotia e Ihowa?

22 Ki te korero tetahi poropiti i runga i te ingoa o Ihowa, a kahore e puta mai te mea, kahore hoki e tae mai, koia tena te mea kihai i korerotia e Ihowa: i korero poka noa te poropiti, kaua koe e wehi i a ia.

19  E whakangaromia e Ihowa, e tou Atua, nga iwi no ratou nei te whenua ka homai nei e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe, a ka riro to ratou wahi i a koe, a ka noho koe ki o ratou pa, ki o ratou whare:

2 Me wehe e koe kia toru nga pa mou i waenganui o tou whenua, ka homai nei e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe, hei kainga pumau.

3 Whakapaia e koe he huarahi, ka tapahi i nga rohe o tou whenua, ka whakawhiwhia nei e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe, kia toru nga wahanga, hei rerenga atu mo nga tangata whakamate katoa.

4 A ko te ahua tenei mo te tangata whakamate, e rere ai ki reira, e ora ai hoki: ara ki te patua e ia tona hoa he mea urupa, kahore hoki ona kino ki a ia i mua atu;

5 Penei me te tangata ka haere tahi raua ko tona koa ki te ngahere ki te tapahi rakau, a ka aki atu tona ringa i te toki ki te tua i te rakau, na ka maunu te pane i te kakau, pono tonu ki tona hoa, a mate iho; na ka rere atu ia ki tetahi o aua pa, a ka ora:

6 Kei whai te kaitakitaki toto i te tangata whakamate, i te mea e pawerawera ana tona ngakau, a ka hopu i a ia, he roa hoki no te huarahi, a ka patu i a ia; kihai ia i tika te mate mona, no te mea kahore ia i kino ki a ia i mua atu.

7 Koia taku e whakahau atu nei ki a koe, e mea nei, Me wehe e koe kia toru nga pa mou.

8 A ki te whakanui a Ihowa, tou Atua, i tou rohe, ki te rite ki tana i oati ai ki ou matua, a ka homai e ia te whenua katoa i mea ai ia kia homai ki ou matua;

9 Ki te puritia e koe, ki te mahia enei whakahau katoa, e whakahau atu nei ahau ki a koe i tenei ra, ara kia aroha ki a Ihowa, ki tou Atua, kia haere hoki i ona huarahi i nga ra katoa; ko reira koe tango ai kia toru atu nga pa mou, hei tapiri mo en a pa e toru:

10 Kei whakahekea te toto harakore ki waenganui o tou whenua, ka homai nei e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe hei kainga, kei whakairia hoki te toto ki runga ki a koe.

11 Engari ia ki te kino tetahi ki tona hoa, a ka whanga ki a ia, ka whakatika hoki ki a ia, ka patu rawa i a ia, no ka mate ia; a ka rere ia ki tetahi o aua pa:

12 Na me tono e nga kaumatua o tona pa, ka tiki atu hoki i a ia i reira, ka hoatu i a ia ki te ringa o te kaitakitaki toto, kia mate ai ia.

13 Kei tohu tou kanohi i a ia, engari me whakakahore e koe te toto harakore i roto i a Iharaira, kia whiwhi ai koe ki te pai.

14 Kei nekehia ketia e koe te rohe o tou hoa, i rohea ai e nga tangata onamata, ki tou kainga e nohoia e koe i te whenua ka homai nei e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe hei kainga.

15 Kei whakatika ki te tangata te kaiwhakaatu kotahi mo te kino, mo tetahi hara ranei, ahakoa he aha, e hara ai ia: ma te kupu a nga kaiwhakaatu tokorua, ma te kupu ranei a nga kaiwhakaatu tokotoru, e whakatikaia ai te korero.

16 Ki te whakatika tetahi kaiwhakaatu teka ki tetahi tangata, hei korero teka i mahi ia i te he;

17 Na me tu nga tangata tokorua, na raua nei te totohe, ki te aroaro o Ihowa, ki te aroaro hoki o nga tohunga ratou ko nga kaiwhakawa e whakariterite ana i aua ra;

18 Na me whakataki marie e nga kaiwhakawa; a ka kitea he kaiwhakaatu teka te kaiwhakaatu, he teka tana korero mo tona teina;

19 Na peratia ia e koutou me tana i whakaaro ai kia meatia ki tona teina: penei ka whakakorea te kino i roto i a koe.

20 A ka rongo te nuinga, a ka wehi, e kore hoki e mea i te kino pera i roto i a koe a muri.

21 Kaua ano tou kanohi e tohu; ko to te ora utu he ora, to te kanohi he kanohi, to te niho he niho, to te ringa he ringa, to te waewae he waewae.

