Deuteronomy 7

New International Version

Driving Out the Nations

7 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess^(A) and drives out before you many nations^(B)—the Hittites,^(C) Girgashites,^(D) Amorites,^(E) Canaanites, Perizzites,^(F) Hivites^(G) and Jebusites,^(H) seven nations larger and stronger than you— ²and when the Lord your God has delivered^(I) them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy^(J) them totally.^[a]^(K) Make no treaty^(L) with them, and show them no mercy.^(M) ³Do not intermarry with them.^(N) Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, ⁴for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods,^(O) and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy^(P) you. ⁵This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles^[b]^(Q) and burn their idols in the fire.^(R) ⁶For you are a people holy^(S) to the Lord your God.^(T) The Lord your God has chosen^(U) you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.^(V)

⁷The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous^(W) than other peoples, for you were the fewest^(X) of all peoples.^(Y) ⁸But it was because the Lord loved^(Z) you and kept the oath he swore^(AA) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand^(AB) and redeemed^(AC) you from the land of slavery,^(AD) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹Know therefore that the Lord your God is God;^(AE) he is the faithful God,^(AF) keeping his covenant of love^(AG) to a thousand generations^(AH) of those who love him and keep his commandments.^(AI) ¹⁰But

those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction;
he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.^(AJ)

¹¹Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

¹²If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors.^(AK) ¹³He will love you and bless you^(AL) and increase your numbers.^(AM) He will bless the fruit of your womb,^(AN) the crops of your land—your grain, new wine^(AO) and olive oil^(AP)—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.^(AQ) ¹⁴You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young.^(AR) ¹⁵The Lord will keep you free from every disease.^(AS) He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt,^(AT) but he will inflict them on all who hate you.^(AU) ¹⁶You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you.^(AV) Do not look on them with pity^(AW) and do not serve their gods,^(AX) for that will be a snare^(AY) to you.

¹⁷You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?^(AZ)” ¹⁸But do not be afraid^(BA) of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.^(BB) ¹⁹You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand^(BC) and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.^(BD) ²⁰Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet^(BE) among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. ²¹Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you,^(BF) is a great and awesome God.^(BG) ²²The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little.^(BH) You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. ²³But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed.^(BI) ²⁴He will give their kings^(BJ) into your hand,^(BK) and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you;^(BL) you will destroy them.^(BM) ²⁵The images of their gods you are to burn^(BN) in the fire. Do not covet^(BO) the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared^(BP) by it, for it is detestable^(BQ) to the Lord your God. ²⁶Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction.^(BR) Regard it as vile and utterly detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.

Footnotes

Deuteronomy 7:2 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 26.
Deuteronomy 7:5 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in Deuteronomy

Isaiah 35

New International Version

Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert^(A) and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.^(B)
Like the crocus,^(C) ²it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.^(D)
The glory of Lebanon^(E) will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel^(F) and Sharon;^(G)
they will see the glory^(H) of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.^(I)

³Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees^(J) that give way;
⁴say^(K) to those with fearful hearts,^(L)
    “Be strong, do not fear;^(M)
your God will come,^(N)
    he will come with vengeance;^(O)
with divine retribution
    he will come to save^(P) you.”

⁵Then will the eyes of the blind be opened^(Q)
    and the ears of the deaf^(R) unstopped.
⁶Then will the lame^(S) leap like a deer,^(T)
    and the mute tongue^(U) shout for joy.^(V)
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams^(W) in the desert.
⁷The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground^(X) bubbling springs.^(Y)
In the haunts where jackals^(Z) once lay,
    grass and reeds^(AA) and papyrus will grow.

⁸And a highway^(AB) will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;^(AC)
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean^(AD) will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
⁹No lion^(AE) will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;^(AF)
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed^(AG) will walk there,
¹⁰    and those the Lord has rescued^(AH) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;^(AI)
    everlasting joy^(AJ) will crown their heads.
Gladness^(AK) and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.^(AL)

Psalm 148

New International Version

Psalm 148

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]^(A)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;^(B)
    praise him in the heights above.
²Praise him, all his angels;^(C)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.^(D)
³Praise him, sun^(E) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
⁴Praise him, you highest heavens^(F)
    and you waters above the skies.^(G)

⁵Let them praise the name^(H) of the Lord,
for at his command^(I) they were created,
⁶and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree^(J) that will never pass away.

⁷Praise the Lord^(K) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures^(L) and all ocean depths,^(M)
⁸lightning and hail,^(N) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,^(O)
⁹you mountains and all hills,^(P)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
¹⁰wild animals^(Q) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
¹¹kings^(R) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
¹²young men and women,
    old men and children.

¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord,^(S)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor^(T) is above the earth and the heavens.^(U)
¹⁴And he has raised up for his people a horn,^[b]^(V)
    the praise^(W) of all his faithful servants,^(X)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.^(Y)