Study Desk

Moses said, "People of Israel, you must set aside the following three towns east of the Jordan River as Safe Towns: Bezer in the desert highlands belonging to the Reuben tribe; Ramoth in Gilead, belonging to the Gad tribe; and Golan in Bashan, belonging to the Manasseh tribe. If you kill a neighbor without meaning to, and if you had not been angry with that person, you can run to one of these towns and find safety." The Israelites had come from Egypt and were camped east of the Jordan River near Beth-Peor, when Moses gave these laws and teachings. The land around their camp had once belonged to King Sihon of Heshbon. But Moses and the Israelites defeated him

That agreement wasn't only with our ancestors but with us, who are here today.

but you were afraid of the fire and refused to go up the mountain. So I spoke with the Lord for you, then I told you that he had said:

But if you love me and obey my laws, I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations.

but the seventh day of the week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day—not you, your children, your oxen or donkeys or any other animal, not even those foreigners who live in your towns. And don't make your slaves do any work.

But we don't want to take a chance on being killed by that terrible fire, and if we keep on hearing the Lord 's voice, we will die.

but you come back here to me. After I tell you my laws and teachings, you will repeat them to the people, so they can obey these laws in the land I am giving them.

and houses full of good things that you didn't put there. The Lord will give you wells that you didn't have to dig, and vineyards and olive orchards that you didn't have to plant. But when you have eaten so much that you can't eat any more,

Then you will answer: We were slaves of the king of Egypt, but the Lord used his great power and set us free.

Moses said: People of Israel, the Lord your God will help you take the land of the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. These seven nations have more people and are stronger than Israel, but when you attack them,

Moses said: Israel, you are the chosen people of the Lord your God. There are many nations on this earth, but he chose only Israel to be his very own.

but the Lord chose you because he loves you and because he had made a promise to your ancestors. Then with his mighty arm, he rescued you from the king of Egypt, who had made you his slaves.

But if you turn against the Lord , he will quickly destroy you.

You will no longer suffer with the same horrible diseases that you sometimes had in Egypt. You will be healthy, but the Lord will make your enemies suffer from those diseases.

But stop worrying! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Egypt and its king.

Some of them may try to survive by hiding from you, but the Lord will make them panic, and soon they will be dead.

But when you attack your enemies, the Lord will make them panic, and you will easily destroy them. You will defeat them one after another until they are gone, and no one will remember they ever lived.

But when all this happens, don't be proud! Don't forget that you were once slaves in Egypt and that it was the Lord who set you free.

Remember how he led you in that huge and frightening desert where poisonous snakes and scorpions live. There was no water, but the Lord split open a rock, and water poured out so you could drink.

But I'm warning you—if you forget the Lord your God and worship other gods, the Lord will destroy you, just as he destroyed the nations you fought.