Study Desk

Then there before the Lord your God you will say: ‘My ancestor was a wandering Aramean. He went down into Egypt and stayed there. When he went there, he had only a few people in his family. But in Egypt he became a great nation—a powerful nation with many people.

Then we prayed to the Lord , the God of our ancestors, and complained about them. And the Lord heard us. He saw our trouble, our hard work, and our suffering.

Now, Lord , I bring you the first harvest from the land that you gave me.' "Then you must put the harvest down before the Lord your God and bow down to worship him.

Then you must have a meal together and enjoy all the good things that the Lord your God has given to you and your family. You must share them with the Levites and the foreigners living among you.

You must say to the Lord your God, ‘I have taken out of my house the holy part of my harvest. I have given it to the Levites, to the foreigners, and to the orphans and widows. I have followed all the commands you gave me. I have not refused to obey any of your commands. I have not forgotten them.

I have not eaten this food when I was sad. I was not unclean when I collected this food. I have not offered any of this food for dead people. I have obeyed you, Lord my God. I have done everything you commanded me.

"Today the Lord your God commands you to obey all these laws and rules. Be careful to follow them with all your heart and soul.

Today you have said that the Lord is your God. You have promised to live the way he wants. You promised to follow his teachings and to obey his laws and commands. You said you would do everything he tells you to do.

You will soon go across the Jordan River into the land that the Lord your God is giving you. On that day you must put up large stones. Cover them with plaster.

Then write on the stones all these commands and teachings. You must do this when you go across the Jordan River. Then you may go into the land that the Lord your God is giving you—a land filled with many good things. The Lord , the God of your ancestors, promised to give you this land.

Also, use some stones there to build an altar to the Lord your God. Don't use iron tools to cut the stones.

You must not use cut stones to build the altar for the Lord your God. Offer burnt offerings on this altar to the Lord your God.

And you must sacrifice and eat fellowship offerings there. Eat and enjoy yourselves there together with the Lord your God.

Moses and the Levite priests spoke to all the Israelites. Moses said, "Be quiet and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God.

So you must do everything that the Lord your God tells you. You must obey his commands and his laws that I am giving you today."

"‘Cursed is the one who makes a false god and puts it in its secret place. These false gods are only statues that some worker makes from wood, stone or metal. The Lord hates these things!' "Then all the people will answer, ‘Amen!'

"Now, if you will be careful to obey the Lord your God and follow all his commands that I tell you today, the Lord your God will put you high above all the nations on earth.

If you will obey the Lord your God, all these blessings will come to you and be yours:

"The Lord will bless you and fill your barns. He will bless everything you do. The Lord your God will bless you in the land that he is giving you.

If you follow the Lord your God and obey his commands, he will do what he promised. The Lord will make you his own special people.