Deuteronomy Cross References - NSB

¹ These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel. He was on this side of the Jordan in the desert wilderness, in the plain near the Red Sea (Suph), between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. ² It is only an eleven-day journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea. ³ It was the fortieth year, eleventh month, on the first day of the month. Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all the commandments Jehovah (YHWH) gave him for them. ⁴ After he killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who lived at Astaroth in Edrei: ⁵ On this side (east) of Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses declared the Law. He said: ⁶ »Jehovah our God spoke to us in Horeb. He said: ‘You have lived long enough on this mountain. ⁷ »Leave this place and go to the mountain of the Amorites, and all the places near there in the plain, in the hills, and in the valley and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and to Lebanon, to the great river, the river Euphrates. ⁸ »I have given you this land. Go in and possess the land Jehovah pledged to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to their descendants (offspring) after them.’ ⁹ »I spoke to you then and said: ‘I am not able to bear the burden of you alone. ¹⁰ »‘Jehovah your God has increased your numbers. Today you are more numerous than the stars of heaven. ¹¹ »‘Jehovah the God of your fathers will make you a thousand times as many as you are, and bless you, as he promised you! ¹² »‘How can I alone bear your encumbrance, your burden, and your strife? ¹³ »‘Take wise men with understanding, who are known among your tribes. I will make them rulers over you.’ ¹⁴ »You answered me: ‘The thing you speak is good for us to do.’ ¹⁵ »So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them rulers over you. I made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. ¹⁶ »I charged your judges to hear the cases between your countrymen and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger with him. ¹⁷ »You will not show partiality in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great. You will not fear man for the judgment is God's. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’ ¹⁸ I commanded you at that time all the things you should do. ¹⁹ »When we left Horeb, we went through that entire great and terrible wilderness. You saw it by way of the mountain of the Amorites, as Jehovah our God commanded us. We went to Kadesh-barnea. ²⁰ »I said to you: ‘You have arrived at the mountain of the Amorites. Jehovah gives this mountain to us. ²¹ »See, Jehovah your God give you this land. Possess it, for Jehovah the God of your fathers said to you: Do not fear. Do not be discouraged.’ ²² »Every one of you came near to me and said: ‘We will send men before us. They will search the land. They will bring us word about the way we must go and what cities are there.’ ²³ What you said pleased me very much. I took twelve of your men, one from each tribe. ²⁴ They went up to the mountain to the valley of Eshcol, and explored it. ²⁵ They picked the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down to us. They brought us word again. They said: ‘It is a good land that Jehovah our God gives us.’ ²⁶ Even so they were not willing to go. They rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God: ²⁷ »You complained in your tents, and said: Jehovah hates us so he brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. ²⁸ »‘Where can we go up? Our brothers caused us to lose heart. They said: The people are stronger and taller than we are. The cities are large and the walls go up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.«’ ²⁹ »I said to you: ‘Do not be afraid of them. ³⁰ »‘Jehovah your God leads you. He will fight for you just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes! ³¹ »‘You saw how Jehovah your God carried you like a father carries his son all the way until you reached this place.’ ³² »Yet in all this you did not trust Jehovah your God. ³³ »He went ahead of you to find places for you to camp. He offered fire by night and cloud by day to show you the way you should go. ³⁴ »Jehovah heard what you said. He was angry and solemnly swore: ³⁵ »‘Not one man of this evil generation will see that good land, which I swore to give your fathers, ³⁶ »‘Except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it. I will give him and his descendants the land he walks on. This is because he followed Jehovah wholeheartedly. ³⁷ »‘Jehovah was angry with me because of you. He said to me: ‘You will also not go there. ³⁸ »‘Your assistant Joshua son of Nun will go there. He will lead the people into the land. Encourage him to go there. ³⁹ »‘The little ones that you said would be taken captive will enter the land. Your children who do not know good from bad will go in. I will give it to them and they will possess it. ⁴⁰ »‘But you must turn around and go back through the desert toward the Red Sea.’ ⁴¹ »You answered: ‘We have sinned against Jehovah. We will fight just as Jehovah our God commanded us.’ When every man puts on his armor and weapons of war they will be ready to go to the mountain. ⁴² »‘But Jehovah said to me: ‘Tell them, do not go and fight! I am not with you. Your enemies will defeat you.«’ ⁴³ I told you, but you would not listen. You disobeyed Jehovah’s command and proudly invaded the mountainous region. ⁴⁴ The Amorites who lived there came out and attacked you. They chased you like a swarm of bees. They defeated you! They drove you back from Seir all the way to Hormah. ⁴⁵ You returned and cried to Jehovah. Jehovah, however, did not listen to you. He turned a deaf ear to you! ⁴⁶ That is why you stayed in Kadesh as long as you did.

⁷ Jehovah appeared to Abram and said: »I will give this land to your offspring (seed).« He built an altar there to Jehovah, who had appeared to him.

¹⁴ After Lot had parted from Abram, Jehovah said to Abram: »Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. ¹⁵ »All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring (descendants) from generation to generation.

⁵ He brought him outside and said: »Look toward heaven and count the stars. Are you able to count them?« He continued: »So shall your descendants be.«

¹⁶ »They shall come back here in the fourth generation. The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.«

¹⁶ »They shall come back here in the fourth generation. The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.« ¹⁷ The sun went down and it was dark. A smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. ¹⁸ On that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram. He said: »To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

¹⁸ On that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram. He said: »To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, ¹⁹ the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, ²⁰ the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, ²¹ the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.«

⁷ »I will establish my covenant as a long lasting covenant between us. It will be for your descendants after you, for the generations to come. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸ »The whole land of Canaan, where you are now a guest (alien) (foreigner) (stranger), I will give a long lasting possession to you and your descendants after you. I will be their God.«

²¹ He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

¹⁶ He said: »I am taking an oath on my own name, declares Jehovah, that because you have done this and have not refused to give me your son, your only son, ¹⁷ ‘»I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities.

¹⁷ ‘»I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities. ¹⁸ ‘»All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants. This is because you obeyed my command.’«

³ »You will live there as a foreigner. I will be with you and bless you. I will keep my promise to your father Abraham by giving this land to you and your descendants. ⁴ »I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. I will give your descendants all of this land. They will be a blessing to every nation on earth.

⁴ »I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. I will give your descendants all of this land. They will be a blessing to every nation on earth.

¹³ Jehovah was standing above the stairway. He proclaimed: »I am Jehovah, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give the land on which you are lying to you and your descendants. ¹⁴ »Your descendants will be like the dust on the earth. You will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. Every family on earth will be blessed through you and through your descendants.

¹⁴ »Your descendants will be like the dust on the earth. You will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. Every family on earth will be blessed through you and through your descendants.

²⁵ »because of the God of your father who helps you, because of the Almighty who blesses you from the heavens above, blessings from the deep springs below the ground, blessings from breasts and womb.

¹ One day Moses was taking care of the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock across the desert to Sinai, the holy mountain.

¹ Jehovah said to Moses: »See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. ² »You shall speak all that I command you. Your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. ³ »I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. ⁴ »Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will use my power to punish (lay my hand upon) Egypt severely. I will bring my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt in organized family groups. ⁵ »The Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah when I use my power against Egypt and bring the sons of Israel out of there.« ⁶ Moses and Aaron did as Jehovah commanded them. ⁷ Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they talked to Pharaoh. ⁸ Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron: ⁹ »Pharaoh will say: ‘Give me a sign to prove that God has sent you.’ Tell Aaron: ‘Take your shepherd’s staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh. It will become a large snake.’ ¹⁰ Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They did as Jehovah commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials. It became a large snake. ¹¹ Then Pharaoh sent for his wise men and sorcerers. These Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells. ¹² Each of them threw his staff down. They all became large snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed theirs. ¹³ Pharaoh continued to be stubborn. Just as Jehovah had predicted, he would not listen to them. ¹⁴ Jehovah said to Moses: »Pharaoh is being stubborn. He will not let my people go. ¹⁵ »In the morning meet Pharaoh when he is on his way to the Nile. Wait for him on the bank of the river. Take the staff that turned into a snake. ¹⁶ »Say to Pharaoh: ‘Jehovah the God of the Hebrews sent me to tell you, Let my people go to worship me in the wilderness. So far you have not listened.’« ¹⁷ »Jehovah says: ‘This is the way you will recognize that I am Jehovah: I will strike the Nile with this staff in my hand. The water will turn into blood. ¹⁸ ‘The fish in the Nile will die. The river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink any water from the Nile.«’« ¹⁹ Jehovah then spoke to Moses: »Tell Aaron, Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt; its rivers, canals, ponds, and all its reservoirs. They will turn into blood. There will be blood everywhere in Egypt, even in the buckets of wood and stone pitchers.« ²⁰ Moses and Aaron did as Jehovah commanded. Aaron raised his staff and struck the Nile in front of Pharaoh and his officials. All the water in the river turned into blood. ²¹ The fish in the Nile died. The river smelled bad. The Egyptians could not drink any water from the river. There was blood everywhere in Egypt. ²² But the Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells. So Pharaoh continued to be stubborn. He would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as Jehovah predicted. ²³ Pharaoh turned and went back to his palace. This did not change his mind and heart. ²⁴ All the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink because they could not drink any of the water from the river. ²⁵ Seven days passed after Jehovah struck the Nile.

