Study Desk

The Lord God said to Moses,

The Lord God said to Moses,

These are gifts that the people bring because they really want to give a gift to God. If the gift is a bull, or a sheep, or a goat, the animal must be a male. And it must not have anything wrong with it. You must not accept any offering that has anything wrong with it. I will not accept that gift.

"You must not take animals from foreigners as sacrifices to your God. The animals might have been hurt in some way. They might have something wrong with them, so they will not be accepted."

"If you want to offer some special offering of thanks to the Lord , you are free to offer that gift. But you must do it in a way that pleases God.

I brought you out of Egypt in order to be your God. I am the Lord ."

You must not eat any of the new grain, or fruit, or bread made from the new grain until you bring that offering to your God. This law will always continue through your generations, wherever you live.

"From that Sunday morning (the day you bring the sheaf to be presented to God), count seven weeks.

On that day bring two loaves of bread from your homes. That bread will be lifted up to show it was offered to God. Use yeast and 16 cups of flour to make those loaves of bread. That will be your gift to the Lord from your first harvest.

"Also, when you harvest the crops on your land, don't cut all the way to the corners of your field. Don't pick up the grain that falls on the ground. Leave it for poor people and for foreigners traveling through your country. I am the Lord your God."

On the first day you will take good fruit from fruit trees. And you will take branches from palm trees, poplar trees, and willow trees by the brook. You will celebrate before the Lord your God for seven days.

Why? So all your descendants will know that I made the Israelites live in temporary shelters during the time I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."

You must tell the Israelites: Anyone who curses their God must be punished.

"The law will be the same for foreigners and for people from your own country. This is because I am the Lord your God."

You must not cheat each other. You must honor your God. I am the Lord your God.

Don't charge them any interest on money you might loan to them. Respect your God and let those from your own country live with you.

I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt to give the land of Canaan to you and to become your God.

You must not be a cruel master to them. You must respect your God.

This is because the Israelites are my servants. They are the servants who I brought out of slavery in Egypt. I am the Lord your God!

"Don't make idols for yourselves. Don't set up statues or memorial stones in your land to bow down to, because I am the Lord your God!