Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Names of God Bible

Moses Reminds Israel Why He Will Not Enter Canaan

²³ Then I pleaded with Yahweh: ²⁴ “Adonay Yahweh, you have only begun to show me how great and powerful you are. What kind of god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and the mighty acts you have done? ²⁵ Please let me go over and see the beautiful land on the other side of the Jordan River—those beautiful mountains in Lebanon.”

²⁶ Yahweh was angry with me because of you, so he wouldn’t listen to me. Yahweh said, “That’s enough out of you! Don’t talk to me anymore about this. ²⁷ Go to the top of Mount Pisgah, and look west, north, south, and east. You may look at the land, but you will never cross the Jordan River. ²⁸ Give instructions to Joshua. Encourage and strengthen him, because he will lead these people across the Jordan River, and he will help them take possession of the land you see.”

²⁹ So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.

Moses Reminds Israel to Be Loyal to the Lord

4 Israel, listen to the laws and rules I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you will live and be able to enter and take possession of the land that Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors is giving you. ² Never add anything to what I command you, or take anything away from it. Then you will be able to obey the commands of Yahweh your Elohim that I give you.

³ With your own eyes you saw what Yahweh did at Baal Peor. Yahweh your Elohim destroyed everyone among you who worshiped the god Baal while you were at Peor. ⁴ But you were loyal to Yahweh your Elohim and are still alive today.

⁵ I have taught you laws and rules as Yahweh my Elohim commanded me. You must obey them when you’ve entered the land and taken possession of it. ⁶ Faithfully obey these laws. This will show the people of the world your wisdom and insight. When they hear about all these laws, they will say, “What wise and insightful people there are in this great nation!”

⁷ What great nation ever had their gods as near to them as Yahweh our Elohim is near to us whenever we pray to him? ⁸ Or what other great nation has such fair laws and rules as all these teachings I am giving you today?

⁹ However, be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you don’t forget the things which you have seen with your own eyes. Don’t let them fade from your memory as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren. ¹⁰ Never forget the day you stood in front of Yahweh your Elohim at Mount Horeb. Yahweh had said to me, “Assemble the people in front of me, and I will let them hear my words. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live on earth, and they will teach their children the same thing.”

¹¹ So you came and stood at the foot of the mountain, which was on fire with flames shooting into the sky. It was dark, cloudy, and gloomy. ¹² Yahweh spoke to you from the fire. You heard a voice speaking but saw no one. There was only a voice. ¹³ Yahweh told you about the terms of his promise, the ten commandments, which he commanded you to do. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets. ¹⁴ Yahweh also commanded me to teach you the laws and rules you must obey after you cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land.

¹⁵ You didn’t see Yahweh the day he spoke to you from the fire at Mount Horeb. So be very careful ¹⁶ that you don’t become corrupt and make your own carved idols. Don’t make statues that represent men or women, ¹⁷ any animal on earth, any creature with wings that flies, ¹⁸ any creature that crawls on the ground, or any fish in the water. ¹⁹ Don’t let yourselves be tempted to worship and serve what you see in the sky—the sun, the moon, the stars, or anything else. Yahweh your Elohim has given them to all people everywhere. ²⁰ But you are the people Yahweh brought out of Egypt, the iron smelter, in order to make you his own people as you still are today.

²¹ Yahweh was angry with me because of you. So Yahweh your Elohim took an oath that I wouldn’t cross the Jordan River and enter the good land he is giving you as your property. ²² I’m going to die in this land and not cross the Jordan River, but you’re going to go across and take possession of that good land. ²³ Be careful that you don’t forget the promise^[a] that Yahweh your Elohim made to you. Don’t make your own carved idols or statues that represent anything Yahweh your Elohim has forbidden. ²⁴ Yahweh your Elohim is Esh Oklah, El Kanna.

²⁵ Even when you have children and grandchildren and have grown old in that land, don’t become corrupt and make carved idols or statues that represent anything. I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today:^[b] If you do this thing that Yahweh your Elohim considers evil, making him furious, ²⁶ you will quickly disappear from the land you’re going to possess on the other side of the Jordan River. You won’t live very long there. You’ll be completely wiped out. ²⁷ Yahweh will scatter you among the people of the world, and only a few of you will be left among the nations where Yahweh will force you to live. ²⁸ There you will worship wooden and stone gods made by human hands. These gods can’t see, hear, eat, or smell.

²⁹ But if you look for Yahweh your Elohim when you are among those nations, you will find him whenever you search for him with all your heart and with all your soul. ³⁰ When you’re in distress and all these things happen to you, then you will finally come back to Yahweh your Elohim and obey him. ³¹ Yahweh your Elohim is a merciful God. He will not abandon you, destroy you, or forget the promise to your ancestors that he swore he would keep.