³⁷ The Israelites left Rameses to go to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, plus all the women and children.

²¹ Jehovah went in front of them in a pillar of cloud to show them the way during the day. He went in front of them in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel at night. ²² The pillar of cloud was always in front of the people during the day, and the pillar of fire at night.

¹⁴ »Jehovah will fight for you while you keep silent.«

¹⁹ The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. ²⁰ So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

²⁴ Just before dawn, Jehovah looked down from the column of fire and smoke and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. ²⁵ He made the wheels of their chariots come off. They could hardly move. Then the Egyptians shouted: »Let us get out of here! Jehovah is fighting for Israel! He is against us!«

¹ Moses and the Israelites sang this song to Jehovah: »I will sing to Jehovah, because he has won a glorious victory. He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea. ² »Jehovah is my strong defender. He is the one who has saved me. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will sing about his greatness. ³ »Jehovah is His name, and he is a warrior! ⁴ »He threw the chariots and army of Egypt’s king into the Red Sea, and he drowned the best of the king’s army. ⁵ »The depths have covered them. They sank to the bottom just like boulders. ⁶ »With the tremendous force of your right arm, Jehovah, you crushed your enemies. ⁷ »In the greatness of your excellence you overthrow those who rose up against you. You sent your wrath and consumed them like stubble. ⁸ »With a blast from your nostrils, the water piled up. The waves stood up like a dam. The deep water thickened in the middle of the sea. ⁹ »The enemy said: ‘I will pursue them! I will catch them! I will divide the loot! I will take all I want! I will use my sword! I will take all they have!’« ¹⁰ »Your breath blew the sea over them. They sank like lead in the raging water. ¹¹ »Who among the gods is like you Jehovah? Who is like you, wonderful in holiness? Who can work wonders and mighty acts like yours? ¹² »You stretched out your right hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies. ¹³ »Using your powerful love, you rescued (redeemed) the people. ¹⁴ »Nations learned of this and trembled. The Philistines shook with horror. ¹⁵ »The sheiks (chiefs) of Edom were dismayed. The leaders of Moab are griped with fear. The inhabitants of Canaan are filled with fear.

¹⁵ »The sheiks (chiefs) of Edom were dismayed. The leaders of Moab are griped with fear. The inhabitants of Canaan are filled with fear. ¹⁶ »Terror and dread fall upon them. By the greatness of your arm they are motionless as stone. Until your people pass over, O Jehovah, until the people pass over whom you have purchased. ¹⁷ »You will bring them and plant them on your own mountain, the place where you live, O Jehovah, the holy place that you built with your own hands, O Jehovah. ¹⁸ »Jehovah will rule as king forever and ever.« ¹⁹ When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry went into the sea, Jehovah made the water of the sea flow back over them. The Israelites had gone through the sea on dry ground. ²⁰ The prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women, danced with tambourines, and followed her. ²¹ Miriam sang to them: »Sing to Jehovah. He has won a glorious victory. He has thrown horses and their riders into the sea.« ²² Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea into the desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. ²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water because it tasted bitter. That is why the place was called Marah (Bitter Place). ²⁴ The people complained about Moses. They asked: »What can we drink?« ²⁵ Moses cried out to Jehovah. Jehovah showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. Jehovah presented laws and rules for them to live by. He tested them there. ²⁶ He said: »If you will listen carefully to Jehovah your God and do what he considers right, if you pay attention to his commands and obey all his laws, I will never make you suffer any of the diseases I made the Egyptians suffer. I am Jehovah, who heals you.« ²⁷ Then they went to Elim. There were twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there by the water.

¹ The whole congregation of Israelites moved from Elim to the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai. This was on the fifteenth day of the second month after they left Egypt. ² The entire congregation complained about Moses and Aaron in the desert. ³ The Israelites said to them: »If only Jehovah had allowed us to die in Egypt! There we sat by our pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted! You brought us out into this desert to let us all starve to death!«

³ The Israelites said to them: »If only Jehovah had allowed us to die in Egypt! There we sat by our pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted! You brought us out into this desert to let us all starve to death!« ⁴ Jehovah said to Moses: »I am going to cause food to rain down from the sky for all of you. The people must go out every day and gather enough for that day. In this way I can test them to find out if they will follow my instructions. ⁵ »They are to bring in twice as much as usual and prepare it on the sixth day.« ⁶ Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: »This evening you will know that it was Jehovah who brought you out of Egypt. ⁷ »In the morning you will see the glory of Jehovah’s presence. He hears your complaints against him. But what are we that you complain against us?« ⁸ Moses said: »This will happen when Jehovah gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to eat in the morning. Jehovah hears your complaints against him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against Jehovah.«

⁸ Moses said: »This will happen when Jehovah gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to eat in the morning. Jehovah hears your complaints against him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against Jehovah.« ⁹ Moses said to Aaron: »Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel: ‘Come near before Jehovah for he has heard your complaints.’« ¹⁰ Aaron was speaking to them, when everyone looked out toward the desert and saw the bright glory of Jehovah in a cloud. ¹¹ Jehovah said to Moses: ¹² »I have heard my people complain. I said to them: ‘Each evening you will have meat and each morning they will have more than enough bread.’ Then you will know that I am Jehovah their God.’« ¹³ That evening many quails came and landed everywhere in the camp, and the next morning dew covered the ground. ¹⁴ After the dew had gone, the desert was covered with thin flakes that looked like frost. ¹⁵ When the children of Israel saw, they said to one another: »What is this?« For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them: »This is the bread Jehovah has given you to eat.« ¹⁶ This is what Jehovah has commanded: »Each man should gather according to what he can eat. You shall take two quarts for each person in your tent.« ¹⁷ The sons of Israel did this. Some gathered much and some little.

⁶ »Behold! I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock and water will come out of it. Then the people may drink.« Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

⁹ Moses said to Joshua: »Choose some of our men. Then fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill. I will hold in my hand the staff God told me to take along.« ¹⁰ Joshua did as Moses told him. They fought the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel would win, but as soon as he put his hands down, the Amalekites would start to win. ¹² Finally, Moses was so tired that Aaron and Hur got a rock for him to sit on. They stood beside him and supported his arms in the same position until sunset. ¹³ That is how Joshua defeated the Amalekites. ¹⁴ After the fight Jehovah said to Moses: »Write an account of this victory and read it to Joshua. I want the Amalekites to be forgotten forever.«

¹³ The next day Moses settled disputes among the people. He was busy from morning till night. ¹⁴ Jethro saw everything that Moses had to do. He asked: »What is all this that you are doing for the people? Why are you doing this all alone? There are people standing here from morning till night to consult you?« ¹⁵ Moses answered: »They come here to find out what God wants them to do. ¹⁶ »They bring their complaints to me. I make decisions on the basis of God’s laws.«

¹⁸ »You and your people will wear yourselves out. This is too much work for you. You cannot do it alone!

²¹ »You should choose capable men from all the people. Find men who respect God. These must be men you can trust who hate corruption. Put them in charge of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² »They must be the ones who usually settle disagreements among the people. They should bring all-important cases to you. But they should settle all minor cases themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them help you.

²⁵ and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²⁶ They judged the people on a permanent basis. The difficult cases were taken to Moses but they decided the smaller disputes themselves.

²⁶ They judged the people on a permanent basis. The difficult cases were taken to Moses but they decided the smaller disputes themselves.

¹ The Israelites arrived at the desert of Sinai in the third month after they left the land of Egypt. ² They traveled from Rephidim to the desert of Sinai. Israel camped in the wilderness at the foot of Mount Sinai.

⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to me.

²¹ »Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner. Remember that you were foreigners in Egypt.

² »Do not follow the majority to do wrong. Do not give testimony that perverts justice. ³ »Do not show partiality to a poor man at his trial.

⁶ »Do not deny justice to a poor person at his trial. ⁷ »Do not make false accusations. Do not put an innocent person to death. I will condemn anyone who does this evil thing.

⁷ »Do not make false accusations. Do not put an innocent person to death. I will condemn anyone who does this evil thing. ⁸ »Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe makes the discerning blind to what is right and perverts the words of the righteous. ⁹ »Do not mistreat a foreigner. You know how it feels to be a foreigner. After all you were foreigners in Egypt.

³¹ »I will make the borders of your land extend from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Mediterranean Sea and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give you power over the inhabitants of the land. You will drive them out as you advance.

¹³ Moses and Joshua his assistant got ready. Moses started up the mountain to meet with God.

¹³ »Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. You took an oath, swearing on yourself. You told them: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. I will give to your descendants all the land I spoke of. It will be their long lasting possession.’«

⁴⁶ was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

¹¹ Jehovah would speak with Moses in person (intimately) (face to face) just as someone speaks with a friend. Moses would then return to the camp. But the young man who was his helper, Joshua son of Nun, stayed in the Tent.

