Study Desk

But if I haven't spoken, and a prophet claims to have a message from me, you must kill that prophet, and you must also kill any prophet who claims to have a message from another god.

Moses said to Israel: Soon you will go into the land and attack the nations. The Lord your God will destroy them and give you their lands, towns, and homes. Then after you are settled,

Israel, the Lord your God has promised that if you obey his laws and teachings I'm giving you, and if you always love him, then he will give you the land he promised your ancestors. When that happens, you must name three more Safe Towns in the new territory.

You will need them, so innocent people won't be killed on your land while they are trying to reach a Safe Town that is too far away. You will be guilty of murder, if innocent people lose their lives because you didn't name enough Safe Towns in the land the Lord your God will give you.

Moses said to Israel: If you have to go to war, you may find yourselves facing an enemy army that is bigger than yours and that has horses and chariots. But don't be afraid! The Lord your God rescued you from Egypt, and he will help you fight.

The Lord your God will fight alongside you and help you win the battle."

Whenever you capture towns in the land the Lord your God is giving you, be sure to kill all the people and animals.

Moses said to Israel: Suppose the body of a murder victim is found in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you, and no one knows who the murderer is.

They and some of the priests will take this cow to a nearby valley where there is a stream, but no crops. Once they reach the valley, the leaders will break the cow's neck. The priests must be there, because the Lord your God has chosen them to be his special servants at the place of worship. The Lord has chosen them to bless the people in his name and to be judges in all legal cases, whether property or injury is involved.

Moses said to Israel: From time to time, you men will serve as soldiers and go off to war. The Lord your God will help you defeat your enemies, and you will take many prisoners.

you must not let it hang there overnight. Bury it the same day, because the dead body of a criminal will bring God's curse on the land. The Lord your God is giving this land to you, so don't make it unclean by leaving the bodies of executed criminals on display.

Moses said to Israel: Women must not pretend to be men, and men must not pretend to be women. The Lord your God is disgusted with people who do that.

But the Lord your God loves you, so he refused to listen to Balaam and turned Balaam's curse into a blessing.

The Lord your God is disgusted with men and women who are prostitutes of any kind, and he will not accept a gift from them, even if it had been promised to him.

You can charge a foreigner interest. But if you charge other Israelites interest, the Lord your God will not let you be successful in the land you are about to take.

Since she has slept with her second husband, she cannot marry her first husband again. Their marriage would pollute the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and he would be disgusted.

And remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam after you left Egypt.

Instead, give it back before sunset, so the owner can keep warm and sleep and ask the Lord to bless you. Then the Lord your God will notice that you have done the right thing.

You were slaves in Egypt until the Lord your God rescued you. That's why I am giving you these laws.

You lived in poverty as slaves in Egypt until the Lord your God rescued you. That's why I am giving you these laws.