Study Desk

They left Iye-abarim and camped at Dibon-gad.

They left Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.

They left Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains east of the river, near Mount Nebo.

They left the mountains east of the river and camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live.

Or if someone hates another person and hits him with a fist and he dies, it is murder. In such cases, the avenger must put the murderer to death when they meet.

or accidentally drops a huge stone on someone, though they were not enemies, and the person dies.

These are the commands and regulations that the Lord gave to the people of Israel through Moses while they were camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

These are the words that Moses spoke to all the people of Israel while they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River. They were camped in the Jordan Valley near Suph, between Paran on one side and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab on the other.

"But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let's send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.'

They headed for the hill country and came to the valley of Eshcol and explored it.

They picked some of its fruit and brought it back to us. And they reported, ‘The land the Lord our God has given us is indeed a good land.'

Where can we go? Our brothers have demoralized us with their report. They tell us, "The people of the land are taller and more powerful than we are, and their towns are large, with walls rising high into the sky! We even saw giants there—the descendants of Anak!"'

But the Amorites who lived there came out against you like a swarm of bees. They chased and battered you all the way from Seir to Hormah.

(A race of giants called the Emites had once lived in the area of Ar. They were as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites, another race of giants.

In earlier times the Horites had lived in Seir, but they were driven out and displaced by the descendants of Esau, just as Israel drove out the people of Canaan when the Lord gave Israel their land.)

They were also as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites. But the Lord destroyed them so the Ammonites could occupy their land.

Beginning today I will make people throughout the earth terrified because of you. When they hear reports about you, they will tremble with dread and fear.'"

When the Lord has given security to the rest of the Israelites, as he has to you, and when they occupy the land the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan River, then you may all return here to the land I have given you.'

Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!'