³⁴ The column of smoke then covered the tent of meeting. The glory of Jehovah filled the tent. ³⁵ Moses could not go into the tent of meeting because the smoke settled on it and the glory of Jehovah filled the tent. ³⁶ In all their travels, when the column of smoke moved from the tent, the Israelites would break camp. ³⁷ But if the column did not move, they would not break camp. ³⁸ Jehovah’s column of smoke stayed over the tent during the day. There was fire in the smoke at night. This way all the Israelites could see the column throughout their travels.

¹⁴ »‘When you bring a grain offering of early-ripened things to Jehovah, you should bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early-ripened things.

²³ Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting. As soon as they came out, they blessed the people. Then Jehovah’s glory appeared to all the people.

¹⁵ »‘Do no injustice in judgment. Do not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great. Judge your neighbor fairly.

²² »‘This law applies to all of you. It applies to Israelites and to foreigners living among you. I am Jehovah your God.’«

¹⁷ »‘I will condemn you so that you will go down in defeat in front of your enemies. Those who hate you will be your rulers. You will run away even when no one is chasing you.

²⁷ »‘»Whenever they use my name to bless the Israelites, I will bless them.«’«

¹⁵ That day the tent of the words of God’s Covenant was set up. The column of smoke covered it. The smoke over the tent glowed like fire from evening until morning. ¹⁶ The smoke always glowed this way. At night the smoke that covered the tent glowed like fire. ¹⁷ When the smoke moved from the tent the Israelites would break camp. Wherever it stopped the Israelites would set up camp. ¹⁸ The Israelites would break camp or set up camp at Jehovah’s command. They stayed at the place where the column of smoke stayed over the tent. ¹⁹ When the smoke stayed over the tent for a long time, the Israelites obeyed Jehovah’s command and did not break camp. ²⁰ The same thing happened when the smoke stayed only a few days over the tent: At Jehovah’s command they would set up camp, and at his command they would break camp. ²¹ Sometimes the column of smoke stayed only from evening until morning. They broke camp when the smoke moved in the morning. Day or night, when the smoke moved, they broke camp. ²² Whether it was two days, a month, or a year, as long as the column of smoke stayed over the tent, the Israelites stayed in the same place. But when the smoke moved, they would break camp and move.

¹¹ The cloud over the tent of Jehovah’s presence lifted the twentieth day of the second month in the second year after the people left Egypt.

¹¹ The cloud over the tent of Jehovah’s presence lifted the twentieth day of the second month in the second year after the people left Egypt. ¹² At last the Israelites started on their journey out of the Sinai Desert. The cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran.

¹² At last the Israelites started on their journey out of the Sinai Desert. The cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran.

¹² At last the Israelites started on their journey out of the Sinai Desert. The cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran. ¹³ Jehovah gave the command through Moses for them to march.

³³ The people left Sinai, the holy mountain. They traveled three days. Jehovah’s Ark of the Covenant always went ahead of them to find a place for them to camp.

¹¹ So he asked: »Jehovah, why have you brought me this trouble? How have I displeased you that you put the burden of all these people on me?

¹¹ So he asked: »Jehovah, why have you brought me this trouble? How have I displeased you that you put the burden of all these people on me?

¹¹ So he asked: »Jehovah, why have you brought me this trouble? How have I displeased you that you put the burden of all these people on me? ¹² »Am I their mother? Did I give birth to them? Are you really asking me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries a baby, all the way to the land you promised their ancestors with an oath?

¹² »Am I their mother? Did I give birth to them? Are you really asking me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries a baby, all the way to the land you promised their ancestors with an oath?

¹² »Am I their mother? Did I give birth to them? Are you really asking me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries a baby, all the way to the land you promised their ancestors with an oath? ¹³ »Where can I get meat for all these people? They continually cry for me to give them meat to eat.

¹³ »Where can I get meat for all these people? They continually cry for me to give them meat to eat. ¹⁴ »I am not able to take care of all these people by myself. This is too much work for me!

¹⁴ »I am not able to take care of all these people by myself. This is too much work for me!

¹⁴ »I am not able to take care of all these people by myself. This is too much work for me! ¹⁵ »If you treat me like this have pity on me and kill me. That way I will not have to endure my shame any longer.« ¹⁶ Jehovah replied to Moses: »Assemble seventy respected men who are recognized as elders of the people. Bring them to me at the tent of my presence, and tell them to stand there beside you. ¹⁷ »I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the spirit I have given and give it to them. Then they can help you bear the responsibility for these people. You will not have to bear it alone.

¹⁷ »I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the spirit I have given and give it to them. Then they can help you bear the responsibility for these people. You will not have to bear it alone.

³⁵ From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, where they stayed.

¹⁶ Then they left Hazeroth and set up camp in the wilderness of Paran.

¹ Jehovah said to Moses: ² »Choose one of the leaders from each of the twelve tribes and send them as spies to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.« ³ According to Jehovah’s command, Moses sent these men from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.

³ According to Jehovah’s command, Moses sent these men from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.

³ According to Jehovah’s command, Moses sent these men from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites. ⁴ These are their names: Shammua, son of Zaccur, from the tribe of Reuben,

⁴ These are their names: Shammua, son of Zaccur, from the tribe of Reuben, ⁵ Shaphat, son of Hori, from the tribe of Simeon;

⁵ Shaphat, son of Hori, from the tribe of Simeon; ⁶ Caleb, son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah;

⁶ Caleb, son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah;

⁶ Caleb, son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah; ⁷ Igal, son of Joseph, from the tribe of Issachar;

⁷ Igal, son of Joseph, from the tribe of Issachar; ⁸ Hoshea, son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim;

⁸ Hoshea, son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim;

⁸ Hoshea, son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim; ⁹ Palti, son of Raphu, from the tribe of Benjamin;

⁹ Palti, son of Raphu, from the tribe of Benjamin; ¹⁰ Gaddiel, son of Sodi, from the tribe of Zebulun;

¹⁰ Gaddiel, son of Sodi, from the tribe of Zebulun; ¹¹ Gaddi, son of Susi, from the tribe of Joseph, that is, the tribe of Manasseh;

¹¹ Gaddi, son of Susi, from the tribe of Joseph, that is, the tribe of Manasseh;

¹ In the first month the whole congregation of Israel came into the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

¹² Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron: »You did not trust me! You did not show the Israelites how holy I am! So you will not bring this congregation into the land I am giving them.«

¹⁷ »‘Please permit us to pass through your land. We, including our cattle, will not leave the road or go into your fields or vineyards. We will not drink from your wells. We will stay on the main (king’s) road until we are out of your territory.’« ¹⁸ But the Edomites answered: »We refuse to let you pass through our country! If you try, we will march out and attack you.« ¹⁹ The people of Israel said: »We will stay on the main road. If we, or our animals, drink any of your water we will pay for it. All we want is to pass through.« ²⁰ The Edomites repeated: »We refuse!« Then they marched out with a powerful army to attack the people of Israel. ²¹ The Edomites would not let the Israelites pass through their territory. So the Israelites turned and went another way. ²² The whole congregation of Israel left Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor,

³ Jehovah heard them and helped them conquer the Canaanites. The Israelites completely destroyed them and their cities, and named the place Hormah.

⁵ and criticized God and Moses. They said: »Why did you make us leave Egypt only to let us die in the desert? There is no bread or water, and we cannot stand this awful food!«

²¹ »The people of Israel sent messengers to the Amorite king Sihon to say: ²² »Let us go through your country. We will not go through any of your fields or vineyards or drink any of the water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s highway until we have passed through your territory.« ²³ Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his troops and came out into the desert to attack Israel. When Sihon’s troops came to Jahaz, they fought against Israel. ²⁴ Israel defeated them in battle and took possession of their land from the Arnon Valley to the Jabbok River. They stopped at the border of the Ammon because it was fortified. ²⁵ The Israelites settled in the Amorite towns. They settled in the capital city of Heshbon with its surrounding villages. ²⁶ King Sihon ruled from Heshbon after defeating the Moabites and taking over their land north of the Arnon River gorge. ²⁷ That is why the Amorites had written this poem about Heshbon: »Come and rebuild Heshbon, King Sihon’s capital city! ²⁸ »His armies marched out like fiery flames, burning down the town of Ar and destroying the hills along the Arnon River. ²⁹ »You Moabites are done for! Your god Chemosh deserted your people. They were captured, taken away by King Sihon the Amorite. ³⁰ »We completely defeated Moab. The towns of Heshbon and Dibon, of Nophah and Medeba are ruined and gone.« ³¹ After the Israelites settled in the Amorite territory, ³² Moses sent some men to explore the town of Jazer. Some time later, the Israelites captured the villages surrounding it and forced out the Amorites who lived there. ³³ They turned around and went by the way of Bashan. Og the king of Bashan went out with all his people for battle at Edrei. ³⁴ Jehovah said to Moses: »Do not fear him for I have given him into your hand, and all his people and his land. You will do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.« ³⁵ The Israelites defeated him, his sons, and all his troops, leaving no survivors. They took possession of his land.