20  E haere koe ki te whawhai ki ou hoariri, a ka kite i nga hoiho me nga hariata, i te iwi hoki he tokomaha ake i a koe, kei wehi i a ratou: kei a koe hoki a Ihowa, tou Atua, i kawea mai ai koe i te whenua o Ihipa.

2 A, ka whakatata koutou ki te whawhai, na me haere mai te tohunga, me korero ki te iwi,

3 Ka mea ki a ratou, Whakarongo, e Iharaira, e whakatata atu ana koutou aianei ki te whawhai ki o koutou hoariri: kei hopi o koutou ngakau; kaua e wehi; kaua e potatutatu, kaua ano hoki e pawera i to ratou aroaro;

4 Ko Ihowa hoki, ko to koutou Atua, ko ia te haere tahi ana i a koutou, mana ta koutou whawhai ki o koutou hoariri, mana koutou e whakaora.

5 Me korero ano hoki nga kaiwhakahauhau ki te iwi, me ki atu, Tenei ranei tetahi kua hanga e ia he whare hou, a kahore ano i taia te kawa? me haere ia, me hoki atu ki tona whare, kei mate ki te whawhaitanga, ka riro ma te tangata ke e ta te kawa.

6 Tenei ranei tetahi kua whakatokia e ia he mara waina, a kahore ano i kainga nga hua? me haere ia, me hoki atu ki tona whare, kei mate ki te whawhaitanga, ka riro mate tangata ke e kai.

7 Tenei ranei tetahi kua oti tetahi wahine te taumau mana, a kahore ano i tangohia e ia? me haere ia, me hoki atu ki tona whare, kei mate ki te whawhaitanga, ka riro ma te tangata ke e tango.

8 A me korero ano nga kaiwhakahauhau ki te iwi, me ki atu, Tenei ranei tetahi e wehi ana, e hopi ana te ngakau? me haere ia, me hoki atu ki tona whare, kei ngohe nga ngakau o ona teina, kei rite ki tona ngakau.

9 Na ka mutu te korero a nga kaiwhakahauhau ki te iwi, me whakarite e ratou etahi rangatira ope hai upoko mo te iwi.

10 Ka whakatata atu koe ki te tatau ki tetahi pa, na me karanga atu e koe te rangimarie ki reira.

11 A, ki te mea he rangimarie tana e whakahoki mai ai ki a koe, a ka whakapuaretia ki a koe, katahi ka waiho nga tangata katoa e kitea e koe ki reira hei kaihomai takoha ki a koe, hei apa ano ratou mau.

12 A, ki te kore e mau ta reira rongo ki a koe, a ka anga ki te whawhai ki a koe, katahi ka whakapaea e koe:

13 A, ki te hoatu e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki ou ringa, na me patu e koe nga tane katoa o reira ki te mata o te hoari:

14 Ko nga wahine ia me nga tamariki, ko nga kararehe me nga mea katoa i roto i te pa, ko nga taonga katoa o reira, me tango e koe mau; a ka pau i a koe nga mea a ou hoariri, e hoatu ana e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe.

15 Ko tenei tau e mea ai ki nga pa katoa e mamao rawa atu ana i a koe, ehara nei i te pa no enei iwi.

16 Ko nga pa ia o enei iwi, e hoatu nei e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koe hei kainga tupu, kaua e whakaorangia tetahi mea e whai manawa ana:

17 Engari me whakangaro rawa ratou e koe; nga Hiti, nga Amori, nga Kanaani, nga Perihi, nga Hiwi, nga Iepuhi; kia rite ki ta Ihowa, ki ta tou Atua, i whakahau ai ki a koe:

18 Kei whakaakona koutou e ratou ki te mahi i a ratou mahi whakarihariha katoa e mahia nei e ratou ki o ratou atua; a ka hara koutou ki a Ihowa, ki to koutou Atua.

19 Ki te maha nga ra e whakapaea ai e koe he pa, e tauria ai kia horo, kei whakakorea e koe nga rakau o reira, kai akina atu ki te toki; no te mea hei kai ena mau, a kaua e tuaina e koe; he tangata koia te rakau o te parae kia whakapaea e koe?