³² Search the distant past, long before your time. Start from the very day Elohim created people on earth. Search from one end of heaven to the other. Has anything as great as this ever happened before, or has anything like it ever been heard of? ³³ Have any other people ever heard Elohim speak from a fire and lived? You did! ³⁴ Or has any god ever tried to come and take one nation away from another for himself? Yahweh your Elohim used his mighty hand and powerful arm to do this for you in Egypt. He did this using plagues, miraculous signs, amazing things, and war. He did his great and awe-inspiring deeds in front of you.

³⁵ You were shown these things so that you would know that Yahweh is Elohim. There is no other god. ³⁶ He let you hear his voice from heaven so that he could instruct you. He showed you his great fire on earth, and you heard him speak from the column of fire. ³⁷ Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants, he was with you as he brought you out of Egypt by his great power. ³⁸ He forced nations greater and stronger than you out of your way to bring you into their land and give it to you. This land is your own possession today.

³⁹ Remember today, and never forget that Yahweh is Elohim in heaven above and here on earth. There is no other god. ⁴⁰ Obey his laws and commands which I’m giving you today. Then things will go well for you and your descendants. You will live for a long time in the land. Yahweh your Elohim is giving you the land for as long as you live.

Three Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan River

⁴¹ Then Moses set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan River. ⁴² Those who unintentionally killed someone whom they had never hated could flee to one of these cities and save their lives. ⁴³ The cities were Bezer on the desert plateau for the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.

Introduction to Moses’ Teachings

⁴⁴ This is what Moses taught the people of Israel. ⁴⁵ These are the commandments, laws, and rules Moses gave the Israelites after they had left Egypt. ⁴⁶ He gave these to the people when they were east of the Jordan River in the valley near Beth Peor, in the land of King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon. Moses and Israel defeated him after they left Egypt. ⁴⁷ They took possession of his land and the land of King Og of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites who were east of the Jordan River. ⁴⁸ This land went from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Valley to Mount Siyon (that is, Mount Hermon). ⁴⁹ It included all the plains on the east side of the Jordan River as far as the Dead Sea at the foot of the slopes of Mount Pisgah.

The Ten Commandments^(A)

5 Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Israel, listen to the laws and rules I’m telling you today. Learn them and faithfully obey them.

² Yahweh our Elohim made a promise^[c] to us at Mount Horeb. ³ Yahweh didn’t make this promise to our ancestors, but to all of us who are alive here today. ⁴ Yahweh spoke to you face to face from the fire on the mountain. ⁵ I stood between Yahweh and you to tell you the word of Yahweh, because you were afraid of the fire and didn’t go up on the mountain. The Lord said:

⁶ “I am Yahweh your Elohim, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt.

⁷ “Never have any other gods. ⁸ Never make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth, or in the water. ⁹ Never worship them or serve them, because I, Yahweh your Elohim, am El Kanna. I punish children for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. ¹⁰ But I show mercy to thousands of generations of those who love me and obey my commandments.

¹¹ “Never use the name of Yahweh your Elohim carelessly. Yahweh will make sure that anyone who uses his name carelessly will be punished.

¹² “Observe the day of worship as a holy day. This is what Yahweh your Elohim has commanded you. ¹³ You have six days to do all your work. ¹⁴ The seventh day is the day of worship dedicated to Yahweh your Elohim. You, your sons, your daughters, your male and female slaves, your oxen, your donkeys—all of your animals—even the foreigners living in your city must never do any work on that day. In this way your male and female slaves can rest as you do. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that Yahweh your Elohim used his mighty hand and powerful arm to bring you out of there. This is why Yahweh your Elohim has commanded you to observe the day of worship.

¹⁶ “Honor your father and your mother as Yahweh your Elohim has commanded you. Then you will live for a long time, and things will go well for you in the land Yahweh your Elohim is giving you.

¹⁷ “Never murder.

¹⁸ “Never commit adultery.

¹⁹ “Never steal.

²⁰ “Never avoid the truth when you testify about your neighbor.^[d]

²¹ “Never desire to take your neighbor’s wife away from him.

“Never long for your neighbor’s household, his field, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey, or anything else that belongs to him.”

²² These are the commandments Yahweh spoke to your whole assembly on the mountain. He spoke in a loud voice from the fire, the cloud, and the gloomy darkness. Then he stopped speaking. He wrote the commandments on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

²³ But when you heard the voice coming from the darkness and saw the mountain blazing with fire, all the leaders and heads of your tribes came to me. ²⁴ You said, “Yahweh our Elohim has let us see how great and glorious he is. We’ve heard his voice come from the fire. Today we’ve seen that people can live even if Elohim speaks to them. ²⁵ Why should we die? This great fire will consume us! If we continue to hear the voice of Yahweh our Elohim, we’ll die! ²⁶ Who has ever heard the voice of Elohim Chay speak from a fire, as we did, and lived? ²⁷ Moses, go and listen to everything that Yahweh our Elohim says. Then tell us whatever Yahweh our Elohim tells you. We’ll listen and obey.”