¹² God said to Balaam: »Do not go with them! Do not curse these people. They are blessed!«

³⁴ Balaam replied: »I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you think it is wrong for me to go on I will return home.«

¹³ »After you see it, you, too, will join your ancestors in death, as your brother Aaron did. ¹⁴ »You both rebelled against my command in the Desert of Zin. You did not show the people how holy I am when they were complaining at the oasis. »This was the oasis of Meribah at Kadesh in the Desert of Zin.

¹⁸ Jehovah said to Moses: »Take Joshua son of Nun, a capable man, and place your hands on his head. ¹⁹ »Have him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the entire congregation, and there before them all proclaim him as your successor.

¹⁹ »Have him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the entire congregation, and there before them all proclaim him as your successor. ²⁰ »Give him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him. ²¹ »He will depend on Eleazar the priest, who will learn my will by using the Urim and Thummim. In this way Eleazar will direct Joshua and the whole congregation of Israel in all their affairs.« ²² Moses did as Jehovah commanded him. He had Joshua stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation. ²³ Moses put his hands on Joshua’s head and proclaimed him as his successor, just as Jehovah proclaimed.

¹⁴ Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of the companies and battalions, who were returning from battle.

⁵ »Please give us this land as our property. Do not make us cross the Jordan River.«

⁸ That is what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look at the land.

⁸ That is what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look at the land. ⁹ They went as far as the Eshcol Valley. They saw the land. But then they discouraged the rest of the Israelites from entering the land Jehovah had given them. ¹⁰ That day Jehovah became angry and swore this oath: ¹¹ »None of the people twenty years old or older, who came from Egypt, will see the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with an oath. This is because they did not wholeheartedly follow me. ¹² »Only Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun will get to see the land. This is because they wholeheartedly followed Jehovah.

¹² »Only Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun will get to see the land. This is because they wholeheartedly followed Jehovah. ¹³ »Jehovah’s anger blazed against the Israelites. Therefore he made them wander in the desert for forty years until the whole generation of those who had done evil in Jehovah’s presence was gone.

¹⁹ »We will not take possession of any land on the other side of the Jordan River, to the west and beyond. We already have our land here, east of the Jordan.«

³² »We will enter Canaan as armed troops in Jehovah’s presence. The land we will take possession of is here, east of the Jordan.«

¹⁷ They moved from Kibroth Hattaavah and set up camp at Hazeroth. ¹⁸ They moved from Hazeroth and set up camp at Rithmah.

³⁸ Jehovah commanded Aaron the priest to go up on Mount Hor. He died there on the first day of the fifth month in the fortieth year after the Israelites left Egypt.

³ »The southern border will extend from the wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom. It will begin on the east at the southern end of the Dead Sea. ⁴ »It will turn southward toward Akrabbim Pass and continue on through Zin as far south as Kadesh Barnea. It will turn northwest to Hazar Addar and on to Azmon, ⁵ where it will turn toward the valley at the border of Egypt and end at the Mediterranean. ⁶ »The western border will be the Mediterranean Sea, it will be the western border. ⁷ »The northern border will follow a line from the Mediterranean to Mount Hor ⁸ and from there to Hamath Pass. It will continue to Zedad ⁹ and to Ziphron, and will end at Hazar Enan. ¹⁰ »The eastern border will follow a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. ¹¹ »It will then go south to Harbel, east of Ain, and on to the hills on the eastern shore of Lake Galilee, ¹² then south along the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. These will be the four borders of your land.«

¹⁵ on the eastern side of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.«

¹⁹ These are their names: Caleb son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah,

¹⁴ »Three will be on the east side of the Jordan River and three in Canaan.

² It is only an eleven-day journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea.

⁷ »Leave this place and go to the mountain of the Amorites, and all the places near there in the plain, in the hills, and in the valley and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and to Lebanon, to the great river, the river Euphrates. ⁸ »I have given you this land. Go in and possess the land Jehovah pledged to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to their descendants (offspring) after them.’ ⁹ »I spoke to you then and said: ‘I am not able to bear the burden of you alone.

⁴⁴ The Amorites who lived there came out and attacked you. They chased you like a swarm of bees. They defeated you! They drove you back from Seir all the way to Hormah.

⁴ »‘Give these instructions to the people: »You will pass through the territory of your relatives, the descendants of Esau. They live in Seir. They will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully.

⁸ We moved on and left the road that goes from the towns of Elath and Eziongeber to the Dead Sea. »We turned northeast toward Moab.«

¹⁴ This was thirty-eight years after we left Kadesh-Barnea. By that time all the men who had been in the army at Kadesh-Barnea had died, just as Jehovah said they would. ¹⁵ Jehovah kept getting rid of them until finally none of them were left.

¹² Ammiel, son of Gemalli, from the tribe of Dan;

¹² Ammiel, son of Gemalli, from the tribe of Dan; ¹³ Sethur, son of Michael, from the tribe of Asher;

¹³ Sethur, son of Michael, from the tribe of Asher; ¹⁴ Nahbi, son of Vophsi, from the tribe of Naphtali;

¹⁴ Nahbi, son of Vophsi, from the tribe of Naphtali; ¹⁵ and Geuel, son of Machi, from the tribe of Gad.

¹⁵ and Geuel, son of Machi, from the tribe of Gad. ¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. But Moses gave Hoshea, son of Nun, the name Joshua.

¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. But Moses gave Hoshea, son of Nun, the name Joshua.

¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. But Moses gave Hoshea, son of Nun, the name Joshua. ¹⁷ When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he told them: »Go through the Negev and then into the mountain region.

¹⁷ When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he told them: »Go through the Negev and then into the mountain region. ¹⁸ »See what the land is like and whether the people there are strong or weak, few or many.

¹⁸ »See what the land is like and whether the people there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ »Is the land they live in good or bad? Do their cities have walls around them or not?

¹⁹ »Is the land they live in good or bad? Do their cities have walls around them or not? ²⁰ »Is the soil rich or poor? Does the land have trees or not? Do your best to bring back some fruit from the land.« It was the season when grapes were beginning to ripen.

²⁰ »Is the soil rich or poor? Does the land have trees or not? Do your best to bring back some fruit from the land.« It was the season when grapes were beginning to ripen. ²¹ So they spied on the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, at Lebo-hamath.

²¹ So they spied on the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, at Lebo-hamath. ²² When they went to the Negev, they came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak were. Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.

²² When they went to the Negev, they came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak were. Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. ²³ At Eshcol Valley they cut off a branch with only one bunch of grapes on it. They carried it on a pole between two of them. They also brought some pomegranates and figs.

²³ At Eshcol Valley they cut off a branch with only one bunch of grapes on it. They carried it on a pole between two of them. They also brought some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ So they called that valley Eshcol (Bunch of Grapes) because of the bunch of grapes the Israelites cut off there.

²⁴ So they called that valley Eshcol (Bunch of Grapes) because of the bunch of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ Forty days later they returned from exploring the land.

²⁵ Forty days later they returned from exploring the land. ²⁶ They returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. They gave their report and showed them the fruit from the land.

²⁶ They returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. They gave their report and showed them the fruit from the land.

²⁶ They returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. They gave their report and showed them the fruit from the land. ²⁷ This is their report to Moses: »We went to the land where you sent us. It really is a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit.

²⁷ This is their report to Moses: »We went to the land where you sent us. It really is a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit. ²⁸ »The people who live there are strong. The cities have walls and are very large. We even saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ »The Amalekites live in the Negev. The Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountain region. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and all along the Jordan River.« ³⁰ Caleb told the people to be quiet and listen to Moses. Caleb said: »Let us go now and take possession of the land. We should be more than able to conquer it.«

³⁰ Caleb told the people to be quiet and listen to Moses. Caleb said: »Let us go now and take possession of the land. We should be more than able to conquer it.« ³¹ The men who had gone with him said: »We cannot attack those people! They are too strong for us! ³² »They spread lies among the Israelites about the land they had explored. They said: The land we explored is one that devours those who live there. All the people we saw there are very tall. ³³ »We saw Nephilim there. The descendants of Anak are Nephilim. We felt as small as grasshoppers. That is no doubt how we must have looked to them.«

¹ All the Israelite congregation raised their voices and cried out loud all that night. ² They complained to Moses and Aaron: »If only we had died in Egypt or in this desert! ³ »Why is Jehovah bringing us to this land? Is it just to have us die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as prisoners of war! Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?«

³ »Why is Jehovah bringing us to this land? Is it just to have us die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as prisoners of war! Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?« ⁴ They said to each other: »Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.«

⁸ »If Jehovah is pleased with us, he will take us there and give us that rich and fertile land. ⁹ »Do not rebel against Jehovah. Do not be afraid of the people who live there. We will conquer them easily. Jehovah is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them. Do not be afraid.«

¹⁴ they will tell it to the people who live in this land. These people have already heard that you, Jehovah, are with us, that you appear in plain sight when your cloud stops over us, and that you go before us in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

²² none of the people who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I did in Egypt and in the desert will see the land I promised their ancestors. They have tested me now ten times and refused to obey me. ²³ »None of those who treat me with contempt will see it! ²⁴ »My servant Caleb has a different attitude and has wholeheartedly followed me, I will bring him to the land he already explored. His descendants will possess it.

