Study Desk

"But your slave may not want to leave; he may love you and your family and be content to stay.

But if there is anything wrong with the animals, if they are crippled or blind or have any other serious defect, you must not sacrifice them to the Lord your God.

But do not use their blood for food; instead, you must pour it out on the ground like water.

Then Moses said, "In the land you are about to occupy, people follow the advice of those who practice divination and look for omens, but the Lord your God does not allow you to do this.

But if any prophet dares to speak a message in my name when I did not command him to do so, he must die for it, and so must any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods.'

"But suppose you deliberately murder your enemy in cold blood and then escape to one of those cities for protection.

"Then the officers will address the men and say, ‘Is there any man here who has just built a house, but has not yet dedicated it? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will dedicate his house.

Is there any man here who has just planted a vineyard, but has not yet had the chance to harvest its grapes? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will enjoy the wine.

But if the people of that city will not surrender, but choose to fight, surround it with your army.

"But when you capture cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, kill everyone.

"When you are trying to capture a city, do not cut down its fruit trees, even though the siege lasts a long time. Eat the fruit, but do not destroy the trees; the trees are not your enemies.

"Suppose a man has two wives and they both bear him sons, but the first son is not the child of his favorite wife.

But if its owner lives a long way off or if you don't know who owns it, then take it home with you. When its owner comes looking for it, give it to him.

You may take the young birds, but you must let the mother bird go, so that you will live a long and prosperous life.

He has made false charges against her, saying that she was not a virgin when he married her. But here is the proof that my daughter was a virgin; look at the bloodstains on the wedding sheet!'

"But if the charge is true and there is no proof that she was a virgin,

But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead he turned the curse into a blessing, because he loved you.

You may charge interest on what you lend to foreigners, but not on what you lend to Israelites. Obey this rule, and the Lord your God will bless everything you do in the land that you are going to occupy.

but if you make one voluntarily, be sure that you keep it.

"When you walk along a path in someone else's vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but you must not carry any away in a container.