Study Desk

The Lord sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go and take for your own the land I have given you.' But you went against what the Lord your God told you to do. You did not believe Him or listen to His voice.

(The people of Israel traveled from the wells of the sons of Jaakan to Moserah. Aaron died there and was buried and his son Eleazar took his place as religious leader.

At that time the Lord set apart the family of Levi to carry the special box of the Law of the Lord, and to stand before the Lord to work for Him and honor His name to this day.

So Levi does not have a share of what is given to his brothers. The Lord is his share, just as the Lord your God promised him.)

"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you? He wants you to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him. He wants you to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul.

The Lord had joy in loving your fathers more than other nations, and you are still His chosen people to this day.

He does what is right and fair for the child without parents and the woman whose husband has died. He shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing.

Fear the Lord your God. Work for Him, hold on to Him, and swear by His name.

"Love the Lord your God. Always do what He tells you and keep all His Laws.

They have not seen the special things you have seen, what He did in Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land.

The Lord your God cares for this land. His eyes watch over it from the beginning to the end of the year.

Be careful to obey all this Law which I am telling you. Love the Lord your God. Walk in all His ways and hold on to Him. If you do,

Look for the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your family groups. There He will make His name known, and make His home there, and there you will come.

You will not do at all the things we are doing here today, for every man is doing whatever is right in his own eyes.

Then bring all I tell you to the place where the Lord your God will choose to make His name known. Bring your burnt gifts, your gifts of worship, the tenth part of what you receive, the gifts of your hands, and all the special gifts that you promised to the Lord.

"But you may kill and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you want, as the Lord your God has given you His good gifts. Both the clean and the unclean may eat of it, as you would of the gazelle and the deer.

If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may kill from your cattle or flock which the Lord has given you, as I have told you, and you may eat within your towns whatever you want.

Follow the Lord your God and fear Him. Keep His Laws, and listen to His voice. Work for Him, and hold on to Him.

Let nothing of the things to be destroyed be kept in your own hand so the Lord may turn from His burning anger and show loving-kindness to you. He will show you loving-pity and make you a nation of many, just as He promised your fathers.

But you must listen to the voice of the Lord your God. Obey all His Laws which I am telling you today. Do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God.