²⁴ »My servant Caleb has a different attitude and has wholeheartedly followed me, I will bring him to the land he already explored. His descendants will possess it. ²⁵ »The Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys. Tomorrow you must turn around, go back into the desert. Follow the road that goes to the Red Sea.«

²⁵ »The Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys. Tomorrow you must turn around, go back into the desert. Follow the road that goes to the Red Sea.« ²⁶ Then Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷ »How long must I put up with this wicked congregation that keeps complaining about me? I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making about me. ²⁸ »Therefore tell them: ‘As I live, declares Jehovah, I solemnly swear I will do everything to you that you said I would do. ²⁹ »‘Your bodies will drop dead in this desert. All of you who are at least twenty years old, who were registered and listed, and who complained about me will die. ³⁰ »‘I raised my hand and swore an oath to give you this land to live in. But none of you will enter it except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

³⁰ »‘I raised my hand and swore an oath to give you this land to live in. But none of you will enter it except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. ³¹ »‘You said your children would be taken as prisoners of war. Instead, I will bring them into the land you rejected, and they will enjoy it.

³⁴ »‘You explored the land for forty days. So for forty years, one year for each day, you will suffer for your sins and know what it means for me to be against you.’

³⁸ Of all the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived. ³⁹ Moses told these things to all the Israelites. The people mourned bitterly, as if someone had died. ⁴⁰ Early the next morning they headed into the mountains. They said: »We have sinned. Now we will go to the place Jehovah promised.« ⁴¹ Moses asked: »Why are you disobeying Jehovah’s command? Your plan will not work!

⁴¹ Moses asked: »Why are you disobeying Jehovah’s command? Your plan will not work! ⁴² »Do not go! Your enemies will defeat you because Jehovah is not with you.

⁴² »Do not go! Your enemies will defeat you because Jehovah is not with you. ⁴³ »The Amalekites and Canaanites are there. You will die in battle. Now that you have turned away from Jehovah, he will not be with you.«

⁴³ »The Amalekites and Canaanites are there. You will die in battle. Now that you have turned away from Jehovah, he will not be with you.« ⁴⁴ But they headed into the mountains anyway. The Ark of the Jehovah’s promise and Moses stayed in the camp.

⁴⁴ But they headed into the mountains anyway. The Ark of the Jehovah’s promise and Moses stayed in the camp. ⁴⁵ The Amalekites and Canaanites who lived there came down from those mountains, attacked the Israelites, and defeated them at Hormah.

⁴⁵ The Amalekites and Canaanites who lived there came down from those mountains, attacked the Israelites, and defeated them at Hormah.

⁶⁵ Jehovah said: »They must all die in the desert wilderness.« The only ones left were Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

²⁶ »I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to King Sihon of Heshbon with the following offer of peace:

²² »‘Do not be afraid of them. For Jehovah your God fights for you.’ ²³ »Then I pleaded with Jehovah: ²⁴ »‘O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, you have begun to show me how great and powerful you are. What kind of god is there in heaven or on earth that can do the deeds and the mighty acts you have done? ²⁵ »‘Please let me go over and see the beautiful land on the other side of the Jordan River. Let me see those beautiful mountains in Lebanon.’ ²⁶ »Jehovah was angry with me because of you, so he would not listen to me. He said: ‘Enough of that! Do not talk to me anymore about this.

²⁸ »‘Joshua will lead Israel across the Jordan to take the land. So help him. Encourage him and strengthen him. Tell him what he must do.’

¹ »Israel, listen to these laws and teachings! If you obey them you will live! Go in and take the land that Jehovah the God of your fathers is giving you. ² »He is your God. I am telling you everything he has commanded. So do not add anything or take anything away.

⁵ »I have taught you laws and rules as Jehovah my God commanded me. You must obey them when you enter the land and take possession of it.

⁸ »And what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments so righteous as the law I present to you this day?

¹⁵ »He was the one who led you through that vast and dangerous wilderness. It was a parched, arid land, with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He was the one who made water come out of solid rock for you.

¹ »Hear, O Israel, you are about to cross the Jordan River. You will force out nations that are larger and mightier than you, with big cities that have sky-high walls. ² »Their people are tall and strong. They are descendants of Anakim. You know all about them. You also heard it said: Who can oppose the descendants of Anak?

²³ »‘Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: ‘Go up and possess the land I have given you.’ Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice!

²⁸ »‘»The land from which you brought us may say: »Jehovah was not able to bring them into the land he promised them and because he hated them he has brought them out to slay them in the desert wilderness.«

¹⁷ »Jehovah your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords! He is the great, the powerful, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. ¹⁸ »He executes justice for the orphan and the widow. He shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. ¹⁹ »Love those who are aliens. For you were also aliens in the land of Egypt.

²² »Your fathers traveled to Egypt, seventy persons in all. Now Jehovah your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the universe (physical heavens).

¹¹ »But the land you go to possess is a land of hills and valleys. It drinks water from the rain from the clouds in the sky.

²⁴ »Every place on which the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea.

²⁸ »If you obey these laws, you will be doing what Jehovah your God says is right and good. Then he will help you and your descendants succeed.

³² »Be careful to do what I command you. Do not add to it nor take away from it.

²¹ »Furthermore, Jehovah was angry with me because of you. So Jehovah your God took an oath that I would not cross the Jordan River and enter the good land he is giving you as your property (inheritance) (possession).

⁴⁰ »You must keep the regulations and commandments I commanded you today. Then all will go well with you and with your children after you. You may prolong your days on the earth that Jehovah your God gives you for all time.«

² »Jehovah our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.

¹ »When you go to war against your enemies, you may see horses, chariots, and armies larger than yours. Do not be afraid of them for Jehovah your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you.

¹ »When you go to war against your enemies, you may see horses, chariots, and armies larger than yours. Do not be afraid of them for Jehovah your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you. ² »A priest must come and speak to the troops before the battle begins. ³ He should say: »Listen, Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not lose your courage! Do not be afraid. Do not tremble because of them. ⁴ »Jehovah your God is going with you. He will fight for you against your enemies and give you victory.

⁸ »The officers will also say to the men: Is there any man here who has lost his nerve and is afraid? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, he will destroy the morale of the others.

¹¹ Moses also charged the people on that day. He said:

²⁵ »Jehovah will cause you to be stricken before your enemies. You will go out one way against them, and flee seven ways from them. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

⁶² »You were at one time as numerous as the stars in the sky. But only a few of you will be left. This is because you did not obey Jehovah your God.

⁷ Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the presence of all the people of Israel: »Be determined and with good courage. You are the one who will lead these people to occupy the land Jehovah promised to their ancestors. ⁸ »Jehovah is the one who goes ahead of you. He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be downhearted.« ⁹ Moses wrote this Law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and to all the elders of Israel.

¹⁴ Then Jehovah said to Moses: »Behold, the time for you to die is near. Call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.« So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.

²³ Jehovah gave this command to Joshua, son of Nun: »Be strong and courageous, because you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.«

¹⁰ »He found his people in a desert land, in a barren place where animals howl. He guarded them, took care of them, and protected them because they were the precious apple (pupil) of his eye.

¹⁰ »He found his people in a desert land, in a barren place where animals howl. He guarded them, took care of them, and protected them because they were the precious apple (pupil) of his eye. ¹¹ »Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, spreads its wings to catch them, and carries them on its wings, ¹² »Jehovah alone led his people. No foreign god was with them.

³⁰ »Why were a thousand defeated by one? Why ten thousand by only two? Jehovah their God abandoned them! Their mighty God gave them up.

⁴⁶ he said to them: »Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today. Command your sons to observe carefully all the words of this law.

² »Jehovah came from Mount Sinai. He rose like the sun over Edom and shone on his people from Mount Paran. Ten thousand angels were with him. A flaming fire was at his right hand.

⁴ Jehovah said: »This is the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your descendants. I let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.«

¹ Moses the servant of Jehovah (YHWH) died. After his death Jehovah spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying:

⁴ »From the wilderness and nearby Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun (to the west), shall be your coast.

⁶ »Be strong and courageous for you will help this people inherit the land. This is the land I swore to give to their fathers.

⁶ »Be strong and courageous for you will help this people inherit the land. This is the land I swore to give to their fathers. ⁷ »Be strong and very courageous, that you may be careful to do according to all the Law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ⁸ »This Book of the Law will not depart out of your mouth. You must meditate (intensely study) (think deeply) on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. Then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ »Have I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed; for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.«

⁹ »Have I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed; for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.«

¹ Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly. He said: »Go view the land of Jericho.« They went to a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed at her house. ² The king of Jericho was told: »Men of the children of Israel came here tonight to search out the country.«

⁹ She said to the men: »I know Jehovah has given you the land and the terror of you has fallen on us. All the inhabitants of the land are afraid of you.

