Study Desk

Then ^(F1)God said, "Behold, ^(C1)I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people ^(C2)I will perform miracles which have not been ^(F2)produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people ^(F3)among whom you live will see the working of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.

"^(F1)Be sure to comply with what I am commanding you this day: behold, ^(C1)I am going to drive out the Amorite from you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

"^(C1)Be careful that you do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.

"^(C1)But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their memorial stones, and cut down their ^(F1)(C2)Asherim

—for ^(C1)you shall not worship any other god, because the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—

otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they would prostitute themselves with their gods and ^(C1)sacrifice to their gods, and someone ^(C2)might invite you ^(F1)to eat of his sacrifice,

and ^(C1)you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons also to prostitute themselves with their gods.

"^(C1)You shall not make for yourself any gods cast in metal.