20 Ko nga rakau anake e mohio ai koe ehara i te rakau kai, ko ena au e whakakore, ka tua ki raro; a ka hanga he taiepa whakapae mo te pa e whawhai ana ki a koe, a horo noa.

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Deuteronomy 17-20
New International Version

17 Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect(A) or flaw in it, for that would be detestable(B) to him.(C)

2 If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant,(D) 3 and contrary to my command(E) has worshiped other gods,(F) bowing down to them or to the sun(G) or the moon or the stars in the sky,(H) 4 and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true(I) and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,(J) 5 take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.(K) 6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.(L) 7 The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death,(M) and then the hands of all the people.(N) You must purge the evil(O) from among you.

Law Courts

8 If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge(P)—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults(Q)—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose.(R) 9 Go to the Levitical(S) priests and to the judge(T) who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.(U) 10 You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. 11 Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left.(V) 12 Anyone who shows contempt(W) for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering(X) there to the Lord your God is to be put to death.(Y) You must purge the evil from Israel.(Z) 13 All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.(AA)

The King

14 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession(AB) of it and settled in it,(AC) and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”(AD) 15 be sure to appoint(AE) over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites.(AF) Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses(AG) for himself(AH) or make the people return to Egypt(AI) to get more of them,(AJ) for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”(AK) 17 He must not take many wives,(AL) or his heart will be led astray.(AM) He must not accumulate(AN) large amounts of silver and gold.(AO)

18 When he takes the throne(AP) of his kingdom, he is to write(AQ) for himself on a scroll a copy(AR) of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life(AS) so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees(AT) 20 and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law(AU) to the right or to the left.(AV) Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.(AW)

Offerings for Priests and Levites

18 The Levitical(AX) priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings(AY) presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.(AZ) 2 They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance,(BA) as he promised them.(BB)

3 This is the share due the priests(BC) from the people who sacrifice a bull(BD) or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head.(BE) 4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep,(BF) 5 for the Lord your God has chosen them(BG) and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister(BH) in the Lord’s name always.(BI)

6 If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose,(BJ) 7 he may minister in the name(BK) of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. 8 He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.(BL)

Occult Practices

9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate(BM) the detestable ways(BN) of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,(BO) who practices divination(BP) or sorcery,(BQ) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,(BR) 11 or casts spells,(BS) or who is a medium or spiritist(BT) or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.(BU) 13 You must be blameless(BV) before the Lord your God.(BW)

The Prophet

14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.(BX) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.(BY) You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”(BZ)

17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet(CA) like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words(CB) in his mouth.(CC) He will tell them everything I command him.(CD) 19 I myself will call to account(CE) anyone who does not listen(CF) to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.(CG) 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,(CH) is to be put to death.”(CI)

21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true,(CJ) that is a message the Lord has not spoken.(CK) That prophet has spoken presumptuously,(CL) so do not be alarmed.

Cities of Refuge(CM)

19 When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses,(CN) 2 then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3 Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.

4 This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. 5 For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood(CO) might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 7 This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

8 If the Lord your God enlarges your territory,(CP) as he promised(CQ) on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them, 9 because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the Lord your God and to walk always in obedience to him(CR)—then you are to set aside three more cities. 10 Do this so that innocent blood(CS) will not be shed in your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.(CT)

11 But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor,(CU) and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show no pity.(CV) You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood,(CW) so that it may go well with you.

14 Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.(CX)

Witnesses

15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.(CY)

16 If a malicious witness(CZ) takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges(DA) who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation,(DB) and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party.(DC) You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid,(DD) and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity:(DE) life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.(DF)

Going to War

20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours,(DG) do not be afraid(DH) of them,(DI) because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with(DJ) you. 2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. 3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted(DK) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. 4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you(DL) to fight(DM) for you against your enemies to give you victory.(DN)”

5 The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in(DO) it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. 6 Has anyone planted(DP) a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it?(DQ) Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. 7 Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.(DR)” 8 Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”(DS) 9 When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.(DT) 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject(DU) to forced labor(DV) and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.(DW) 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock(DX) and everything else in the city,(DY) you may take these as plunder(DZ) for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance(EA) from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.(EB) 17 Completely destroy[a] them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods,(EC) and you will sin(ED) against the Lord your God.

19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?[b] 20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees(EE) and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 20:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  2. Deuteronomy 20:19 Or down to use in the siege, for the fruit trees are for the benefit of people.
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