¹¹ »As soon as we heard these things we became discouraged. No man had courage because of you. Jehovah your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.

²⁴ They said to Joshua: »Truly Jehovah has delivered into our hands all of the land. The inhabitants of the country are afraid of us.«

¹⁸ »Appoint judges and officers for your tribes in every city Jehovah your God gives you. They are to judge the people fairly.

¹⁸ »Appoint judges and officers for your tribes in every city Jehovah your God gives you. They are to judge the people fairly. ¹⁹ »Never pervert justice. Always be impartial. Never take a bribe, because bribes blind wise people and deny justice to those who are in the right.

¹⁹ »Never pervert justice. Always be impartial. Never take a bribe, because bribes blind wise people and deny justice to those who are in the right.

⁸ »If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your courts, then you should go to the place Jehovah your God chooses. ⁹ »Approach the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office in those days. Inquire of them and they will declare to you the verdict in the case. ¹⁰ »Act according to the terms of the verdict they declare to you from that place Jehovah chooses. Be careful to abide by all that they teach you.

¹⁸ »When he first sits on the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll taken in the presence of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ »He should keep it with him. He should read from it all the days of his life. In this way he will learn to respect Jehovah his God by carefully observing all the words of this Law and these statutes.

¹⁴ »Do not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.

¹⁷ »Do not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan. Do not take a widow's garment in pledge.

¹ All the kings west of Jordan heard these things; the kings in the hills, and in the valleys, in all the coasts of the Great (Mediterraean) Sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite heard these things.

¹⁰ »and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.

⁴⁰ So Joshua struck all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Jehovah God of Israel commanded.

⁴² All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because Jehovah the God of Israel fought for Israel.

¹⁶ Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same. ¹⁷ Even from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. He captured and killed all their kings.

²² There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel. Some of them remained in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.

² Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the Arnon River, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the children of Ammon; ³ And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and to the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Beth-jeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdoth-pisgah: ⁴ The coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, ⁵ And reigned in Mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. ⁶ Moses the servant of Jehovah and the children of Israel killed them. Moses the servant of Jehovah gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

¹⁰ All the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon; ¹¹ And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salcah; ¹² The kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants. Moses defeated them and took over their land.

⁶ Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said to him: »You know what Jehovah said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea.

⁶ Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said to him: »You know what Jehovah said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. ⁷ »I was forty years old when Moses the servant of Jehovah sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land. I brought him word again as it was in my heart. ⁸ »Nevertheless my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people dissolve. But I wholly followed Jehovah my God.

⁸ »Nevertheless my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people dissolve. But I wholly followed Jehovah my God. ⁹ »Moses swore on that day, saying: ‘Surely the land where your feet have trodden shall be your inheritance, and your children’s from generation to generation, because you have completely followed Jehovah my God. ¹⁰ »‘Jehovah has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, even since Jehovah spoke this word to Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. Now I am this day eighty-five years old. ¹¹ »‘So far I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength is now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. ¹² »‘Now therefore give me this mountain. This is where Jehovah spoke that day. You heard about the Anakims that day. Their cities were large and fortified and Jehovah helped me drive them out just as Jehovah said.« ¹³ Joshua blessed Caleb the son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron for an inheritance. ¹⁴ Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite to this day, because that he wholly followed Jehovah the God of Israel.

¹⁴ From Hebron Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

⁸ »O Jehovah, what shall I say, when Israel turned their backs before its enemies! ⁹ »For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear about it, and will surround us and cut our name off from the earth. What will you do for your great name?« ¹⁰ Jehovah said to Joshua: »You get up! Why are you on your face? ¹¹ »Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things and put them in their own possessions. ¹² »Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies. They ran from their enemies, because they were accursed. I will not be with you any more until you destroy the devoted things you have among you. ¹³ »Get up and sanctify the people. Say: ‘Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: »There is an accursed thing in the midst of you, O Israel: You cannot stand before you enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.«

⁴ »Jehovah your God has given the other Israelites peace as he promised. So go back home to the land you claimed for your own, the land on the east side of the Jordan, that Moses, Jehovah’s servant, gave you.

⁷ To the one half tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but he gave the other half to Joshua among their brothers on this side Jordan westward. Joshua sent them a way to their tents and he blessed them.

¹⁵ »‘If you are not willing to serve him, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors worshiped in Mesopotamia or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living. As for my family and me, we will serve Jehovah.’«

¹⁰ Judah went against the Canaanites that lived in Hebron (previously called Kirjath-arba) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

¹² Caleb said: »He that attacks Kirjath-sepher, and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter for a wife.« ¹³ Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter for a wife. ¹⁴ When she came to him she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey Caleb said to her: »What do you wish?« ¹⁵ She said: »Give me a blessing: for you have given me a land south with spring water.« And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

²⁰ They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had promised and he expelled the three sons of Anak.

¹⁶ »It happened this way: ‘when the Israelites left Egypt, they went through the desert to the Gulf of Aqaba and came to Kadesh. ¹⁷ »‘They sent messengers to the king of Edom to ask permission to go through his land. But the king of Edom would not let them. They also asked the king of Moab, but he would not let them go through his land. So the people of Israel stayed at Kadesh.

¹⁰ The Philistines fought and defeated Israel. Every Israelite soldier fled to his tent. It was a major defeat in which thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers died.

¹² »He will appoint them to be his officers over one thousand or over fifty soldiers. He will have them plow his ground and harvest his crops. He will require them to make weapons and equipment for his chariots.

² The Philistines deployed their troops to meet Israel in battle. The Philistines defeated Israel and killed about four thousand soldiers in the field.

³ »Here I am! Testify against me before Jehovah and before his anointed one. Whose bull have I stolen? Whose donkey have I taken? Have I cheated anyone? Have I oppressed any? Have I ever taken a bribe? Tell me and I will make it right.« ⁴ The people answered: »You have not cheated us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from anyone.«

⁷ But Jehovah said to Samuel: »Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature. I have rejected him. God does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance. Jehovah looks at the heart (inner man).«

²² Not long after this, Saul sent another message to Jesse: »I really like David. Please let him stay with me.«

¹⁸ »Also take these ten slices of cheese to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are getting along. Bring back something to show that you saw them and that they are well.

¹ Samuel died. All Israel gathered to mourn him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went to the desert of Paran.

⁴⁵ David answered: »You come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I come out to fight you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts. He is the Almighty God of Israel’s army. You have insulted him! ⁴⁶ »Today Jehovah will help me defeat you. I will knock you down and cut off your head! I will feed the bodies of the other Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a real God.

⁷ He said to his officials: »Listen to me men of Benjamin! Will Jesse’s son give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all officers over a regiment or a battalion of soldiers?

³ David defeated the king of the Syrian state of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob. Hadadezer was on his way to restore his control over the territory by the upper Euphrates River.

¹⁴ »We each must die and disappear like water poured out on the ground. But God does not take our lives. Instead, he figures out ways of bringing us back when we run away.

¹⁶ A descendant of Haraphah named Benob had a copper spear weighing seven and one half pounds. He wore it on a new belt. He captured David and intended to kill him. ¹⁷ Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue. Abishai attacked the giant and killed him. Then David’s men made David promise that he would never again go out with them to battle. »You are the hope of Israel. We do not want to lose you!« They said. ¹⁸ After this there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Saph a descendant of Rapha. ¹⁹ There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed Goliath from Gath. Goliath’s spear had a shaft as thick as the bar on a weaver’s loom. ²⁰ There was another war, this time in Gath. One of the enemy soldiers was a descendant of the Rephaim. He was as big as a giant and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. ²¹ When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him. ²² These four were descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.

³ »The God of Israel has spoken. The protector of Israel said to me: ‘The king who rules with justice, who rules in obedience to God.

³ Joab answered reluctantly: »Your Majesty, may Jehovah your God make the people of Israel a hundred times more numerous than they are now. May you live to see him do it. But why does Your Majesty want to do this?«

⁷ »O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. ⁸ »I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. ⁹ ‘Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?«

⁸ So she sent a letter in Ahab's name, stamped with his stamp, to the elders and nobles who were in authority with Naboth. ⁹ The letter she wrote is as follows: »Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people. ¹⁰ »Get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death.« ¹¹ So the elders and nobles in authority in his town did as Jezebel said in the letter she sent them. ¹² They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people. ¹³ The two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people. They said: »Naboth has been cursing God and the king.« Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death. ¹⁴ Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying: »Naboth has been stoned and is dead.«

⁹ To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.

³ Joab answered: »May Jehovah make the people of Israel a hundred times more numerous than they are now! They are all your servants, Your Majesty. Why do you want to do this and make the whole nation guilty?«

³ David went to establish his control over the territory along the Euphrates River. He defeated King Hadadezer at Hamath.

