Exodus 34:12-26

Living Bible

¹² “Be very, very careful never to compromise with the people there in the land where you are going, for if you do, you will soon be following their evil ways. ¹³ Instead, you must break down their heathen altars, smash the obelisks they worship, and cut down their shameful idols.^{[a] 14} For you must worship no other gods, but only Jehovah, for he is a God who claims absolute loyalty and exclusive devotion.

¹⁵ “No, do not make a peace treaty of any kind with the people living in the land, for they are spiritual prostitutes, committing adultery against me by sacrificing to their gods.^[b] If you become friendly with them and one of them invites you to go with him and worship his idol, you are apt to do it. ¹⁶ And you would accept their daughters, who worship other gods, as wives for your sons—and then your sons would commit adultery against me by worshiping their wives’ gods. ¹⁷ You must have nothing to do with idols.

¹⁸ “Be sure to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days, just as I instructed you, at the dates appointed each year in March; that was the month you left Egypt.

¹⁹ “Every firstborn male^[c] is mine—cattle, sheep, and goats. ²⁰ The firstborn colt of a donkey may be redeemed by giving a lamb in its place. If you decide not to redeem it, then its neck must be broken. But your sons must all be redeemed. And no one shall appear before me without a gift.

²¹ “Even during plowing and harvest times, work only six days, and rest on the seventh.

²² “And you must remember to celebrate these three annual religious festivals: the Festival of Weeks, the Festival of the First Wheat, and the Harvest Festival. ²³ On each of these three occasions all the men and boys of Israel shall appear before the Lord. ²⁴ No one will attack and conquer your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God those three times each year. For I will drive out the nations from before you and enlarge your boundaries.

²⁵ “You must not use leavened bread with your sacrifices to me, and none of the meat of the Passover lamb may be kept over until the following morning. ²⁶ And you must bring the best of the first of each year’s crop to the Tabernacle of the Lord your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”