Study Desk

Then the elders of the town must call for the man and talk to him. But if he is stubborn and says, "I don't want to marry her,"

the woman must go up to him in front of the leaders. She must take off one of his sandals and spit in his face and say, "This is for the man who won't continue his brother's family!"

I have not eaten any of the holy part while I was in sorrow. I have not removed any of it while I was unclean, and I have not offered it for dead people. I have obeyed you, the Lord my God, and have done everything you commanded me.

Your dead bodies will be food for all the birds and wild animals, and there will be no one to scare them away.

Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will grow tired looking for them every day, but there will be nothing you can do.

and they will look mean. They will not respect old people or feel sorry for the young.

I led you through the desert for forty years, and during that time neither your clothes nor sandals wore out.

He will separate them from all the tribes of Israel for punishment. All the curses of the Agreement that are written in this Book of the Teachings will happen to them.

Then the Lord your God will give you back your freedom. He will feel sorry for you, and he will bring you back again from the nations where he scattered you.

This command I give you today is not too hard for you; it is not beyond what you can do.

It is not up in heaven. You do not have to ask, "Who will go up to heaven and get it for us so we can obey it and keep it?"

the Lord your God will lead you across himself. He will destroy those nations for you, and you will take over their land. Joshua will also lead you across, as the Lord has said.

Then Moses commanded them: "Read these teachings for all Israel to hear at the end of every seven years, which is the year to cancel what people owe. Do it during the Feast of Shelters, when all the Israelites will come to appear before the Lord your God and stand at the place he will choose.

Since their children do not know this law, they must hear it. They must learn to respect the Lord your God for as long as they live in the land you are crossing the Jordan River to take for your own."

Gather all the elders of your tribes and all your officers to me so that I may say these things for them to hear, and so that I may ask heaven and earth to testify against them.

And Moses spoke this whole song for all the people of Israel to hear:

God Most High gave the nations their lands, dividing up the human race. He set up borders for the people and even numbered the Israelites.

Be happy, nations, with his people, because he will repay you for the blood of his servants. He will punish his enemies, and he will remove the sin of his land and people.

Moses came with Joshua son of Nun, and they spoke all the words of this song for the people to hear.

These should not be unimportant words for you, but rather they mean life for you! By these words you will live a long time in the land you are crossing the Jordan River to take as your own."