²³ David did not count those less than twenty years old, because Jehovah promised that the people of Israel would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

¹¹ Asa prayed: »Jehovah, only you can help a powerless army defeat a stronger one. We depend on you to help us. We will fight against this powerful army to honor your name! We know that you will not be defeated. You are Jehovah our God. Do not let man prevail against you.« ¹² Jehovah helped Asa and his army defeat the Ethiopians. The enemy soldiers ran away,

⁶ He told the judges: »Be careful when you make your decisions in court. Remember these are Jehovah’s people. He will know the judgements you decide.

⁶ He told the judges: »Be careful when you make your decisions in court. Remember these are Jehovah’s people. He will know the judgements you decide. ⁷ »Do your work in honor of him and know that he will not allow you to be unfair to anyone or to take bribes.« ⁸ Jehoshaphat also appointed some Levites, some priests, and some of the family leaders to serve as judges in Jerusalem. ⁹ He told them: »Faithfully serve Jehovah! ¹⁰ »Warn your relatives living in other cities about every case they bring to you, even if the case involves bloodshed or commandments, rules, or regulations derived from the law. Then your relatives will not become guilty in front of Jehovah. Otherwise, he will become angry with you and your relatives. Do this and you will not be guilty of anything.

²⁰ »Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. Before they began Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: ‘People of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in Jehovah your God. You will stand your ground. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed.

⁸ Jehovah our God fights on our side. The Assyrians must rely on human power alone. These words encouraged the army of Judah.

²⁰ »Wherever you may be when the horn is sounded, come here to us. Our God will fight for us.«

¹⁸ »Even when they made for themselves a bull out of metal, and said: ‘This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry.’ ¹⁹ »Even then, in your great mercy, you did not give them up in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still went before them by day, guiding them on their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light, and make clear the way they were to go. ²⁰ »You gave your good Spirit to be their teacher. You did not hold back your manna from their mouths. You gave them water when they had need of it. ²¹ »Truly, for forty years you were their support in the wilderness. They needed nothing. Their clothing did not get old or their feet become tired. ²² »You gave them kingdoms and peoples, making distribution to them in every part of the land. They took for their heritage the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan.

²² »You gave them kingdoms and peoples, making distribution to them in every part of the land. They took for their heritage the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan. ²³ »You made their children as great in number as the stars of heaven. You took them into the land, of which you had said to their fathers that they were to go in and take it for themselves.

²³ »You made their children as great in number as the stars of heaven. You took them into the land, of which you had said to their fathers that they were to go in and take it for themselves.

¹² »And you went before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way they were to go.

¹² »And you went before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way they were to go. ¹³ »You came down on Mount Sinai, and your voice came to them from heaven, giving them right decisions and true laws, good rules and orders. ¹⁴ »They received word of your holy Sabbath from you. You gave them orders and rules and a law, by the hand of Moses your servant. ¹⁵ »They received bread from heaven when they were in need, and you made water come out of the rock for their drink, and gave them orders to go in and take for their heritage the land that your hand give them. ¹⁶ »But they and our fathers, in their pride, made their necks stiff, and paid no attention to your orders. ¹⁷ »They would not obey you and gave no thought to the wonders you did among them. They became stubborn and turning away from you. They appointed a leader over themselves to take them back to their prison in Egypt. However, you are a God of forgiveness, full of grace and pity, slow to wrath and great in mercy, and you did not give them up.

⁶ »You have indeed exacted pledges from your family for no reason, and stripped the naked of their clothing. ⁷ »You have given no water to the weary to drink. You have withheld bread from the hungry. ⁸ »The powerful possess the land, and the favored live in it. ⁹ »You have sent widows away empty-handed. You crush the arms of the orphans.

¹¹ »When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved. ¹² »This is because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper. ¹³ »The blessing of the wretched came upon me. I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. ¹⁴ »I put on righteousness and it clothed me. My justice was like a robe and a turban. ¹⁵ »I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. ¹⁶ »I was a father to the needy! I championed the cause of the stranger. ¹⁷ »I broke the fangs of the unrighteous. I made them drop their prey from their teeth.

¹³ »If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves, when they brought a complaint against me ¹⁴ what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? ¹⁵ »Did the one who made me in the womb make them? And did that one fashion us in the womb? ¹⁶ »If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

³⁴ because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and did not go out of doors.

¹ ([Psalm of David]) Jehovah is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the stronghold of my life. Who is there to be afraid of? ² Evildoers accosted me to tear me to pieces. My opponents and enemies stumbled and fell. ³ Even though an army sets up camp against me, my heart will not be afraid. Even though a war breaks out against me, I will trust in Jehovah.

¹ ([Sons of Korah]) God is our refuge and strength, a ready help in times of trouble.

⁷ Jehovah of Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

¹¹ Jehovah of Hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

¹ ([Psalm of David]) Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones (O you God-like ones)? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?

²⁰ You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

¹¹ They forgot his deeds and his miracles that he had shown them. ¹² He wrought wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. ¹³ He divided the sea and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand up like a heap. ¹⁴ He led them with the cloud by day and with a light of fire by night.

¹⁴ He led them with the cloud by day and with a light of fire by night. ¹⁵ He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths. ¹⁶ He brought forth streams also from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers. ¹⁷ Yet they still continued to sin against him. They rebelled against the Most High in the desert. ¹⁸ In their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire. ¹⁹ Then they spoke against God. They said: Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? ²⁰ Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, and streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people? ²¹ Therefore Jehovah heard and was full of wrath. A fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also mounted against Israel, ²² Because they did not believe in God and did not trust in his salvation.

²² Because they did not believe in God and did not trust in his salvation. ²³ Yet he commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven. ²⁴ He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them food from heaven. ²⁵ Man did eat the bread of angels. He sent them food in abundance. ²⁶ He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens and by his power he directed the south wind. ²⁷ He rained meat upon them like the dust, even winged fowl like the sand of the seas, ²⁸ Then he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their dwellings.

³⁴ When he killed some of them, the rest searched for him. They turned from their sins and eagerly looked for God.

⁴³ when he performed his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders in the fields of Zoan. ⁴⁴ He turned their rivers into blood so that they could not drink from their streams. ⁴⁵ He sent a swarm of flies that bit them and frogs that ruined them. ⁴⁶ He gave their crops to grasshoppers and their produce to locusts. ⁴⁷ He killed their vines with hail and their fig trees with frost. ⁴⁸ He let the hail strike their cattle and bolts of lightning strike their livestock. ⁴⁹ He sent his fierce burning anger, his rage and fury against them. He sent an army of destroying angels. ⁵⁰ He cleared a path for his anger. He did not spare them from death. He let the plague take their lives. ⁵¹ He destroyed every firstborn in Egypt, the ones born in the tents of Ham when their fathers were young.

¹⁹ Once you spoke in vision to your godly ones. You said: »I have given help to one who is mighty. I have exalted one chosen from the people.«

¹¹ I swore to them in my anger that they should not enter into my rest.

³ »Defend the weak and fatherless. Protect the rights of the oppressed and the poor. ⁴ »Rescue the weak and needy. Help them escape the power of the wicked.«

²⁷ They displayed his miraculous signs among them and did amazing things in the land of Ham. ²⁸ He sent darkness and made their land dark. They did not rebel against his orders. ²⁹ He turned their water into blood and caused their fish to die. ³⁰ He made their land swarm with frogs, even in the kings' bedrooms. ³¹ He spoke, and swarms of flies and gnats infested their entire territory. ³² He gave them hail and lightning instead of rain throughout their land. ³³ He struck their grapevines and fig trees and smashed the trees in their territory. ³⁴ He spoke, and countless locusts and grasshoppers came. ³⁵ They devoured all the plants in the land. They devoured the crops in the fields. ³⁶ He killed all the firstborn sons, the first ones born in the land when their fathers were young.

³⁹ He spread out a cloud as a protective covering and a fire to light up the night.

³⁹ He spread out a cloud as a protective covering and a fire to light up the night. ⁴⁰ The Israelites asked, and he brought them quail and filled them with bread from heaven. ⁴¹ He opened a rock, and water flowed like a river through the dry places.

²⁴ They refused to enter the pleasant land. They did not believe what he said.

²⁴ They refused to enter the pleasant land. They did not believe what he said. ²⁵ They complained in their tents. They did not obey Jehovah.

²⁵ They complained in their tents. They did not obey Jehovah.

³² They made God angry by the water at Meribah. Things turned out badly for Moses because of what they did. ³³ They made him bitter so that he spoke recklessly.

¹² They swarmed around me like bees, but they burned out as quickly as a brush fire; by the power of Jehovah I destroyed them.

¹⁴ May Jehovah continue to bless you and your children.

¹¹ Sihon the king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,

¹⁹ Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness is everlasting, ²⁰ And Og, king of Bashan, for his loving kindness is everlasting,

³ Man ruins his life by his own foolishness. His heart chafes with anger against Jehovah.

²³ These sayings belong to the wise. It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

²² Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate. ²³ Jehovah will plead their cause and take the life of those who rob them.

²⁹ Do you see a man diligent in his business? He will stand before kings. He will not stand before unknown men.

²⁵ Fear of man brings a snare (trap). He who trusts in Jehovah will be safe.

⁵ Then Jehovah will create over the entire area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night. A canopy (shelter) will be over all as the glory (honor). ⁶ There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.