²⁸ When Yahweh heard the words that you spoke to me, Yahweh said, “I have heard what these people said to you. Everything they said was good. ²⁹ If only they would fear me and obey all my commandments as long as they live! Then things would go well for them and their children forever.

³⁰ “Tell the people to go back to their tents. ³¹ But you stay here with me. I will give you all the commands, laws, and rules that you must teach them to obey in the land which I’m giving them to possess.”

³² So be careful to do what Yahweh your Elohim has commanded you. Never stop living this way. ³³ Follow all the directions Yahweh your Elohim has given you. Then you will continue to live, life will go well for you, and you will live for a long time in the land that you are going to possess.

Love the Lord

6 These are the commands, laws, and rules Yahweh your Elohim commanded me to teach you. Obey them after you enter the land and take possession of it. ² As long as you live, you, your children, and your grandchildren must fear Yahweh your Elohim. All of you must obey all his laws and commands that I’m giving you, and you will live a long time. ³ Listen, Israel, and be careful to obey these laws. Then things will go well for you and your population will increase in a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors promised you.

⁴ Listen, Israel: Yahweh is our Elohim. Yahweh is the only God. ⁵ Love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ⁶ Take to heart these words that I give you today. ⁷ Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up. ⁸ Write them down, and tie them around your wrist, and wear them as headbands as a reminder. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

¹⁰ Yahweh your Elohim will bring you into the land and give it to you, as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This land will have large, prosperous cities that you didn’t build. ¹¹ Your houses will be filled with all kinds of things that you didn’t put there. You will have cisterns that you didn’t dig and vineyards and olive trees that you didn’t plant. After you have eaten all that you want, ¹² be careful that you don’t forget Yahweh, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt. ¹³ You must fear Yahweh your Elohim, serve him, and take your oaths only in his name. ¹⁴ Never worship any of the gods worshiped by the people around you. ¹⁵ If you do, Yahweh your Elohim will become very angry with you and will wipe you off the face of the earth, because Yahweh your Elohim, who is with you, is El Kanna.

¹⁶ Never test Yahweh your Elohim as you did at Massah. ¹⁷ Be sure to obey the commands of Yahweh your Elohim and the regulations and laws he has given you. ¹⁸ Do what Yahweh considers right and good. Then things will go well for you, and you will enter and take possession of that good land which Yahweh promised to your ancestors with an oath. ¹⁹ You will see Yahweh expel your enemies as he said he would.

²⁰ In the future your children will ask you, “What do these regulations, laws, and rules which Yahweh our Elohim commanded you mean to you?” ²¹ Tell them, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but Yahweh used his mighty hand to bring us out of there. ²² Right before our eyes Yahweh did miraculous signs and amazing things that were spectacular but terrible for Egypt, Pharaoh, and his whole family. ²³ Yahweh led us out of there to bring us here and give us this land he promised to our ancestors with an oath. ²⁴ Yahweh our Elohim commanded us to obey all these laws and to fear Yahweh. These laws are for our own good as long as we live so that he will preserve our lives. It’s still true today. ²⁵ This is how we’ll have the Lord’s approval: If we faithfully obey all these laws in the presence of Yahweh our Elohim, as he has commanded us.”

Israel Is Commanded to Destroy the Canaanites and Their Idols

7 Yahweh your Elohim will bring you to the land you’re about to enter and take possession of. He will force many nations out of your way: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—seven nations larger and more powerful than you. ² When Yahweh your Elohim gives them to you and you defeat them, destroy every one of them because they have been claimed by the Lord. Don’t make any treaties with them or show them any mercy. ³ Never marry any of them. Never let your daughters marry their sons or your sons marry their daughters. ⁴ These people will turn your children away from me to worship other gods. Then Yahweh will get very angry with you and will quickly destroy you.

⁵ But this is what you must do to these people: Tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, and burn their idols. ⁶ You are a holy people, who belong to Yahweh your Elohim. Yahweh your Elohim chose you to be his own special possession out of all the nations on earth.

⁷ Yahweh set his heart on you and chose you, even though you didn’t outnumber all the other people. You were the smallest of all nations. ⁸ You were chosen because Yahweh loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors. So Yahweh used his mighty hand to bring you out. He freed you from slavery under Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). ⁹ Keep in mind that Yahweh your Elohim is the only Elohim. He is a faithful El, who keeps his promise^[e] and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love him and obey his commands. ¹⁰ But he sends destruction to pay back everyone who hates him. He never takes long to pay back anyone who hates him.

¹¹ So obey the commands, laws, and rules I’m giving you today.