⁹ »‘»The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.«’«

¹⁵ He will eat butter and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. ¹⁶ But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.

¹⁸ »In that day Jehovah will whistle for the flies that are at the distant branches of the Nile River in Egypt and for the bees that are in Assyria.

⁹ Be broken, you people. Be terrified. Listen all you distant parts of the earth. Prepare for battle and be terrified. Prepare for battle and be terrified! ¹⁰ Make plans for battle, but they will never succeed. Give orders, but they will not be carried out, because God is with us!

⁷ »All hands will fall impaired (weakened). Every man's heart will melt (courage will fail).

¹⁷ One thousand people will flee when one person threatens them. You will flee when five threaten you. Then you will be left alone like a flagpole on top of a mountain, like a signpost on a hill.

¹ Jehovah created Jacob and formed Israel. Jehovah says: »Do not be afraid for I have reclaimed you. I have called you by my name. You are mine. ² »When you go through the sea, I am with you. When you go through rivers, they will not sweep you away. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flames will not harm you.

¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. He gently leads those that have young.

¹⁰ »‘Do not fear for I am with you! Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’

³ »Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel. I have upheld you since you were conceived. I have carried you since your birth. ⁴ Even in your old age with gray hair I am he, I am he who will support you. I have made you and I will bear your burden (take care of you). I will sustain (support) (strengthen) you and I will rescue you (keep you safe).

¹ The hand of Jehovah is not too weak to save or his ear too deaf to hear. ² But your wrongs have separated you from your God. Your sins have made him hide his face so that he does not even hear you.

¹⁷ »Strengthen yourself, Jeremiah! Stand up, and say to them whatever I tell you to say. Do not be terrified in their presence, or I will make you even more terrified in their presence.

⁶ »They did not ask: ‘Where is Jehovah who brought us from Egypt? He led us through the desert, through a wasteland and its pits, a land of drought and the shadow of death. No one lives there or travels there.’

²⁸ »They grow big and fat. Their evil deeds have no limits. They have no respect for the rights of others. They have no respect for the rights of orphans. But they still prosper. They do not defend the rights of the poor. ²⁹ »I will punish them for these things,« declares Jehovah. »I will punish these people!

⁹ In all their difficulty he was concerned, and he was the messenger who saved them. In his love and compassion he reclaimed (redeemed) them. He always held them and carried them in the past. ¹⁰ But they rebelled and grieved (offended and hurt) his Holy Spirit. So he turned against them as their enemy. He fought against them.

⁶ »It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all.

¹⁵ ‘»»I also swore an oath to them in the desert. I swore that I would not bring them into the land that I had promised to give them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁷ »When they ask why you are groaning tell this: ‘News has come that will discourage everyone. People's hands will hang limp, their hearts will lose courage, and their knees will become as weak as water. It is coming! It will surely take place!’ Declares the Lord Jehovah.«

¹² »Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them until no man is left. Yes, woe to them even when I depart from them!

³ »It was I who taught Ephraim to walk. I took them in my arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.

⁹ »Before them I destroyed the Amorite. His height was like the height of the cedars. He was strong like the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath!

¹¹ You impose unfair rent on the poor and defraud a tribute of grain from them. You haave built houses of hewn stone yet you will not live in them. You planted pleasant vineyards, but you will not drink the wine from them. ¹² I know you have many transgressions and your sins are great. You afflict the righteous. You take bribes. You refuse to help the needy at the gate.

⁴ »I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.

¹¹ »Should I not then have regard for Nineveh, that great city, where there are more than one hundred and twenty thousand people that do not know the difference between their right and their left hand, and also many animals?«

¹ »Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! When the morning comes they do it because they are able to (it is in the power of their hands). ² »They covet fields and seize them. They covet houses and confiscate them! They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.« ³ Therefore Jehovah says: »Behold, against this family I plan bad things, from which you will not remove the burden. You will not be able to show pride for it is an evil time.

¹ I said: »Please listen, you heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not your responsibility to know justice? ² »You hate good and love evil! You rip off their skin and their flesh from off their bones! ³ »You eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them! You break their bones, and chop them in pieces similar to the contents of a pot or a caldron. ⁴ »They will cry to Jehovah but he will not answer them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time because they have done evil things.«

³ They diligently seek to do evil with their hands. The prince asks and the judge is ready for a bribe. The great man utters his own evil desire. They weave it together. ⁴ The best of them is as a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge! Your watchmen’s day has come. Your visitation has come. Now you will be perplexed.

³ God came from Teman. He is the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens! The earth is full of his praise.

⁵ Jehovah said: »I will become to her a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.«

¹⁶ They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: »Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men.

²⁴ »The servant who received one talent said: ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man. You reap where you did not sow and gather where you did not scatter.

²⁰ »Teach them to observe all the things I have commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.«

¹⁴ »Teacher,« they said, »we know that you are truthful, and not concerned about what other people think. You truthfully teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

³² »Do not fear little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

²¹ »I feared you because you are an austere man. You take up what you do not lay down and you reap that which you did not sow.

²¹ »Teacher,« they said, »we know that you are right in what you say and teach. You are not partial and do not play favorites. Rather you teach the way of God truthfully.«

²⁴ »Do not judge according to appearance! Judge a righteous judgment.«

²¹ »Someone must join us as a witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He must be one of the men who were in our group during the time that the Lord Jesus traveled about with us. This should be from the time John preached his message of baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us to heaven. ²² »One who was with us from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us must become a witness with us of his resurrection.« ²³ They proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

⁵¹ »You obstinate men who are uncircumcised in heart and ears. You always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did.

² The twelve called the congregation of the disciples to them. They said: »It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God and serve tables. ³ »Therefore brothers select seven men who have a good reputation. Men who are full of spirit and wisdom that we may appoint to take care of this business. ⁴ »We will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.« ⁵ The idea pleased the whole congregation. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch, ⁶ whom they set before the apostles. After they prayed, they laid their hands on them.

³⁴ Peter opened his mouth, and said, »I truly perceive that God shows no partiality. ³⁵ »In every nation he accepts every person who respects him and does what is right.

²⁰ »I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house.

²⁷ »I did not shrink from telling you the entire will of God.

¹⁸ »He cared for them and endured their bad conduct in the wilderness for forty years.

¹¹ God is not partial! (God does not play favorites!)

⁷ This is because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God. It is not subject to the law of God for it cannot be. ⁸ Those influenced by the sinful flesh cannot please God.

³¹ What shall we then say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

³⁷ In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

¹¹ When they had not yet been born nor performed anything good or vile, so the purpose of God regarding the choosing would continue without dependence on works but on the One who calls.

¹⁶ To the one an aroma of death leading to death and to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

⁵ We are not adequate by ourselves to account for anything. Our adequacy is from God.

³ We all once lived in the lust of our flesh, indulging the desires (lusts) of the flesh and of the mind. We were by nature children of anger and violent passion, like everyone else.

¹¹ He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers.

⁹ You masters, do the same things to them. Do not threaten! You know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven. There is no favoritism with him.

²⁵ For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong that he has done. There is no partiality.

⁴ We always speak, as God wants us to. He has judged us worthy to be entrusted with the Good News. We do not try to please people, but to please God, who tests our motives (examines our hearts).

¹¹ You know how we dealt with each one of you. It was like a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging and showing you.

²¹ I charge you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, that you observe these [principles] without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present system not to be high-minded (arrogant), not to have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

⁸ »do not harden your hearts and be stubborn like those who tested me in the day of temptation in the wilderness. ⁹ »Your forefathers examined (inspected) (scrutinized) me by proving (testing) me. And they saw my works for forty years. ¹⁰ »I was disgusted (angry) with this generation, and said: ‘They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.’ ¹¹ »So I swore in my anger: ‘They will not enter into my rest.’« ¹² Be careful, brothers and sisters, that none of you develop a wicked heart lacking faith and turning away (departing) from the living God.

¹⁸ Who did God swear would never enter his rest? He was talking about those who did not obey him. ¹⁹ We see that they could not enter in on account of a lack of faith (unbelief) (disobedience).

¹⁷ Afterward, you know, he wanted to receive (inherit) his father’s blessing. He was turned back, because he could not find any way to change what he had done. He was in tears when he looked for it.

⁶ So that with good confidence (courage) we say: »Jehovah is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do to me?« (Psalm 56:11)

¹⁷ If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time you spend here in reverence.

¹ My brothers, keep the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. Do not favor one person over the other. ² A man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes and a poor man in shabby clothes comes into your synagogue. ³ You pay special attention to the one wearing the fine clothes, and say: »Sit here in a good place.« Then you say to the poor man: »Stand there,« or »Sit under my footstool.« ⁴ Do not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts. ⁵ Listen, my dearly beloved brothers! Did God choose poor people in the world to be rich in faith and to receive the kingdom he promised to those who love him?

⁹ But when you show partiality you commit sin. The law then convicts you as transgressors.

⁵ I want to remind you though you once knew this, that Jehovah (God), having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.